Ice Calculator
Enter guests, the setting, how many cans and bottles you're chilling and how long the party runs. Get the pounds of ice for drinks and for chilling, and how many bags of each size that is.
in coolers or tubs, not the fridge
Buy
108 lb
60 lb for drinks + 48 lb for chilling
20 lb bags
6
cheapest per pound
10 lb bags
11
7 lb bags
16
the small gas-station bag
Serving ice = guests × 1 lb × (hours ÷ 4, minimum 1). Chilling ice = ½ lb per can or bottle, packed 1:1 with the drinks and topped with water for a fast chill. Keep serving ice separate from chilling ice; nobody wants the cooler ice in their glass.
Ice by guest count and setting, four hours, no chilling
| Guests | Indoors | Outdoors | Summer heat | + chilling 4 cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 20 lb | 30 lb | 40 lb | +48 lb |
| 30 | 30 lb | 45 lb | 60 lb | +48 lb |
| 50 | 50 lb | 75 lb | 100 lb | +48 lb |
| 75 | 75 lb | 113 lb | 150 lb | +48 lb |
| 100 | 100 lb | 150 lb | 200 lb | +48 lb |
| 150 | 150 lb | 225 lb | 300 lb | +48 lb |
| 200 | 200 lb | 300 lb | 400 lb | +48 lb |
Where a pound per guest comes from
A mixed drink or soft drink takes 4-6 oz of ice, and a guest has three or four drinks over a party, which is a pound with some melt. Outdoors the ice in the glass and in the buckets melts faster, so the rate rises to a pound and a half, and to two in real heat. Beer and wine drinkers need less glass ice but more chilling ice, which is why the calculator has a separate line for cans and bottles.
Bag sizes: 7 lb is the gas-station bag, 10 lb the supermarket bag, 20 lb the party bag. For a big party, an ice delivery or a 50 lb block for the drinks tub costs less per pound than any bag. Dry ice is for keeping things frozen, not for drinks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much ice do I need for a party?
A pound per guest indoors, a pound and a half outdoors, two pounds in summer heat, for a party of about four hours; scale up for longer. Add half a pound for every can or bottle you're chilling in coolers. A 60-person indoor party chilling four cases needs about 108 lb, which is six 20 lb bags.
How much ice for 100 people?
Indoors, 100 lb for drinks plus chilling ice: another 50 lb if you're icing down 100 cans. Outdoors in summer, 200 lb for drinks alone. Buy 20 lb bags where you can; they are the cheapest per pound and fewer bags to carry.
How much ice to chill a case of beer?
About 12 lb, half a pound per can, packed around the cans in a cooler and topped with a little water. Cans in ice water chill in 20-30 minutes; in ice alone it takes over an hour. Bottles of wine take 30-40 minutes in ice water.
Should serving ice and cooler ice be the same?
No. Cooler ice touches cans, hands and melt water; keep a separate clean bag in an insulated bucket for drinks. The calculator reports them as two lines so you can buy them as two lots.
How fast does ice melt?
A 20 lb bag in a good cooler out of the sun lasts a full day; in a metal tub in the sun, a few hours. Buy the drinks ice last, keep the bags in a cooler or freezer until the party starts, and pre-chill the cooler with a sacrificial bag if it has been in a hot garage.
These tools use the caterer's and bartender's planning rules (drinks per guest per hour, ounces per plate, pounds of ice per guest, square feet per seat, Wilton's cake chart), all stated on each page. They are planning estimates for an average crowd: know your guests, round up, and check what your venue, caterer and local alcohol rules require.