EVENT & PARTY PLANNING
Estimate how much ice you need for a party or gathering based on the number of guests, the length of the event, and whether you are also chilling bottles.
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Total ice (lb)
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10-lb bags
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Per guest (lb)
A common rule is about half a pound of ice per guest per hour for drinks, or a full pound if you are also chilling bottles and cans.
How it works
The calculator multiplies guests by hours by a per-hour rate: roughly 0.5 lb per guest per hour for drinks, or 1 lb if you are also chilling bottles. It then rounds up and converts to standard 10-pound bags.
Round up and buy extra. Ice melts faster than you expect, especially outdoors. Buy a little more than the estimate, and keep backup bags in a cooler.
See the Party Drinks Calculator and the Drink Batch Calculator.
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