What you need for a Father’s Day dinner
A Father’s Day dinner needs more than ingredients. Use this shopping list to cover the table, serving equipment, cooking tools, drinks service and simple decorations before guests arrive. Count plates, glasses, cutlery and chairs against the final guest number, then add a small buffer for breakages or second servings. Check specialist items early, especially a large pot, oven space, coffee maker and covered serving trays.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Tablesqty 4
- Chairsqty 24
- Tableclothsqty 4
Tableware
- Dinner platesqty 24
- Soup bowlsqty 24
- Dessert platesqty 24
- Drinking glassesqty 30
- Wine glassesqty 24
- Coffee cupsqty 24
- Knivesqty 24
- Forksqty 24
- Soup ladlesqty 24
- Coffee spoonsqty 24
- Serving spoonsqty 8
Kitchen
- Serving plattersqty 8
- Serving trays with lidsqty 4
- Cutting boardsqty 3
- Chef's bread knivesqty 3
- Mixing bowlsqty 5
- Measuring cupsqty 2
- Baking dishesqty 3
- Large cooking potsqty 3
- Frying pansqty 2
- Kitchen tongsqty 3
Equipment
- Oven
- Coffee maker
- Kettle
- Coolersqty 2
Decorations
- Buntingqty 2
- Flower arrangementsqty 4
- Table runnersqty 4
Lighting
- String lightsqty 3
- LED lanternsqty 4
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 3
- Cleaning glovesqty 2
Catering
- Groceries
- Chicken thigh fillet - 4 kilograms
- Beef broth - 4 liters
- Potatoes - 5 kilograms
- Green beans - 3 kilograms
- Tomatoes - 2 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 4 pieces
- Red onions - 6 pieces
- Arugula - 500 grams
- Bell peppers - 6 pieces
- Mushrooms - 1 kilogram
- Garlic - 4 bulbs
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Fresh parsley - 4 bunches
- Fresh basil - 3 pots
- Rosemary - 3 bunches
- Thyme - 3 bunches
- Butter - 750 grams
- Olive oil - 1 liter
- Sunflower oil - 500 milliliters
- Cooking cream - 1 liter
- Crème fraîche - 500 gram
- Parmesan cheese - 400 grams
- Cream cheese - 1 kilogram
- Whipped cream - 1 liter
- Biscuit bases - 4 pieces
- Strawberries - 2 kilograms
- Blueberries - 500 grams
- Vanilla sugar - 4 sachets
- Granulated sugar - 1 kilogram
- Wheat flour - 500 grams
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Curry powder - 1 jar
- Dijon mustard - 1 jar
- Mayonnaise - 1 jar
- Balsamic vinegar - 500 milliliters
- Ketchup - 1 bottle
- Baguettes - 6 pieces
- Salted peanuts - 1 kilogram
- Olives - 3 jars
- Cheese biscuits - 4 packs
- Chips - 6 bags
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Citrus lemonade - 4 bottles
- Sparkling water - 8 bottles
- Still water - 8 bottles
- Fruit juice - 4 liters
- Alcohol-free beer - 12 bottles
- Beer - 36 bottles
- Red wine - 6 bottles
- White wine - 4 bottles
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 4 liters
- Sugar - 500 grams
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 pack
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Sponges - 6 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Napkins - 4 packs
- Toothpicks - 1 pack
Tips
- Count each place setting separately: one dinner plate, soup bowl, dessert plate, knife, fork, drinking glass, wine glass, coffee cup and coffee spoon per guest. Add two or three spare settings if you are hosting more than 10 people.
- Plan serving equipment around the menu. Allow one serving platter or tray per main dish, one serving spoon per shared side, a soup ladle for each soup pot and kitchen tongs for food that guests will serve themselves.
- Do not leave drinks equipment until the day itself. Have coolers ready at least 2 hours before dinner, chill drinks before guests arrive, and check that you have enough drinking and wine glasses for the first round.
- Check cooking capacity 1 day ahead. Make sure the oven, large cooking pots, frying pans, baking dishes, mixing bowls, measuring cups and cutting boards can handle the menu without needing the same item twice at once.
- Set aside coffee service before dessert. You need a coffee maker, kettle, coffee cups and spoons, plus a clear serving area; these are often forgotten when the table is set for the main meal.
Frequently asked questions
- How many plates and glasses do I need for a Father’s Day dinner?
- Buy or prepare one dinner plate, soup bowl, dessert plate and drinking glass per guest, plus one wine glass if wine is being served. Add 2–3 spare place settings for a group of 10 or more.
- What tableware is needed for a Father’s Day dinner?
- For each guest, plan a dinner plate, soup bowl, dessert plate, knife, fork, drinking glass, wine glass, coffee cup and coffee spoon. You will also need serving spoons and a soup ladle for shared dishes.
- When should I chill drinks for Father’s Day dinner?
- Put drinks in coolers at least 2 hours before guests arrive. Check the cooler space the day before, so it is not filled with food or missing ice when setup begins.
- What cooking equipment should I check before the dinner?
- Check the oven, large cooking pots, frying pans, baking dishes, mixing bowls, measuring cups and cutting boards 1 day ahead. Confirm that each item is available for the menu and that the oven can handle the dishes you need to cook.
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