Adjust for your crowd
Enter how many of your guests are kids; each counts as half an adult.
Chili for other crowd sizes
tap a row for its own list ↓| Guests | Cups | Quarts |
|---|---|---|
| 10 people | 9 | 3 |
| 20 people · you're here | 17 | 5 |
| 25 people | 21 | 6 |
| 30 people | 25 | 7 |
| 40 people | 33 | 9 |
| 50 people | 42 | 11 |
| 75 people | 62 | 16 |
| 100 people | 83 | 21 |
| 150 people | 124 | 31 |
| 200 people | 165 | 42 |
17 cups is 1.06 gallons of chili for 20 people. A 6-quart slow cooker holds 24 cups when full, so plan pots accordingly.
How many people do 16 cups of chili feed?
Feeds about 21 people with sides, or 10 as the main event.
Everything else for 20 people
How we got this number
- 120 guests × 3/4 cup = 15 cups
- 2× 1.10 cushion = 16.5 cups
- 3÷ 4 per quart = 4.1 → 5 quarts
chili is counted in cups of finished chili, from the pot.
Food safety: cook chili with ground beef to at least 160°F, and keep it hot (140°F or above) in a slow cooker while it's out (USDA safe temperature chart), and don't leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (USDA).
Sources for this rule: Ellen's Kitchen (quantity-cooking reference); USDA Food Buying Guide; Taste of Home Beef and Lentil Chili; Taste of Home Best Ever Chili.
Chili questions
How much chili for 20 people?
Make 17 cups: 5 quarts. That's 3/4 cup per guest, plus a 10% cushion. Range: 13–21 cups depending on appetite.
What if 4 of the 20 guests are kids?
Kids count as half an adult, so it's 18 adult portions: make 15 cups: 4 quarts.
How much chili for 20 people as the main event?
Make 33 cups: 9 quarts.
How many people do 16 cups of chili feed?
Feeds about 21 people with sides, or 10 as the main event.
Different headcount? The chili calculator works for any number of guests, and the menu planner builds one shopping list for the whole party.