Friendsgiving Potluck Sign-Up Sheet
Friendsgiving runs on different rules than family Thanksgiving. Nobody's grandmother owns the stuffing recipe, half the guests are coming straight from work, and the dining room might be a couch, a coffee table and a few borrowed folding chairs. What it does share with the family version is the risk of six bags of chips and no main dish.
This template gives your group a menu sized for a casual crowd: a meat main and a vegetarian one, the sides people actually fight over, plenty of dessert, and the mixers and ice a BYOB party runs on. Drop the link in the group chat. Friends claim something with just their name — no account, no email address — and everyone can see what's already covered.
What's on the sheet
This is the starting point. Rename, add or remove anything before you share it.
Friendsgiving is happening. Claim one thing below so we end up with a real dinner.
It's BYOB, so bring whatever you'd like to drink. If you own a folding chair, bring that too.
Put your dish in the note and flag anything vegan, gluten-free or made with nuts.
- Main: turkey breast, roast chicken or ham1 spot
- Vegetarian main (stuffed squash, lasagna, pot pie)1 spot
- Chips and dip or a snack board2 spots
- Mac and cheese1 spot
- Mashed potatoes1 spot
- Stuffing1 spot
- Roasted vegetables or green beans1 spot
- Big salad1 spot
- Rolls, biscuits or cornbread1 spot
- Pie2 spots
- Something that isn't pie (brownies, cookies, cheesecake)1 spot
- Mixers, seltzer and a non-alcoholic option2 spots
- Ice and a cooler1 spot
Hosting Friendsgiving in a small space
Most Friendsgivings happen in apartments built for four people at a table, not twelve. A little planning keeps the evening from turning into a traffic jam:
- Take pressure off the oven. A small oven fits one big dish at a time. Consider a main that skips it entirely, like a smoked turkey or ham from a barbecue place or the grocery deli, and lean on sides that taste good warm or at room temperature.
- Split food from drinks. Put dinner on the kitchen counter and set drinks somewhere else — a desk, a side table, or a cooler on the balcony — so the two lines don't collide.
- Count seats honestly. Add up chairs, stools and couch space, then ask two or three friends to bring folding chairs. Floor cushions around a coffee table work fine for a casual crowd.
- Make room before people arrive. Empty a fridge shelf for cold dishes, and set out a second bag for cans and bottles; a BYOB party fills the recycling fast.
Tips for a relaxed Friendsgiving
- Pick a date that doesn't fight family plans. Many groups choose the weekend before Thanksgiving, before people leave town.
- Co-hosting with roommates? Agree on the guest count and who handles cleanup before anyone sends the link, then share one sheet with all your friends.
- Keep the vegetarian main on the sheet even if most of the group eats meat. It doubles as a second main if the turkey runs short.
- Plan one easy, optional activity: a board game, a card game, or a round of what everyone's thankful for this year.
- Mention pets in the description. Friends with allergies will want to know, and a counter full of turkey is a big temptation for a dog.
- Set out to-go containers or zip-top bags by the door so friends take leftovers home instead of leaving them in your fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Do my friends need an app or an account?
No. They tap the link in the group chat, type a name and claim a dish. Nobody creates an account or hands over an email address, so saying yes to bringing pie doesn't put anyone on a mailing list.
How do I handle BYOB without it getting awkward?
Say it plainly in the event description, something like "BYOB: bring what you'd like to drink; we'll have ice and mixers." The drinks lines on the sheet cover shared basics, including a non-alcoholic option, so friends who don't drink have something good too.
Can friends forward the link to a plus-one?
Yes. Anyone with the link can claim a dish, which is handy when a roommate or partner decides to come along. If the group grows, raise the "how many" number on sides and desserts so newcomers have something to claim.
What if someone bails the day of?
They can remove themselves with the private link they got when they signed up, and the "still needed" summary shows the gap right away. Add an organizer update asking who can grab a replacement on the way over.
Can we do it again next year?
Yes. Duplicate this year's event, change the date and send the new link, so you're not rebuilding the menu from scratch.
Related templates
More about Potluck Sign-ups · Browse all templates
Ready when you are
Set it up in about a minute, share one link, and let people sign themselves up.
Use the Friendsgiving Potluck template