What Size Grill for 40 People
To grill burgers for 40 people inside a 45-minute window you need about 530 sq in of grate. 5 grills in our list are big enough.
| Model | Type | Cooking area (sq in) | Burgers per batch | Guests in 45 min (burgers) | Guests in 45 min (chicken) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber Slate 28" Griddle | Griddle | 504 | 21 | 42 | 12 |
| Blackstone 28" Griddle | Griddle | 517 | 21 | 42 | 12 |
| Napoleon Rogue 425 | Gas grill | 576* | 21 | 42 | 12 |
| Weber Genesis E-415 | Gas grill | 646 | 24 | 48 | 14 |
| Blackstone 36" Griddle | Griddle | 768 | 32 | 64 | 19 |
* The maker lists only total area (main grate plus racks), so the main grate is smaller.
How many of each grill for 40 people
If you already own a grill, this is how many of that model it takes to serve 40 guests burgers within 45 minutes, or how many rounds of 45 minutes one grill needs.
| Grill | Area (sq in) | Guests per grill in 45 min | Grills (or 45-min rounds) for 40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja Woodfire OG701 | 141 | 10 | 4 |
| Weber Smokey Joe 14" | 147 | 10 | 4 |
| Big Green Egg Medium | 177 | 12 | 4 |
| Weber Original Kettle 18" | 240 | 18 | 3 |
| Kamado Joe Classic Joe III 18" | 250 | 18 | 3 |
| Big Green Egg Large | 262 | 18 | 3 |
| Weber Spirit E-210 | 360 | 26 | 2 |
| Weber Spirit E-310 | 360 | 26 | 2 |
| Weber Original Kettle 22" | 363 | 26 | 2 |
| Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" | 363 | 26 | 2 |
| Weber Master-Touch 22" | 363 | 26 | 2 |
| Nexgrill 4-Burner (720-0925PG) | 421 | 30 | 2 |
| Char-Broil Performance 4-Burner | 435 | 32 | 2 |
| Kamado Joe Big Joe III 24" | 450 | 34 | 2 |
| Big Green Egg XLarge | 452 | 34 | 2 |
| Weber Original Kettle Premium 26" | 508 | 38 | 2 |
| Weber Master-Touch 26" | 508 | 38 | 2 |
| Weber Genesis E-325 | 513 | 38 | 2 |
| Weber Genesis E-335 | 513 | 38 | 2 |
| Napoleon Rogue 425 | 576* | 42 | 1 |
| Weber Genesis E-415 | 646 | 48 | 1 |
* The maker lists only total area (main grate plus racks), so the main grate is smaller.
How we calculate
- 40 guests × 2 quarter-pound burgers = 80 patties; a grill qualifies when all batches finish within 45 minutes.
- Burgers per batch = 85% of the cooking area ÷ 18 sq in per patty × 0.8 packing.
Data as of Oct 2026. Full list of sources: How we calculate.