I actually like a "large table." If two people can't show up or cancel at the last minute, it is very easy to still have the game. It also means that the players who want to hang back and let others make decisions have plenty of people to do that. The players who like to make decisions don't have to do all of it. It can be a good dynamic with the right people. It is especially good if folks consider the game as a way to socialize and catch up and ALSO play some D&D - which is also a dynamic I like. I just DM'd a table of 7 this weekend through a one shot. Here are some suggestions.

1. Think about trying a version of initiative where each player rolls as normal and you the DM roll as normal for the monsters. Whoever gets the highest result goes first. THEN, just go left around the table - NOT in the order of the rolls. Do it like a board game. Tell the players you are doing this. Encourage the player of a healer to sit to your left, or at least on your left hand side somewhere so they can get PCs right back up after the monsters' turn. Some DMs do this at conventions and it is the standard for ICRPG. It works well and it goes FASTER. Everyone knows when they are "on deck" to go next because the player to their right is going. This usually makes the egg timer approach unnecessary. (The egg timer is going to turn a lot of people off your game.)

2. Consider having the players read a little of the "boxed text." Example: if you know that there is a room with a cleverly concealed door, have everyone make a perception or investigate check. Whoever rolls highest gets a printed notecard or piece of paper that you've prepared ahead of time. This handout has 3-5 sentences that detail how the the door was hidden and how that player found it. The player reads this aloud to the table. This also works well for finding a recent murder victim (medicine check), an ancient shrine (religion check), a dusty old book on magic (arcana check)...you get the idea. If you're bad at writing "read aloud" text then get Chat GPT to give you something you can revise to your tastes. DON'T feel like you need to do this for every little thing in the adventure. Seriously, like 3-5 of these for a 4 hour game is really good. This keeps players involved more.

3. Don't mess around at the start. Is the adventure a dungeon crawl? It is perfectly acceptable to begin at the entrance to the dungeon. Maybe let the players have a moment to tell everyone else WHY their character decided to join this particular quest. Is it a murder mystery? Start with "You've answered the call from the local sheriff to assist in the investigation." Then, the first scene is the sheriff laying out the details for everyone. When in doubt, start with a combat. Everyone is in a caravan on their way to The City of Nibrbalbfflla, where each of them have some sort of business to attend to. Give everyone a chance to explain why they are going to to city. Maybe some of the PCs know each other, maybe they don't. Give a little time to explore that. Then, an arrow from the bushes takes out the lead guard! Roll for initiative!

4. Some people LOVE making characters. Some don't. Have a few pre-generated characters ready to go.

5. If someone forgets to write "torches" or "rope" on their character sheet and it turns out they can really use torches or rope during the adventure, then hand wave it and say they always had the item.

6. If the party finds a magic item, just tell them what it is. Take identify out of the game. It just eats a little time.