It’s the weekend and you make plans to have a pizza party by inviting your friends over to your place. Or maybe you or the missus aren’t in the mood to cook, so you decide to make it a pizza night by ordering a pie from your favorite pizza joint. When deciding how much to order, you might be left wondering how many people does a 16 inch pizza feed?
In this article, we’ll talk about the various pizza sizes that can be ordered. We will also take a look at the factors that influence the amount of pizza that’s needed for a party.
So without any further ado, let’s get right to it.
Different Sizes of Pizzas
For customer convenience, pizza restaurants create pies in a variety of sizes. These sizes are indicated by the diameter of the pizza, in inches. The most popular sizes are as follows:
- Personal Pan Pizza: These are the smallest of all sizes of pizza. They are usually labeled as 6″ pizza pies and are the perfect single serving for a quick snack.
- Small Pizza: These pizzas are usually sized at around 8″ and can serve 1-2 people at max.
- Medium Pizza: Depending on the pizza shop, the size of a medium pizza may vary between 10-12 inches in diameter. These are perfect for 2-3 people.
- Large Pizza: A large pizza has a diameter of 13″ or 14″, making it adequate for 3-4 people.
- Extra-Large Pizza: This is the size where most 16″ pizzas fall into. An extra-large pizza is often enough for a group of 5 or 6 people.
- Family-Sized Pizza: This is the biggest pizza size at almost all of the popular pizza chains. As the name suggests, it can feed almost an entire family of 6-7 people, often leaving some leftover pizza slices after eating. These are sized at somewhere around a whopping 24″ and are perfect for an office party or a birthday party.
Number of Slices in a 16” Pizza
The number of slices you get is subject to the pizza vendor from whom you buy the pie from. We have seen restaurants cut an extra-large pizza pie into only 4 slices. Each of these slices of pizza were monstrous, and quite frankly, more than a single person can handle.
Some pizza vendors do the exact opposite. They cut the pizza pie into 15 or even 20 scrawny slices. This can cater to a larger number of people, but be prepared to restock the pizza at quick intervals.
In the majority of cases, the slices of pizza in a 16-inch pizza vary between 10-12. This yields normal-sized slices that are easy to eat.
Factors Behind How Many People Does a 16 Inch Pizza Feed
Although we already mentioned that a 16-inch pizza can feed 5-6 people, there are quite a few factors that can influence this number. Before you place your order, make sure that you take into account these variables:
Appetizers
Almost every pizza vendor has a variety of appetizers on their menu. Some people would argue that these appetizers are just as important to a party as the pizza itself.
For instance, you could order a bunch of garlic bread with mushroom sauce or maybe go with mozzarella sticks to spark your hunger.
However, adding appetizers to your order will obviously reduce the amount of pizza every person will eat. While it isn’t the cheaper option, having appetizers with your pizza is definitely more fun as it increases the variety of dishes that are served.
Pizza Crust
While many people prefer a thin-crust pizza, it doesn’t match well with every flavor, and often times going with a classic pizza crust is the safer option.
It’s quite obvious that a 16″ thin-crust pizza won’t be as fulfilling as a deep-dish or hand-tossed crust pizza. If you’re short on cash and want to have a filling pizza dinner, go with a deep-dish pizza.
Many pizza vendors offer stuffed crust options as well. From the couple of options they have, go either with a cheese stuffing, or a stuffing of your choice of sauce. These will always be crowd-pleasers, as well as fulfilling.
And don’t take us the wrong way — a pizza with a thin crust and generous toppings can never be wrong! In fact, it might be tastier. However, it isn’t always fulfilling, especially if you have to feed a gathering of multiple people. It’s either go thick crust or buy more pizzas — whatever better suits your budget.
Dietary Restriction
Before you place an order, you’ll obviously have to pick your toppings. This is where things get a bit complicated.
Not every topping flavor is for everybody. For instance, many people would rather have vegetarian options, while there would be some out there who just don’t like the taste of the pizza vendor you order from.
When ordering for a party, the best option is to pick a variety of toppings. You can divide the 16-inch pizza into different toppings, or you can even go with smaller sizes, each with a different flavor. This allows the majority of the people to enjoy the pizza pie, without anyone being left out.
You also have to consider the people who have conditions such as lactose intolerance. They cannot consume dairy products unless it’s lactose-free, making the cheese on a pizza a no-go.
Conclusion
Before you plan a party, make sure that you know the audience that you’ll be hosting. This isn’t a particular concern when you order for your family, as you know the crust and toppings preference for everyone.
For a party where you’ve got friends and acquaintances, however, such factors can heavily influence the number of how many people does a 16 inch pizza feed.
Now that you know how many people does a 16-inch pizza feed, make sure you order the right amount of pizza by taking into account the factors we mentioned above.