How Much Water for 12 People?

Plan 1.5 bottles of water per person indoors — and 3 per person for outdoor summer events, where water outdraws everything else in the cooler.

A marker by the cooler ('write your name on your bottle') genuinely cuts abandoned half-empty bottles by half.

Adjusting for your crowd: kids eat about two-thirds of adult portions; knock 25% off any single item when several mains share the table; add 25% for teenagers and big appetites. When in doubt, round up on the cheap items (buns, chips, ice) and stay exact on the expensive ones.