Party food quantities per person: the master chart
Every number below is per adult, normal appetite, assuming the item is the only one of its kind on the table. The adjustments underneath the chart are where real parties are won or lost — read them before you multiply.
Mains
| Item | Per adult | What you actually buy |
|---|
| Pulled pork | 6 oz cooked (sandwiches) · 8 oz plated | Raw = cooked ÷ 55% yield |
| Brisket | 8 oz cooked | Raw = cooked ÷ 50% yield |
| Ribs | ½ rack | Whole racks |
| Burgers | Two ¼-lb patties | ½ lb ground beef + buns to match |
| Hot dogs | 2 dogs | Packs of 8 + buns to match |
| Chicken pieces | ¾ lb raw | Raw weight, bone-in |
| Whole turkey | 1 lb raw | Whole bird weight |
| Bone-in ham | ½ lb raw | Whole ham weight |
| Pizza | 3 slices (kids: 2) | Large pizzas, 8 slices each |
| Steak | 8 oz raw | Raw weight |
Sides
| Item | Per adult | Notes |
|---|
| Baked beans | ¾ cup | A 28-oz can holds about 3½ cups |
| Mac & cheese | ¾ cup | The side that always runs out first |
| Coleslaw | ½ cup | |
| Potato salad | ½ cup | |
| Pasta salad | ½ cup | |
| Corn on the cob | 1 ear | Half-ears stretch further at big cookouts |
| Mashed potatoes | ½ lb raw potatoes | |
| Green salad | ~2 cups loose | Dressing on the side |
| Rice | ⅓ cup dry | Cooks up to about 1 cup |
| Dinner rolls | 1 roll | Two for sandwich-style menus |
Drinks, ice & supplies
| Item | Per adult | Notes |
|---|
| Soft drinks | 2 in the first hour, +1 per hour after | 12-oz cans, bought in 12-packs |
| Bottled water | At least 1 per guest | More in hot weather — water is not optional outdoors |
| Beer | 2 in the first hour, +1 per hour after | Per drinking adult only |
| Wine | 1 bottle per 3 drinking adults | 750 ml bottles |
| Ice | 1 lb per guest | +½ lb per guest when icing coolers |
| Plates, cups, napkins | Guests × 1.3 | Drops and seconds happen; sold in packs of 50 |
| Dessert | 1 serving | 2 cookies counts as a serving |
| Chips & dip | ~1½ oz chips | One tub of dip per ~10 guests |
The four adjustments
- Kids count as half — except pizza, where they eat nearly an adult share (2 slices vs 3).
- More dishes, smaller portions. Serve 2+ mains and each drops to 70%; serve 3+ sides and each drops to 80%. Guests split their plates — they do not eat a full portion of everything.
- Appetite: light eaters ×0.85, big eaters ×1.2.
- Leftovers on purpose: add 20% — smoked meats freeze well; running out does not.
Multiplying all of this by hand for a real guest list — with the shrinkage math, the split-plate rules, and the rounding to store units — is exactly the tedious part. The planner does it in one pass and prices it at your store:
Run my numbers — free planner