Pricing guide
How to price BBQ catering per person
BBQ is bought by the pound and eaten by the plate, and caterers lose money in the gap. Price per person off your real cooked-pound costs, and the graduation party stops being a guess made at the register. Here is a realistic 2026 per-person range and what actually moves it.
The worked number
Per person
$29.50 – $49.00
Total for 75 guests
$2,212.50 – $3,675.00
Staffed buffet service, standard protein (pulled pork and chicken), three sides, national cost average.
Per person or per pound?
Clients think in “how much brisket”; you have to think in per-person cost. Quote per person so the number is comparable and the sides, bread, sauces, and service are all in it — then use your per-pound portions to check that the food actually feeds the headcount. Per pound is your cost math; per person is your price.
The protein decides the range
Brisket is the most expensive plate in BBQ: it costs more per raw pound and loses the most weight in the smoker, so its cost per served portion is far above pulled pork or chicken. A brisket-forward menu sits a full tier above a pork-and-chicken spread. Price your proteins separately and let the client’s choice move the number.
Drop-off, staffed, and the consumables
A drop-off tray of BBQ prices well below a staffed buffet with someone carving and keeping pans full — quote them as two products. And BBQ runs heavy on the things people forget: chafing fuel, foil pans, gloves, sauces, and the wood or fuel for the pit itself. Load consumables onto every quote before you set the margin.
Get exact costs from YOUR recipes
These are market ranges. CaterKit photographs your menu, costs every recipe from your ingredients, and prices the quote at your margin — free to start.