Planning dinner for a big group

Big tables are more common than you'd think

Eating out with a crowd is a normal part of life. In a YouGov poll of 17,020 US adults in April 2024, people were asked how often they're joined by five or more other people when they eat at a restaurant. Combining the answers "always" (5%), "usually" (8%) and "sometimes" (23%), 36% eat out with a group that size at least some of the time.

So if you're planning for eight, ten or twelve, you're in good company.

Settle the date first

With a big group, the date is the hardest thing to land, so start there. Offer a few possible days and an hour, and let each person say which ones work. Choose the day most people can make, rather than waiting for one that suits everyone.

Gather the must-haves, privately

Before anyone suggests a restaurant, find out what each person needs:

• Diet and allergies. One requirement can rule out a place for the whole table.
• Budget. People are more honest about it one-to-one than in front of twelve others.
• Area. Pick somewhere fair for where people are coming from.

Asking privately avoids the awkward moment when someone has to object in the group chat.

Think about the table itself

Large groups have practical needs that a table for four doesn't:

• Can the restaurant seat everyone together?
• Does it offer a set menu or sharing plates for groups?
• Will it ask for a deposit, or a card to hold the booking?
• Is it quiet enough to talk across the table?

Ask these before you book, not at the door.

Choose from a short list, together

With a big group, an open debate goes in circles. Narrow the options to a handful that work for everyone's must-haves, then let the group vote. People are happier with the result when they had a say in it.

Book early, then share the details

Once the group has chosen, book and send everyone the place, date and time in one message. If someone drops out, let them say so early, so the booking can be adjusted.

How MiBA helps with big groups

In MiBA, the host picks the meal, the days, the hour and the area, and shares one link. Each guest answers once, on their own: which days work, what they feel like eating, the vibe, the budget and what they don't eat. Their no's, their diet and their budget stay private. However big the group, MiBA weighs every answer against real restaurants and ranks them, the host puts up to five on a short list, and the group votes.

Then you get a link or a phone number to book, and everyone hears where and when. Anyone who can't make it says so with one tap, and the host sees who's sitting out.