How much meat per person for catering depends on the service style: plan on about 300g of raw boneless meat per adult for a plated main and about 450g in total for a BBQ function.
This guide scales those figures from 20 to 200 guests and adjusts them for children, appetites and sides.
It then turns the kilograms into boxes you can order and finishes with the food safety rules for serving meat to a crowd.
How Much Meat Per Person for Catering?
Allow about 300g of raw boneless meat per adult for a plated main and 400g to 500g in total for a BBQ function, counting all the meats together rather than each one.
These allowances match the plated and barbecue figures for working out how much meat per person, scaled up for a crowd, and every figure is a raw weight before cooking.
| Service style | Raw meat per adult | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plated main | About 300g boneless | One protein per plate; allow more for bone-in cuts |
| BBQ function | 400g to 500g in total, about 450g for a standard mix | Across all meats combined, not per type |
| Young children | About half an adult serve | Count two children as one adult |
Be clear whether a figure is total meat per guest or meat per protein, because applying a total allowance to every dish multiplies the order. The BBQ figure above is a total across every meat served.
A buffet with several proteins works the same way. Guests spread their plates across the options, so each meat needs less than it would as a plated main, and you should decide first whether your allowance covers all the meat on the buffet or each protein.
When every guest gets a whole steak, size the order by steak weight instead, and work out how much steak per person by cut and thickness.
Catering Quantities per Person for 20 to 200 Guests
For 100 guests, order about 30kg of raw boneless meat for a plated main or about 45kg for a BBQ function; for 50 guests, halve those figures.
Catering quantities scale in a straight line, so the table multiplies the allowances above by the guest count, rounded up to the nearest half kilo, so 75 guests at 450g shows as 34kg. Use the plated column for sit-down dinners and weddings, and the BBQ column for club days and outdoor functions.
| Guests | Plated main (300g each) | BBQ function (450g each) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 6kg | 9kg |
| 30 | 9kg | 13.5kg |
| 50 | 15kg | 22.5kg |
| 75 | 22.5kg | 34kg |
| 100 | 30kg | 45kg |
| 150 | 45kg | 67.5kg |
| 200 | 60kg | 90kg |
The totals are raw weights before trimming, so they are the minimum to order, not the amount that reaches the plate. Rounding up to whole boxes usually leaves a little over, and the spare kilos can go straight into the freezer. A 200-guest plated dinner at 60kg, for example, is about three 20kg full boxes.
For a function run like a backyard barbecue, the BBQ quantities per person give portions for steak, sausages and chicken and show how to keep the total near 450g.
Adjusting for Your Crowd: Kids, Appetites, Sides and Dietary Needs
Start from the adult allowance, count young children as about half a serve, add about 100g a head for a hungry crowd and take off about 20 per cent when the sides are generous.
Those adjustments scale cleanly to events. A club dinner for 80 adults on a plated main needs 24kg of raw meat, while the same crowd after a big day of sport might need 32kg with the extra 100g a head.
Add staff and volunteers who will eat to the headcount rather than guessing at the end. Asking for ages on the RSVP also shows how many children to count at half a serve.
Count dietary needs first. Vegetarian guests reduce the meat order, and guests who eat halal need certified products, not just a separate tray. If a third of 90 guests are vegetarian, for example, size the meat order for 60.
Cost Cut Meats has four products listed as halal certified beef: two tenderloins, bone-in Wagyu ribeye steaks and a porterhouse striploin, with certificates available on request.
Turning Kilograms into Boxes: Ordering Whole Primals for an Event
Order by raw weight in whole primals, then choose the box size that covers the total with a margin for trim.
Box pricing follows a simple ladder: a single piece costs $10/kg more than a full box, a half box $5/kg more, and a double box $3 to $5/kg less. The whole range of bulk packs and whole primals is priced this way.
Take 100 guests on a plated main: at 300g each, that is 30kg raw. An AMG whole rump full box (20kg at $26/kg, $520) plus an AMG A Budget scotch cube roll half box (10kg at $44/kg, $440) covers it for $960 before trim, on prices checked 18 October 2026. A 40kg AMG rump double box at $23/kg ($920) does the same job with 10kg spare for the freezer.
A 100-guest BBQ function at 450g a head needs about 45kg, which passes $1,000 even at the lowest box price of $23/kg. Orders over $1,000 are quoted on request via orders@costcutmeats.com.au or 0480 890 901.
Trim varies by primal, so round up rather than down. The habits behind buying meat in bulk apply here too: buy the primal, portion it yourself and freeze what is left.
Orders arrive chilled, never frozen, with $30 flat delivery, free on orders of $600 or more, to every state and territory except the NT. For an event, order well ahead and contact us to check delivery timing for your date.
Storing, Cooking and Serving Meat Safely for a Crowd
Keep raw meat at 5C or below until it is cooked, hold hot food at 60C or above, and track how long food sits out on the buffet.
Plan fridge or coolroom space before delivery day, since whole primals take up far more room than a weekly shop, and follow the usual rules for storing meat safely once the order arrives. Keep raw meat on the lowest shelf, away from cooked and ready-to-eat food.
On the day, Food Standards Australia New Zealand's 2-hour/4-hour rule sets the clock for food between 5C and 60C. Under 2 hours, it can be used or put back in the fridge; between 2 and 4 hours, it can be used but not refrigerated again; after 4 hours, it must be thrown away. The time is cumulative.
For cooking, the Food Safety Information Council recommends cooking whole cuts of beef to at least 63C with a 3 minute rest, and mince, sausages and rolled or stuffed roasts to 75C. Treat those as safety benchmarks and check each batch, and each roast, with a probe thermometer in the thickest part.
Conclusion
Plan about 300g of raw meat per adult for a plated main and 450g in total for a BBQ function, then adjust for children, appetites and sides.
Order by raw weight in whole primals, rounding up for trim.
For orders over $1,000, email orders@costcutmeats.com.au or call 0480 890 901 for a quote.
