Graduation Open House

Graduation Open House for 75 Guests

Rolling attendance model where peak occupancy is lower than total invites.

Built from calculator outputs and public serving standards • Updated: February 25, 2026

Guest Count

75

Target Budget

$980

Baseline Status

Inside target budget

Real-World Constraint

Guests arrive across a 4-hour window

Baseline Menu From Calculator Outputs

The first menu item is treated as the anchor dish. Supporting items are calculated with shared-menu assumptions.

Menu Item Quantity Cost Range Source
Pulled Pork Anchor 9 pounds $72 - $135 Pulled Pork Servings for 75 guests
Sandwich 66 sandwiches $264 - $528 Sandwiches for 75 guests
Pasta Salad 40 cups $30 - $80 Pasta Salad Servings for 75 guests
Cookie 105 cookies $53 - $158 Cookies for 75 guests

Baseline total: $419 - $901

Budget Tradeoff Modes

Lean Mode

Light appetite + shared-menu assumptions across all items.

$303 - $654

Balanced Mode

Anchor item + supportive sides using baseline event appetite.

$419 - $901

Comfort Mode

Hungry-crowd assumptions with stronger buffer on the anchor item.

$524 - $1127

Tradeoff Notes

  • •More pulled pork increases quality perception but cost swings faster
  • •Higher sandwich reliance lowers prep complexity but may feel repetitive
  • •More desserts increase satisfaction but can cannibalize savory consumption

What Changes at +10 Guests

Scaling from 75 to 85 guests moves this baseline plan from $419 - $901 to $474 - $1019. Budget impact: +$55 to +$118.

🐷 Pulled Pork

10 pounds

Estimated $80 - $150

🥪 Sandwich

75 sandwiches

Estimated $300 - $600

🍝 Pasta Salad

45 cups

Estimated $34 - $90

🍪 Cookie

119 cookies

Estimated $60 - $179

Link targets round to the nearest supported calculator breakpoint (20 guests).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • •Planning as if all 75 eat at once
  • •No reserve trays for late arrivals
  • •Underestimating beverage replenishment

Decision Log

  • •Use open-house pacing with staged replenishment
  • •Keep one reserve tray of each major item
  • •Allocate extra beverage buffer in final hour

Execution Timeline

  1. 1 week before Estimate rolling attendance pattern
  2. 48 hours before Prep make-ahead sides
  3. Service hour 1 Launch 60% of total menu
  4. Service hour 3 Deploy reserve trays

Planning Intent Cluster Links

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Operational checklist for this event style.

 Calculator Hub

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Editorial Process and Sources

Last reviewed: February 25, 2026

Contact: hello@feedmyguests.com

This scenario is built from the calculator per-person outputs for 75 guests and standard catering portions, then framed with practical constraints, execution tradeoffs, and food-safety checks.

How calculations are built Editorial policy

Reference Sources

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