Party Food and Drink for 50 Guests
Hosting a party for 50 guests means roughly 25 lb of a main protein, two sides, a dessert, and about 200 drinks across a typical four-hour party. This calculator gives the exact per-food quantities for 50, 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
$644.56
$12.89 per guest, rough estimate
Planning for 55 guests (47 adults, 8 kids) over 4 hours, standard appetite, with a 10 percent buffer.
- 23 lb
Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)
0.5 lb per adult
- 2 lb
Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)
0.4 lb per adult
- 259 oz
Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)
5 oz per adult
- 153 oz
Vegetable side or green salad
3 oz per adult
- 79 pieces
Buns or bread rolls
1.5 pieces per adult
- 117 oz
Chips and snacks
2.2 oz per adult
- 55 servings
Dessert servings
1 servings per adult
- 66 cans
Beer
1 drink per guest per hour
- 8 bottles
Wine
1 drink per guest per hour
- 2 bottles
Cocktails and spirits
1 drink per guest per hour
- 73 cans
Soft drinks and juice
1 drink per guest per hour
- 60 bottles
Water
1 drink per guest per hour
- 51 servings
Condiments and sauces
1 servings per adult
- 110 pieces
Plates, napkins, cutlery sets
2 pieces per adult
Estimate from average US grocery prices, a planning aid, not a quote. Non-USD is converted at rough parity. Set the price level in advanced options for your area, or see how we estimate cost.
Shopping list
Proteins
- Main protein (burgers, chicken, pulled pork)23 lb (23 packs)$
- Vegetarian main (skewers, plant patties)2 lb (3 packs)$
Sides
- Starchy side (potato salad, pasta, rice)259 oz (17 packs)$
- Vegetable side or green salad153 oz (10 packs)$
Bread
- Buns or bread rolls79 pieces (10 packs)$
Snacks
- Chips and snacks117 oz (8 packs)$
Desserts
- Dessert servings55 servings (55 packs)$
Drinks
- Beer66 cans (6 packs)$
- Wine8 bottles (8 packs)$
- Cocktails and spirits2 bottles (2 packs)$
- Soft drinks and juice73 cans (7 packs)$
- Water60 bottles (3 packs)$
Condiments
- Condiments and sauces51 servings (6 packs)$
Disposables
- Plates, napkins, cutlery sets110 pieces (3 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 50 guests?
- For 50 guests at a buffet, plan about 25 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 50 and rounds to purchasable pack sizes.
- How much does food and drink for 50 guests cost?
- The calculator estimates the total from current US grocery prices and shows a per-guest figure, so you can see what feeding 50 costs and adjust the menu before you shop.