Pie calculator: how many pies do I need?
Enter your guests and how many kinds of pie to see how many to bake or buy. A 9 in pie is usually cut into 8 slices; quantity tables plan 7 pies for 50 guests.
Enter your measurements
More options: Kids · Extra
- Of each kind
- 1 pie
- Slices needed (incl. extra)
- 22 slices
- Spare slices
- 2 slices
20 adults × 1 slices × 1.1 extra = 22 slices
22 slices ÷ 8 per pie ÷ 3 kinds = 0.92, rounded up = 1 pie of each → 3 pies
- Cream, custard and pumpkin pies are perishable: keep them in the fridge until serving and do not leave them out more than 2 hours.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many pies for 20 people | 6 pies |
| How many slices in a pie | 8 slices in a 9 inch pie (6 in an 8 inch) |
Pies by number of guests (slices, cut and kinds as above)
| Guests | Pies | Of each kind | Spare slices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 3 pies | 1 pie | 15 slices |
| 12 | 3 pies | 1 pie | 10 slices |
| 16 | 3 pies | 1 pie | 6 slices |
| 20 | 3 pies | 1 pie | 2 slices |
| 30 | 6 pies | 2 pies | 15 slices |
| 50 | 9 pies | 3 pies | 17 slices |
| 100 | 15 pies | 5 pies | 10 slices |
Pies are counted in slices. The Clay County, Minnesota “amounts to serve fifty” table — a standard quantity-cooking chart — cuts a 9 in pie into 8 and plans 7 pies for 50 guests; an 8 in pie is cut into 6, 8 pies for 50. This calculator does the same division for your guest count, then rounds each kind of pie up to whole pies.
slices = (guests − ½ × children) × slices each × (1 + extra) pies of each kind = slices ÷ slices per pie ÷ kinds, rounded up pies = pies of each kind × kinds
| Guests | 1 slice each, one kind | 1 slice each, three kinds | 1½ slices each, three kinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 20 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 30 | 5 | 6 | 9 |
| 50 | 7 | 9 | 12 |
Worked examples
- How many pies for 20 people — a big Thanksgiving with three kinds.
- How many slices in a pie — 8, 6 or 10, and what each serves.
Tips
- More kinds means more pie. With pumpkin, apple and pecan on the table, many guests take a sliver of two — count 1½ slices each.
- Bake ahead. Fruit pies can be baked the day before; pumpkin, custard and cream pies belong in the fridge.
- Cut before serving for a crowd: a pie marked into 8 or 10 goes further than one cut as people go.
- Cake or cupcakes too? Drop to half a slice each — see the cake serving calculator and the cupcake calculator.
Planning the whole holiday meal? The Thanksgiving dinner planner puts the turkey, sides and pies on one timeline.
What you’ll need
- Heavy-duty paper plates (bulk)Budget price
Sturdy plates that do not fold under a scoop of baked beans. Get small ones too for dessert.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Plastic cutlery set (bulk)Budget price
Heavyweight forks that will cut brisket and ham. Pre-rolled sets with a napkin speed up a buffet line.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
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Frequently asked questions
How many pies do I need for Thanksgiving?
About one 9 in pie for every 7 guests at a slice each — the Clay County table’s 7 pies for 50 — rounded up for each kind. With three kinds and guests taking two slivers, plan closer to one pie per 5 guests.
How many people does a 9 inch pie serve?
Eight, at the usual cut — the Clay County quantity table plans 1/8 of a 9 in pie per serving. Cut thinner, ten.
How many pies do I need for 50 guests?
About 7 pies cut in 8 at one slice each, by the Clay County table — 8 with 10% extra, and more if you offer several kinds.
Sources
- Clay County, Minnesota — Amounts of food to serve fifty (cooking for large groups) (opens in a new tab) — Quantity table for 50 servings, built on a 3 oz cooked meat serving; sides, rolls, desserts, punch and lemonade.