Set the categories before you send the link
Decide roughly how many of each thing you need, then let people fill in the detail. Four mains, four sides, two salads, three desserts, and two drinks feeds about twenty people with leftovers.
Leave one slot for plates, cups, and utensils. It is the thing everyone forgets, and the person who takes it has the easiest job on the list.
Ask for the dish name in the note
The note field is where someone writes what they are actually bringing. Three people can claim a side dish without three people bringing potato salad.
It is also where allergies get handled. Someone writing gluten-free next to their name tells the whole group more than a paragraph in your invitation ever will.
Send it twice
Send the link once when you plan the potluck and once about three days before. The second message is the one that works. People mean to sign up and then their day happens.
Print the sheet on the morning of the event and put it by the food. It becomes the label for what is on the table.
Common questions
- How much food do I need for a potluck?
- Plan for each dish to serve six to eight people, and aim for a little more total food than you have guests. Most potlucks end up with extra, which is the correct outcome.
- Do people need an account to sign up?
- No. They tap a spot, type a name, and they are done. There is nothing to install and nothing to join.
- What if someone does not turn up with their dish?
- It happens, and it matters less than you think when the categories are spread out. This is the reason to ask for a little more food than you strictly need. If a main falls through on the day, the sides and desserts already on the table will carry the meal.