Free burger platter calculator. Enter servings to find the patty meat in grams and the buns you need for a burger platter at a cookout.
Your results will appear here.
Enter your values and press Calculate.
Enter the number of servings. This calculator allows 150 grams of patty meat and 1 bun per serving, so 20 people need 3000 grams of patty meat and 20 buns, 50 people need 7500 grams and 50 buns, and 100 guests need 15000 grams and 100 buns. The 150 gram patty is a filling burger, larger than a quarter pound burger.
The formula is shown in full: patty meat = servings × 150 grams, and buns = servings × 1. Meat per person is the number that matters most for a burger platter, because buns simply match patties one for one. The 150 gram patty sits above the quarter pound burger (113 grams), giving a hearty burger that still cooks through on the grill.
Enter servings and read the patty meat and bun totals. For 20 people the calculator gives 3000 grams of patty meat and 20 buns. For 50 people it gives 7500 grams and 50 buns. For 100 guests it gives 15000 grams and 100 buns. Buy ground beef by weight from these totals, and add a few extra buns for breakage.
How much ground beef per burger decides the whole shop: at 150 grams per patty, one pound of ground beef (454 grams) makes about 3 burgers, while a quarter pound burger gives 4 burgers per pound. For a cookout, ground beef for a crowd is usually bought in bulk packs, so round your total up to the nearest pack size. Burger patties per person stay at 1 for a standard burger, rising to 2 for big eaters at a cookout where burgers are the only main food.
Party tray servings vary by caterer, but a useful guide is: a small platter serves about 10, a medium platter about 20, and a large platter about 30 to 50, depending on burger size. For a slider calculator question, plan 2 to 3 sliders per person for a party, because sliders are smaller than full burgers. A mini burger platter works well as an appetizer, while full burgers suit a main course platter.
A build your own burger bar lets guests choose buns, patties and toppings, and it suits mixed groups with different tastes. Pre-assembled burgers are faster to serve and easier to count, which is why caterers prefer them for large groups. For burger catering, confirm whether the caterer counts sliders or full burgers, because the two give very different totals for the same guest count.
Ground beef for a cookout should be kept chilled until grilling time, and patties should be cooked through before serving. Let guests add their own toppings after cooking so the platter stays simple. Store leftover cooked patties in the fridge and use within a few days, and freeze raw formed patties in layers separated by paper if you buy ahead.
Plan 1 burger per serving, which is what this calculator uses. Big eaters at a cookout often eat 2 burgers, so buy extra ground beef when burgers are the only main food.
150 grams of patty meat per burger in this calculator, which is larger than a quarter pound burger at 113 grams. Use 113 grams per burger if you prefer classic quarter pounders.
About 3 burgers at 150 grams per patty, or 4 quarter pound burgers at 113 grams each, from one pound (454 grams) of ground beef.
20 burgers, needing 3000 grams of patty meat and 20 buns at the baseline of 1 burger per serving.
50 burgers, needing 7500 grams of patty meat and 50 buns. For a 50 person cookout with big eaters, buy ground beef for 60 to 75 burgers.
Plan 2 to 3 sliders per person for a party, because sliders are smaller than full burgers. For a slider only menu, 3 per person is safer.
One bun per burger, plus a few extra for breakage. Buy the same bun count as your burger count, rounded up to the pack size.
Choose a burger bar when guests have varied tastes and time to build their own. Choose pre-assembled burgers for speed and for exact counts at large gatherings.
Classic toppings are lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, plus bacon and sauces for a fuller bar. Offer toppings after cooking so patties stay hot.
Yes, use the same serving counts and swap the patty weight for your veggie patty weight. The bun count stays the same.