BBQ Food for 150 Guests
A backyard BBQ for 150 guests needs about 75 lb of cooked meat, roughly 225 buns, two sides, and drinks. This calculator sizes the mains, buns, sides, and condiments for 150, estimates the cost, and gives a copyable shopping list, with cooked-versus-raw weight handled.
Your plan
Enough for a 4-hour bbq with standard appetite
Total items
14
food and drink to buy
Est. cost
$1910.19
$12.73 per guest, rough estimate
Planning for 165 guests (140 adults, 25 kids) over 4 hours, standard appetite, with a 10 percent buffer.
- 69 lb
Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)
0.5 lb per adult
- 6.1 lb
Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)
0.4 lb per adult
- 775 oz
Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)
5 oz per adult
- 458 oz
Vegetable side or green salad
3 oz per adult
- 236 pieces
Buns or bread rolls
1.5 pieces per adult
- 352 oz
Chips and snacks
2.2 oz per adult
- 165 servings
Dessert servings
1 servings per adult
- 196 cans
Beer
1 drink per guest per hour
- 24 bottles
Wine
1 drink per guest per hour
- 5 bottles
Cocktails and spirits
1 drink per guest per hour
- 218 cans
Soft drinks and juice
1 drink per guest per hour
- 179 bottles
Water
1 drink per guest per hour
- 153 servings
Condiments and sauces
1 servings per adult
- 330 pieces
Plates, napkins, cutlery sets
2 pieces per adult
Estimate from average US grocery prices, a planning aid, not a quote. Non-USD is converted at rough parity. Set the price level in advanced options for your area, or see how we estimate cost.
Shopping list
Proteins
- Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)69 lb (69 packs)$
- Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)6.1 lb (7 packs)$
Sides
- Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)775 oz (49 packs)$
- Vegetable side or green salad458 oz (29 packs)$
Bread
- Buns or bread rolls236 pieces (30 packs)$
Snacks
- Chips and snacks352 oz (22 packs)$
Desserts
- Dessert servings165 servings (165 packs)$
Drinks
- Beer196 cans (17 packs)$
- Wine24 bottles (24 packs)$
- Cocktails and spirits5 bottles (5 packs)$
- Soft drinks and juice218 cans (19 packs)$
- Water179 bottles (8 packs)$
Condiments
- Condiments and sauces153 servings (16 packs)$
Disposables
- Plates, napkins, cutlery sets330 pieces (7 packs)$
Tap any price to set what it costs at your store. Prices are average US estimates.
Common questions
- How much meat do I need for a BBQ of 150?
- Plan about half a pound of cooked meat per adult, so roughly 75 lb cooked for 150 guests, more for big eaters or an all-day cookout. Bone-in mains like ribs need more raw weight, which the main-dish selector accounts for.
- How many burgers and hot dogs for 150 people?
- Most adults eat two handhelds across a cookout, so plan about 225 buns for 150 with a few spares. The tool sizes buns to your main dish and adds a buffer for seconds.