A potluck signup sheet that runs itself.

The group text is where potlucks go to die

Every potluck starts the same way: someone posts “what’s everyone bringing?” and forty messages later there are three pans of brownies, no main dish, and one person quietly asking if anything will be gluten-free. A spreadsheet fixes the duplicates but creates a new job: you, maintaining a spreadsheet.

A signup sheet should do three things: show what’s needed, let people claim it in one tap, and update for everyone instantly. That’s what this is.

How it works

1. Build the menu. Tell Dinner Caddy about the party — occasion, headcount, any dietary restrictions — and it drafts a full menu you can edit, swap, or add your own dishes to.
2. Turn on Potluck mode. Mark each dish: you’re making it, it’s up for grabs, or it’s assigned to someone by name.
3. Share one link. Guests open it on their phone — no account, no app, no login — see the menu and the party’s dietary notes, and claim a dish with just their name.
4. Everyone sees the same board. A claimed dish shows who’s bringing it. No duplicates, no forty-message thread.

What guests get (the part spreadsheets can’t do)

• The recipe, scaled to the party. Claim the mac and cheese for a party of 20 and you get quantities for 20 — not a recipe card for 6 and a math problem.
• Their own shopping list for just their dish, with one-tap links to shop it online.
• The dietary picture up front. If the party is nut-free, guests see it before they choose — not in the driveway.
• A claim confirmation by email if they want one. We send it and discard the address — it’s never stored on the party.

And the host’s list stays honest: when someone claims a dish, its ingredients leave your shopping list automatically. You shop for what you’re making, not for the whole table.

Quick answers

Is it free?

Yes — the planner, the potluck link, all of it. No account needed for you or your guests.

Do guests need to download anything?

No. The link opens in any browser, on any phone.

What if someone has to drop out?

They can release their dish (or you can, as host), and it goes back up for grabs for anyone with the link.

Can people bring their own recipe?

Yes — the host can add anyone’s dish to the menu by name or by pasting a recipe, and assign it to them. A fuller “sign up and bring what you make best” flow is coming soon.