Party Food and Drink for 100 Guests
Hosting a party for 100 guests means roughly 50 lb of a main protein, two sides, a dessert, and about 400 drinks across a typical four-hour party. This calculator gives the exact per-food quantities for 100, an estimated cost, and a copyable shopping list. Fine-tune appetite, duration, the kids share, and the vegetarian split to match your event.
Your plan
Enough for a 4-hour bbq with standard appetite
Total items
14
food and drink to buy
Est. cost
$1285.27
$12.85 per guest, rough estimate
Planning for 110 guests (93 adults, 17 kids) over 4 hours, standard appetite, with a 10 percent buffer.
- 46 lb
Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)
0.5 lb per adult
- 4.1 lb
Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)
0.4 lb per adult
- 516 oz
Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)
5 oz per adult
- 305 oz
Vegetable side or green salad
3 oz per adult
- 157 pieces
Buns or bread rolls
1.5 pieces per adult
- 235 oz
Chips and snacks
2.2 oz per adult
- 110 servings
Dessert servings
1 servings per adult
- 131 cans
Beer
1 drink per guest per hour
- 16 bottles
Wine
1 drink per guest per hour
- 4 bottles
Cocktails and spirits
1 drink per guest per hour
- 146 cans
Soft drinks and juice
1 drink per guest per hour
- 119 bottles
Water
1 drink per guest per hour
- 102 servings
Condiments and sauces
1 servings per adult
- 220 pieces
Plates, napkins, cutlery sets
2 pieces per adult
Estimate from average US grocery prices, a planning aid, not a quote. Non-USD is converted at rough parity. Set the price level in advanced options for your area, or see how we estimate cost.
Shopping list
Proteins
- Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)46 lb (46 packs)$
- Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)4.1 lb (5 packs)$
Sides
- Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)516 oz (33 packs)$
- Vegetable side or green salad305 oz (20 packs)$
Bread
- Buns or bread rolls157 pieces (20 packs)$
Snacks
- Chips and snacks235 oz (15 packs)$
Desserts
- Dessert servings110 servings (110 packs)$
Drinks
- Beer131 cans (11 packs)$
- Wine16 bottles (16 packs)$
- Cocktails and spirits4 bottles (4 packs)$
- Soft drinks and juice146 cans (13 packs)$
- Water119 bottles (5 packs)$
Condiments
- Condiments and sauces102 servings (11 packs)$
Disposables
- Plates, napkins, cutlery sets220 pieces (5 packs)$
Tap any price to set what it costs at your store. Prices are average US estimates.
Common questions
- How much food do I need for 100 guests?
- For 100 guests at a buffet, plan about 50 lb of a main protein, two sides at 4 to 5 oz per adult, buns, and a dessert, plus a 10 percent buffer for seconds and late arrivals. The tool sizes every item for 100 and rounds to purchasable pack sizes.
- How much does food and drink for 100 guests cost?
- The calculator estimates the total from current US grocery prices and shows a per-guest figure, so you can see what feeding 100 costs and adjust the menu before you shop.