Team outing cost calculator
Add up per-person costs times expected attendees, then fixed costs, tip, tax and a buffer. Enter your numbers below for the total, the cost per attendee and the cost per invited person.
Estimate your outing
Free, no sign-up. The numbers you type stay in your browser unless you copy the link.
Estimated total
$0.00
- Per attendee
- $0.00
- Per invited person
- $0.00
- Expected attendees
- 17 of 20
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Activity or tickets17 × $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Food17 × $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Drinks17 × $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Venue or room | $0.00 |
| Transport | $0.00 |
| Other | $0.00 |
| Subtotal | $0.00 |
| Sales tax0% | $0.00 |
| Tip20% of food and drinks | $0.00 |
| Buffer10% | $0.00 |
| Total | $0.00 |
How to use it
- Enter how many people you are inviting and the share you expect to come. With no history, start from our guidance of 85%. If you already have RSVPs, enter the yes count and set attendance to 100%.
- Fill in the per-person costs from the venue's quote or menu.
- Add the fixed costs that stay the same however many people come.
- Set your local sales tax rate. The 20% tip and 10% buffer are our guidance; change them to match your venue.
- Copy the link to send the estimate to whoever approves the budget.
How the math works
Expected attendees are people invited times the attendance rate, rounded up. Per-person lines are multiplied by expected attendees, and fixed costs are added once. Sales tax applies to the subtotal, the tip applies to food and drinks before tax, and the buffer applies to everything above it.
Cost per attendee divides the total by expected attendees. Cost per invited person divides it by everyone invited, which helps when your budget is set per team member.
Where you are, some lines may not be taxed, and many restaurants add an automatic service charge for larger parties in place of a tip. Ask when you book and enter that rate as the tip.
What to include in each line.
Activity or tickets
The per-person price of the thing you are doing: bowling lanes split per head, class seats, game or museum tickets. If a venue charges per lane or per group, divide by the group size.
Food
Per person, before tax and tip. For a set menu or buffet, use the quoted price. For ordering off the menu, use a typical main plus a shared starter.
Drinks
Per person, before tax and tip. Leave it at 0 if drinks are on each person, or set it to the number of drink tickets times their price.
Venue or room
A room hire or private area fee. If the venue waives it against a food and drink minimum, leave it at 0 and check your total clears the minimum.
Transport
The total for the group: a shuttle, rideshares, parking or train fares. It is a fixed line, so enter the whole amount, not a per-person figure.
Other
Anything left: decorations, a cake, prizes, a photographer, a deposit you will lose if you cancel late.
How to keep the cost down
These are our guidance, aimed at the lines that usually swing a total the most.
- Get a firm headcount before you pay deposits, and book for the yes count, not the invite list.
- Ask about lunch or weekday pricing. Daytime slots often cost less than a Friday night.
- Use drink tickets or a set number of rounds in place of an open tab.
- Pick a set menu or family-style food so the food line is known before the day.
- Ask whether the room fee is waived if you meet a food and drink minimum.
If your company deducts the cost, the IRS's Publication 463 (for 2025 returns) says taxes and tips on a business meal count as part of the meal's cost. It also lists recreational activities for employees, such as a holiday party or a summer picnic, as an exception to the 50% limit on meals. This is general information, not tax advice, so check with your accountant.
For budget ranges by type of outing, see our team outing budget per person guide. To get the number approved, read how to build a business case for your event budget. And to make the attendance rate a real number, see how to get employees to RSVP.
Collect RSVPs to get your real headcount.
In TeamOutings, people answer yes, no or maybe and the headcount updates live. Each outing shows its cost per person and capacity, on the web, iPhone and Android.