Movie Night Shopping List

A movie night needs more than a film and a projector. Plan food and drinks around the length of the screening, then check that you have enough cups, glasses, plates and serving dishes for the audience. Coffee, tea and water are easy to overlook when the focus is on snacks. Buy or collect the consumables several days ahead, and chill drinks and prepare snacks before guests arrive.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Chairsqty 60
Tablesqty 8
Coat rackqty 2
Waste binsqty 4

Equipment

Projector
Projection screen
Laptop
Blu-ray player
Speakersqty 2
Audio mixer
HDMI cablesqty 2
Audio cablesqty 3
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 4
Remote controlsqty 2
Spare batteriesqty 8

Lighting

Standing lampsqty 4
Night lightsqty 4

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 60
Tea glassesqty 60
Water glassesqty 60
Platesqty 60
Forksqty 60
Knivesqty 60
Teaspoonsqty 60
Serving bowlsqty 10
Serving plattersqty 8

Kitchen

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Thermos flasksqty 4
Coolersqty 3
Cutting boardsqty 3
Bread knivesqty 2
Small bowlsqty 12

Decorations

Movie night postersqty 6
Tableclothsqty 8
Name badgesqty 60
Directional signsqty 8

Cleaning

Vacuum cleaner
Mopqty 2
Bucketsqty 2
Cleaning glovesqty 6
Cleaning clothsqty 12

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Hot chocolate - 2 liters
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Mints - 1 box
- Semi-skimmed milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 liter
- Berry juice - 3 liters
- Spa Blauw - 8 bottles
- Spa Red - 4 bottles
- Lemons - 6 pieces
- Ice cubes - 4 bags
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Snack mix - 3 bags
- Plain popcorn - 3 bags
- Sweet popcorn - 3 bags
- Mini pretzels - 3 bags
- Cheese cookies - 3 packs
- Crackers - 6 packs
- Wholegrain crackers - 4 packs
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Butter - 4 packs
- Young cheese - 2 kilos
- Cream cheese - 6 tubs
- Hummus - 6 tubs
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilos
- Grapes - 3 kilos
- Apples - 60 pieces
- Bananas - 40 pieces
- Mini pastries - 60 pieces
- Cookies - 6 packs
- Gluten-free crackers - 2 packs
- Lactose-free cream cheese - 2 tubs
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Stirrers - 100 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 1 roll
- Cling film - 1 roll
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 30 pieces
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Disinfectant wipes - 2 packs

Tips

Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one additional drink per person for each following hour. Include water as well as soft drinks or other refreshments.
For snacks, allow about 100–150 grams per person for a film lasting up to two hours. Buy a mix of easy-to-serve options and keep extra serving bowls available for refills.
Count tableware against confirmed registrations, not the room capacity. Have at least one cup or glass and one plate per guest, plus 10% extra for replacements and late additions.
Set up coffee and tea supplies for roughly one hot drink per person after the screening. Check that you have enough teaspoons, coffee cups, tea glasses, sugar and milk before shopping.
Do not leave serving and waste supplies until the last day. Prepare separate bowls or platters for each snack, place waste bins near the seating area, and keep spare batteries and extension equipment with the event supplies.

Frequently asked questions

How much food do I need for a movie night?: For a film of up to two hours, allow 100–150 grams of snacks per person. If the movie runs longer than two hours or replaces a meal, add a more filling option and increase the total by about 25%.
How many drinks should I buy for movie night?: Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, followed by one drink per person for every additional hour. Include at least one serving of water per guest and add 10% extra for unexpected guests or spills.
How many cups and plates do I need for a movie night?: Start with one cup or glass and one plate per confirmed guest, then add 10% extra. For 40 guests, that means at least 44 of each, with additional glasses if you serve both hot and cold drinks.
When should I buy supplies for a movie night?: Buy packaged snacks, drinks, tableware and serving supplies three to five days in advance. Chill drinks the day before, and prepare perishable snacks on the day of the screening.

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