Party Food and Drink for 75 Guests
Hosting a party for 75 guests means roughly 38 lb of a main protein, two sides, a dessert, and about 300 drinks across a typical four-hour party. This calculator gives the exact per-food quantities for 75, 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
$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 food do I need for 75 guests?
- For 75 guests at a buffet, plan about 38 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 75 and rounds to purchasable pack sizes.
- How much does food and drink for 75 guests cost?
- The calculator estimates the total from current US grocery prices and shows a per-guest figure, so you can see what feeding 75 costs and adjust the menu before you shop.