How much BBQ food per person?

Planning amounts per person

The table assumes a mixed barbecue with two or three meat options and a few sides. If you serve only one main item, increase it. If there is a big spread of salads, bread and desserts, people eat less from the grill.

Cooking area: can your grill keep up?

The grill's cooking area decides how many people you can feed without a long wait. Makers' own figures give a guide: Weber says its Q 1200N's 1,290 cm² grill takes up to nine burgers, and the Q 2200N's 57 x 41 cm grill up to 12. That works out at roughly 140 to 200 cm² per burger with room to turn them.

A good target is to cook for about a third of your guests in each batch, so food comes off steadily rather than in one rush. For 12 people, that means room for at least eight to ten items at once. For 20 or more, look at a grill of 2,500 cm² or larger, or run two grills. Our BBQ cooking area explained guide goes into more detail.

Grill size by party size

This is a rough guide for mixed barbecues where food is cooked in a few batches.

• 2 to 4 people: about 1,000 to 1,400 cm², such as a compact gas grill or a 47 cm kettle.
• 4 to 8 people: about 2,000 to 2,400 cm², such as a 57 cm kettle or a two or three burner gas grill.
• 8 to 12 people: about 2,400 to 3,000 cm², such as a four-burner gas grill.
• 12 or more: 3,000 cm² or more, or two grills; see large gas BBQs for family parties.

Cooking safely for a crowd

Big barbecues are where food safety slips, because the cook is busy and the grill is crowded. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking burgers, sausages, chicken and pork until they are steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat and juices running clear. A probe thermometer makes this quick: the FSA lists a centre temperature of 70 °C for 2 minutes, or equivalents, as a check. Our core temperature table has them all.

Keep raw and cooked meat apart, use separate tongs and plates for raw and cooked food, and keep food chilled until it goes on the grill. Partly cooking chicken in the oven first and finishing it on the grill is a common way to keep up with a crowd, as long as it goes straight from oven to grill.

Note:Follow Food Standards Agency advice on cooking, chilling and avoiding cross-contamination. When in doubt, cut into the thickest part or use a probe; colour alone is not a reliable guide.

Tips to keep the queue moving

Set up two zones so you can sear on the hot side and keep cooked food warm on the cooler side or a warming rack; see two-zone cooking. Start with the slowest items, such as chicken pieces, and finish with quick burgers and sausages. Cook vegetarian food first on a clean area or a separate tray.

If you host often, a larger grill with a warming rack pays off. Our best gas BBQs for UK gardens and large gas BBQs for family parties guides list cooking areas for each model.

See large gas BBQs →

Frequently asked questions

How many sausages per person for a BBQ? About two per adult at a mixed barbecue, one for children, more if sausages are the only main.

How much meat do I need for 20 people? At roughly 200 to 250 g per adult, plan about 4 to 5 kg of raw meat in total for 20 adults, plus vegetarian options.

How many burgers fit on a BBQ? Roughly one 10 cm burger per 140 to 200 cm² of grill. Weber quotes nine on its 1,290 cm² Q 1200N grill.

What size BBQ do I need for a party of 10? About 2,400 to 3,000 cm² of cooking area lets you cook in comfortable batches.