Party Food and Drink for 150 Guests
Hosting a party for 150 guests means roughly 75 lb of a main protein, two sides, a dessert, and about 600 drinks across a typical four-hour party. This calculator gives the exact per-food quantities for 150, 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
$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 food do I need for 150 guests?
- For 150 guests at a buffet, plan about 75 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 150 and rounds to purchasable pack sizes.
- How much does food and drink for 150 guests cost?
- The calculator estimates the total from current US grocery prices and shows a per-guest figure, so you can see what feeding 150 costs and adjust the menu before you shop.