What to buy for an open club night

An open club night needs more than drinks and speakers. Plan supplies for arrivals, coats, food and drinks, room layout, directions, lighting and the cleanup afterwards. The exact quantities depend on your confirmed guest list, but buying in clear per-person amounts prevents the most common shortages. Check what the venue already provides before shopping, especially chairs, tables, coffee equipment, power access and waste bins.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Chairsqty 60
Tablesqty 8
Clothes racksqty 2
Coat hangersqty 70

Tableware

Drinking glassesqty 80
Coffee cupsqty 40
Platesqty 60
Cutlery setsqty 60
Serving traysqty 6

Kitchen

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Pouring jugsqty 4
Serving tongsqty 4
Bottle openersqty 4
Coolersqty 3

Equipment

Portable speakersqty 2
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 4
Microphone

Decorations

Tableclothsqty 8
Club flagsqty 4
Bannersqty 3
Name badge holdersqty 60
Pensqty 12
Direction signsqty 6

Lighting

LED lightsqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Broomqty 2
Dustpansqty 2
Mop setsqty 2
Reusable cleaning clothsqty 12
Rubber glovesqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 1 box
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Sinas - 6 bottles
- Iced tea - 6 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 8 bottles
- Spa Red - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 4 cartons
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Beer - 3 crates
- White wine - 4 bottles
- Red wine - 3 bottles
- Beer mix drink - 12 cans
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Tortilla chips - 4 bags
- Salted peanuts - 2 bags
- Party nuts - 3 bags
- Olives - 3 jars
- Cheese cubes - 3 kilo
- Grapes - 3 kilos
- Apples - 40 pieces
- Cucumber - 6 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilos
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Hummus - 6 tubs
- Cream cheese - 4 tubs
- Herb butter - 4 tubs
- Mayonnaise - 1 bottle
- Ketchup - 1 bottle
- Napkins - 300 pieces
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Toilet cleaner - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Paper towels - 4 packs
- Aluminum foil - 1 roll
- Cling film - 1 roll

Tips

Plan two to three drinks per guest for the first hour, then one to two drinks per person for each additional hour. Add non-alcoholic options for at least one-third of the expected attendance.
Buy or bring one drinking glass per guest plus 10% extra, and provide one coffee cup per guest if coffee is part of the night. Plates and cutlery should cover the maximum confirmed guest count, not just the early registrations.
Prepare one name badge holder and one pen for every expected guest who needs to check in. Print at least two copies of the final guest list and keep direction signs ready for entrances, toilets and the main room.
Allow one coat hanger per coat and check the clothes-rack capacity before the event. A crowded entrance becomes difficult quickly when guests arrive at the same time.
Test the speakers, microphone, extension cords, power strips and LED lights before guests arrive. Keep one spare power strip and avoid connecting high-load equipment to an overloaded outlet.

Frequently asked questions

How many drinks do I need for an open club night?: Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, followed by one to two drinks per person for every additional hour. Add around 10% extra if attendance is uncertain, and include non-alcoholic drinks for at least one-third of guests.
How many glasses and plates should I buy for an open club night?: Provide one drinking glass per guest plus 10% spare glasses. For food, use one plate and one cutlery set per guest, with at least 10% extra for breakage, replacements and guests who return for another serving.
What equipment should I check before an open club night?: Test portable speakers, the microphone, LED lights, extension cords and power strips at least 24 hours before the event. Confirm that the venue has enough usable outlets and that the equipment can run without overloaded connections.
How many name badges and coat hangers do I need?: Prepare one name badge holder per expected guest and keep at least 10% extra for late registrations or damaged badges. Allow one coat hanger per coat, then add 10% spare capacity if the venue has limited cloakroom space.

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