A first-pass plan for the whole table

Enter a headcount to create a discussion estimate. Nothing is submitted or stored, and the result is not a promise about any restaurant’s portions.

Estimate

Start with people, then add variety

We begin with one entrée per person and estimate shareable sides from an appetite-weighted headcount. Children and large appetites change the starting number, but you remain responsible for adjusting it to the people, menu and current portions in front of you.

Privacy by design: the calculation runs only in your browser. There is no account, form submission, analytics or saved history.

Adults

Children

People with larger appetites

4 entrées · about 3 shared sides

Start with one entrée per person, then use three as a discussion number for shareable sides. Put water for four on the plan before adding paid drinks.

Turn the estimate into an order

The four-pass review

Quantity is only the first pass. Safety, ownership, travel and checkout determine whether the plan survives contact with the restaurant.

Safety pass

Identify allergies and dietary requirements. Use current official restaurant resources and speak with staff before final selection.

Name pass

Assign every entrée, modification, side and drink to a person. Give shared food an explicit owner and quantity.

Travel pass

Choose sides and sauce placement based on the real time between kitchen, pickup, vehicle and table.

Checkout pass

Verify location, order method, quantities, modifiers, requested time, fees and contact details before payment.

How the estimate works

A conversation number, not a serving standard

The calculator counts one entrée for each person. It converts adults, children and people with larger appetites into a rough side-demand weight, then divides that weight between shared orders. This intentionally produces a simple number. It does not know the restaurant’s current portion size, whether a side comes with an entrée, what anyone ate earlier or whether the table prefers individual sides.

Use the estimate as a question: “Would this many shared sides give us the variety we want?” If sides already accompany the chosen entrées, the answer may be zero extra sides. If the meeting centers on appetizers, the entire entrée assumption may be wrong. Adjust openly rather than treating the number as authority.

Build a readable list

For each person, record the exact current menu item and changes in the same order. Example: “Morgan — grilled chicken sandwich — sauce on side — side salad, water.” Keep allergy-related communication separate from casual preference notes and let the diner speak directly with restaurant staff where possible.

Check before leaving

At pickup, compare the expected number of meal packages, sides and drinks with the confirmation. Labels and receipt descriptions are more useful than opening wrapped food. Once home, move quickly from package to table so hot food does not continue steaming inside containers.

Read the full group system Review safety information