Catering
How Many Donuts Do I Need? An Honest Guide to Ordering for a Group
7 September 2026 · 5 min read · Scheduled — not yet published
The two ways to get this wrong are running out in the first ten minutes, and carrying three untouched dozen back to the car. Here is how to land in between.
The working number
Plan on one and a half donuts per person. That is the number that works across most groups. Some people take one, some take three, and it averages out close to one and a half.
So: twenty people is thirty donuts, which is two and a half dozen — round up to three. Twelve people is eighteen, so a dozen and a half.
Adjust for the situation
- Breakfast meeting, nothing else provided: go to two per person. It is the meal, not a treat.
- Afternoon, people have had lunch: one per person is plenty.
- Teenagers or a sports team: two, and do not be surprised at three.
- Big open event where people drift past: under one per head. Most people walk by.
- Alongside a proper catered breakfast: half to three quarters per person.
Get the mix right
Variety matters more than people expect. A box of thirty identical glazed donuts looks mean, even if glazed is the most popular single item. A reasonable split:
- About a third glazed and plain — the safe choice, and there is always someone who wants it
- About a third filled — usually the first to go
- About a third specialty and cake — the ones people point at
If there is any chance people have not eaten, put savoury kolaches in. Half kolaches, half donuts is the order we box most often, and it is the one that gets the best reaction.
The dozen maths
Our dozen is buy ten, get two free. It applies to donuts and to kolaches. Most people ordering for a group do not know this, which means they order in tens and leave free donuts on the counter. Order the dozen.
Practical notes
- Order ahead where you can. Large orders are best with a day's notice, though same-day is often fine — call the shop and ask.
- Morning is when the case is fullest. If you want a specific mix, come early or order ahead.
- Two boxes beat one big one. Easier to carry, and you can put them at opposite ends of a room so a queue does not form.
- Napkins. Always more than you think.
How to order
Call the shop nearest you — Spanish Fork, Ogden or St. George. They know their own morning and what they can realistically turn around.