What to buy for a murder mystery dinner

A murder mystery dinner needs more than food and drinks. You will also need enough tableware for each course, clear name badges, printed game materials and a few practical items for serving and setup. Plan quantities from your guest count, then add spares for breakages, spills and late changes. This list helps you shop before the day so clues, decorations and drinks are ready before guests arrive.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Tablesqty 6
Chairsqty 24
Buffet table
Coat rack

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 30
Dessert platesqty 30
Soup bowlsqty 30
Water glassesqty 30
Wine glassesqty 30
Cutlery setsqty 30
Coffee cupsqty 30

Decorations

Tableclothsqty 6
Napkinsqty 30
Name badgesqty 30
Candlesticksqty 6
LED candlesqty 12
Table décorqty 6
Photo framesqty 8
Red carpetsqty 2
Propsqty 12
Envelopesqty 30
Clue cardsqty 60

Equipment

Bluetooth speaker
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3
Coolersqty 2
Thermos flasksqty 3

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 3
Chef's knivesqty 3
Serving plattersqty 6
Serving tongsqty 4
Storage binsqty 8

Lighting

String lightsqty 3
Standing lampsqty 2

Cleaning

Bucketsqty 2
Mopsqty 2
Dish brushesqty 3

Catering

Groceries
- Baguettes - 6 pieces
- Butter - 500 grams
- Cream cheese - 500 grams
- Smoked salmon - 1.5 kilogram
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Dill - 4 bunches
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Mixed salad - 1.5 kilograms
- Cherry tomatoes - 1 kilogram
- Red onions - 6 pieces
- Balsamic vinegar - 500 milliliters
- Olive oil - 1 liter
- Beef broth - 6 liters
- Onions - 2 kilograms
- Winter carrots - 2 kilograms
- Celery - 1 kilogram
- Garlic - 4 bulbs
- Beef stew meat - 4 kilograms
- Red wine - 3 bottles
- Tomato paste - 4 cans
- Bay leaves - 1 bag
- Thyme - 2 bunches
- Rosemary - 2 bunches
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Potatoes - 5 kilograms
- Whipped cream - 2 liters
- Milk - 4 liters
- Eggs - 30 pieces
- Flour - 2 kilograms
- Granulated sugar - 2 kilograms
- Vanilla sugar - 4 sachets
- Dark chocolate - 1,5 kilogram
- Red berries - 2 kilograms
- Vanilla ice cream - 4 liters
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Sparkling water - 6 bottles
- Still water - 6 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- White wine - 6 bottles
- Beer - 48 bottles
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles

Tips

Count one dinner plate, one dessert plate, one soup bowl and one full cutlery set per guest, then add 10% extra. If soup is not on the menu, you can skip the bowls rather than buying them automatically.
Allow at least one water glass and one wine glass per guest. Chill drinks several hours before arrival, and use coolers if the venue has limited refrigerator space.
Prepare one name badge and one printed role or instruction pack for every character. Sort clue cards into clearly labelled sets before guests arrive so the game does not stop while you search for materials.
Buy or bring serving platters and serving tongs for each shared dish, plus two cutting boards and chef’s knives if food will be prepared or portioned at the venue. Add storage bins for leftover food and game materials.
Check the room’s power supply at least one day beforehand if you are using a Bluetooth speaker, string lights or standing lamps. Pack extension cords and power strips, and keep LED candles available instead of relying on open flames.

Frequently asked questions

What tableware do I need for a murder mystery dinner?: For each guest, plan one dinner plate, one dessert plate, one water glass, one wine glass and one cutlery set. Add about 10% extra, so a dinner for 20 people needs 22 of each item where practical.
How many drinks should I buy for a murder mystery dinner?: For the first hour, allow two to three drinks per person, then roughly one drink per person per hour. For 20 guests over three hours, that is about 80 to 100 drinks, including water and non-alcoholic options.
When should I print the murder mystery roles and clues?: Print roles, instructions and clue cards at least 2 days before the dinner. Sort each character’s materials in advance and keep one spare printed set for damaged or missing pages.
How many name badges and decorations do I need?: Prepare one name badge for every guest character, plus 2 or 3 blank spares. For table décor, one arrangement per table is usually enough; check the room 1 day before to confirm whether extra lighting or tablecloths are needed.

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