BBQ Food for 75 Guests
A backyard BBQ for 75 guests needs about 38 lb of cooked meat, roughly 113 buns, two sides, and drinks. This calculator sizes the mains, buns, sides, and condiments for 75, 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
$971.94
$12.96 per guest, rough estimate
Planning for 83 guests (71 adults, 12 kids) over 4 hours, standard appetite, with a 10 percent buffer.
- 35 lb
Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)
0.5 lb per adult
- 3.1 lb
Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)
0.4 lb per adult
- 391 oz
Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)
5 oz per adult
- 231 oz
Vegetable side or green salad
3 oz per adult
- 119 pieces
Buns or bread rolls
1.5 pieces per adult
- 177 oz
Chips and snacks
2.2 oz per adult
- 83 servings
Dessert servings
1 servings per adult
- 100 cans
Beer
1 drink per guest per hour
- 12 bottles
Wine
1 drink per guest per hour
- 3 bottles
Cocktails and spirits
1 drink per guest per hour
- 110 cans
Soft drinks and juice
1 drink per guest per hour
- 90 bottles
Water
1 drink per guest per hour
- 77 servings
Condiments and sauces
1 servings per adult
- 166 pieces
Plates, napkins, cutlery sets
2 pieces per adult
Estimate from average US grocery prices, a planning aid, not a quote. Non-USD is converted at rough parity. Set the price level in advanced options for your area, or see how we estimate cost.
Shopping list
Proteins
- Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)35 lb (35 packs)$
- Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)3.1 lb (4 packs)$
Sides
- Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)391 oz (25 packs)$
- Vegetable side or green salad231 oz (15 packs)$
Bread
- Buns or bread rolls119 pieces (15 packs)$
Snacks
- Chips and snacks177 oz (12 packs)$
Desserts
- Dessert servings83 servings (83 packs)$
Drinks
- Beer100 cans (9 packs)$
- Wine12 bottles (12 packs)$
- Cocktails and spirits3 bottles (3 packs)$
- Soft drinks and juice110 cans (10 packs)$
- Water90 bottles (4 packs)$
Condiments
- Condiments and sauces77 servings (8 packs)$
Disposables
- Plates, napkins, cutlery sets166 pieces (4 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 75?
- Plan about half a pound of cooked meat per adult, so roughly 38 lb cooked for 75 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 75 people?
- Most adults eat two handhelds across a cookout, so plan about 113 buns for 75 with a few spares. The tool sizes buns to your main dish and adds a buffer for seconds.