Labor Day BBQ Calculator
Plan the last big cookout of summer: food, buns, drinks and ice for your guest count, a scaled menu for 25, 50 or 100, and tailgate tips for college football weekend.
Prices checked Oct 2026, average US grocery prices. Portions follow common catering rules of thumb; safe temperatures follow USDA. How we calculate
Labor Day Menu for 25, 50 or 100 Guests
A complete crowd menu with exact amounts: burgers and hot dogs (or pulled pork), three classic sides, corn and watermelon for a 4-hour afternoon.
| Item | 25 guests | 50 guests | 100 guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgers (¼ lb) | 33 patties | 66 patties | 132 patties |
| Hot dogs | 22 | 44 | 88 |
| Buns | 55 (7 packs) | 110 (14 packs) | 220 (28 packs) |
| Or pulled pork instead (raw butt) | 12.5 lbs (5.7 kg) | 25 lbs (11 kg) | 50 lbs (23 kg) |
| Potato salad | 7.5 lbs | 15 lbs | 30 lbs |
| Coleslaw | 7.5 lbs | 15 lbs | 30 lbs |
| Baked beans | 6.2 lbs | 12.5 lbs | 25 lbs |
| Corn on the cob | 25 ears | 50 ears | 100 ears |
| Watermelon | 25 lbs whole melon | 50 lbs whole melon | 100 lbs whole melon |
| Drinks (4 hours) | 75 | 150 | 300 |
| Ice | 4 × 10 lb | 8 × 10 lb | 15 × 10 lb |
| Charcoal | 12.5 lbs | 25 lbs | 50 lbs |
Labor Day Tailgate Plan
Labor Day weekend overlaps the first college football Saturdays, so many cookouts move to the parking lot. Plan the same quantities but pick food that travels and holds:
- Brats in a beer bath: grill, then hold in a foil pan of beer and onions on the cool side.
- Pulled pork sliders: smoke at home the day before, reheat to 165°F in a covered pan.
- Timing: arrive 3–4 hours before kickoff, eat 1–2 hours before, pack up 30 minutes before you walk in.
- Pack: one cooler for drinks, one for food, plus a trash bag and paper towels per 10 people.
A Three-Day Weekend Plan
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Friday | Shop buns, chips, drinks, charcoal and paper goods; move frozen meat to the fridge |
| Saturday | Buy fresh meat, make potato salad and coleslaw, form patties |
| Sunday | Smoke pork if you are serving it, chill drinks |
| Monday | Buy ice in the morning, light the grill 45 minutes before eating |
Cooler Evenings
Early September nights get cool. A pot of chili keeps the party going after the grill is off: 1 gallon gives about 16 servings of 8 oz, so 2 gallons covers 50 guests if about half take a bowl.
Gear for This Cook
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FAQ
What should I serve at a Labor Day BBQ for 50?
A simple crowd menu for 50: about 66 burgers and 44 hot dogs (or 25 lbs of raw pork butt for pulled pork), 15 lbs each of potato salad and coleslaw, 12.5 lbs of baked beans, 50 ears of corn, a 50 lb total of watermelon, about 150 drinks for 4 hours and 8 bags of ice.
How much food for a Labor Day tailgate?
Plan the same per-person amounts as a cookout, about 2 burgers or hot dogs per person, but favour food that holds in a covered pan: brats in a beer bath, pulled pork sliders and wings. Arrive 3–4 hours before kickoff and finish eating 1 hour before.
Saturday, Sunday or Monday for a Labor Day cookout?
Monday is the holiday, but Saturday or Sunday often gets more guests because people travel home on Monday. Shopping is easiest on Friday or Saturday morning.
How do I use up the freezer before fall?
Labor Day is a good time to grill the burgers, brats and chicken left from summer. Thaw in the fridge 1–2 days ahead (about a day per 4–5 lbs), and use the calculator to fill only the gap.