Planning Guide
How to Organise a Dinner Club Event
Step-by-step guide to organising a dinner club event. Covers headcount, dietary restrictions, wine calculation, and RSVPs — with free tools included.
Organising a dinner club event means juggling exact headcounts, dietary restrictions, wine bottles, and place settings — all while creating a memorable evening. This guide walks through everything from locking down your guest list early to calculating portions accurately, with practical tips built specifically for supper club hosts and rotating dinner party organisers.
The format you choose determines everything: shopping list size, table configuration, course complexity, and how much help you'll need. Get this right first.
Choose your dinner club format
Rotating host dinner parties (different home each month), themed supper club (Italian night, tapas, etc.), international cuisine exploration, or charity dinner with ticket proceeds. Each requires different planning lead times.
Set your exact capacity
For dinner clubs, this isn't flexible. Your table seats 8, or 10, or 12. Count your actual chairs and place settings. This number dictates everything from wine bottles to protein portions.
Decide on courses and complexity
Three courses for 8 people is manageable solo. Five courses for 12 needs a co-host or simplified prep. Your capacity should match your kitchen capability and the evening's ambition.
Pick a theme that simplifies decisions
"French bistro night" or "Autumn harvest menu" gives you clear boundaries for planning. Open-ended menus create decision fatigue and shopping chaos.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I set up RSVPs for a dinner club event?
For regular monthly dinners: open RSVPs 3 weeks before, close them 5-7 days before to allow shopping time. For special themed events or guest chef nights: 4-6 weeks advance notice. You need the headcount locked early enough to buy exact quantities of fresh ingredients.
How do I handle dietary restrictions without cooking multiple menus?
Collect restrictions at RSVP time (Who's In lets you add custom questions). Then plan one menu that works for everyone, or choose dishes where you can easily swap components (vegetarian protein on the side, dairy-free sauce option). Cooking entirely separate meals doesn't scale past 2-3 variations.
What's the best way to calculate wine for a dinner party?
Standard rule: 1 bottle per 2 guests for a 3-hour dinner (half bottle per person). For wine pairings, calculate 125ml per person per course. Always round up and buy one extra bottle — you can return unopened bottles to most shops, but running dry is awkward.
How do I reduce no-shows for dinner parties where I'm cooking exact portions?
Three tactics: Set hard RSVP deadlines 5-7 days out (no late additions), use automatic 48-hour reminders (Who's In does this), and make attendance socially accountable by keeping groups small and regular. No-shows hurt more in intimate settings, which actually reduces them.
Should I charge for dinner club events or keep them free?
Most rotating host dinner parties split costs equally (everyone pays £15-25 to cover ingredients and wine). Ticketed supper clubs or pop-up restaurants typically charge £30-60 depending on your location and menu complexity. Free works only if you're very small-scale or alternating who covers costs. Who's In supports both free events and external payment links.
Ready to collect RSVPs for your dinner-club events?
Who's In is free, takes 2 minutes to set up, and requires no app download for attendees.
