Cookout calculator
You know roughly who's coming. What you don't know is how many packs of buns that is. Tell it the headcount and it gives you a shopping list — in packs and pounds, the way the shop sells them.
How the numbers are worked out
Most guides look like they disagree about burgers per person. They don't — they're each answering a slightly different question, and none of them says which one. Here's what this uses, stated plainly so you can argue with it:
- Burgers only: two quarter-pound patties per adult.
- Burgers and hot dogs: about 1.5 patties plus one hot dog per adult. When both are on the grill, most people take one of each rather than two of one.
- Kids under 10: count as half an adult.
- Cushion: add 10%. It covers the one that falls through the grate, the neighbour who wanders over, and the teenager who counts as two.
Then it converts to what you actually buy. Four quarter-pounders to a pound of beef, three if you make them a third of a pound. Buns eight to a pack. That last conversion is the one people skip — buns are the most under-bought thing at any cookout, because everyone counts meat and nobody counts bread.
Things worth knowing before you shop
- Buy 80/20 ground beef. Leaner mince dries out over direct heat; the fat is what keeps a patty edible after it's been on a hot grate.
- Make the patties wider than the bun. They shrink. A patty that exactly fits the bun raw will look mean once it's cooked.
- Hot dogs are the cheap insurance. They cook fast, kids prefer them, and leftovers keep. If you're going to over-buy one thing, over-buy these rather than beef.
- Count the vegetarians separately. This calculator doesn't know about them, and one packet of veggie burgers is a cheaper mistake than the alternative.
Cookout quantities FAQ
How many burgers per person for a cookout?
Two quarter-pound patties per adult if burgers are the only main. If hot dogs are grilling as well, drop to about 1.5 patties plus one hot dog per adult — most people take one of each rather than two of one. Count kids under 10 as half an adult, then add roughly 10% for burnt ones and drop-ins.
How many hot dogs per person?
About one per adult when burgers are on the grill too. If hot dogs are the only main, plan closer to two each. Kids under 10 count as half an adult here as well.
How much ground beef do I need?
Four quarter-pound patties per pound, so 40 patties needs 10 lb of 80/20 ground beef. Third-pound patties give you three per pound, so the same crowd needs roughly 13 lb. The fat in 80/20 is what keeps them from drying out on a hot grill.
How many packs of buns should I buy?
Buns come eight to a pack, so divide your patty count by eight and round up — 40 patties means five packs. Buns are the single most commonly under-bought item at a cookout, because people count meat and forget the bread.
Still deciding where to eat instead?
If the cookout is off and you're heading out, EatNearMe picks a real restaurant near you — spin the wheel, run a group bracket so everyone gets a vote, or settle it from a shortlist you already have. When the bill lands, the tip calculator splits it.