How Much Turkey Per Person? 1 to 1½ Pounds, and a Size Chart for 4 to 20
Short answer
Allow 1 pound of turkey per person, the USDA’s amount for a whole fresh or frozen turkey, or 1½ pounds per person if you want leftovers, Butterball’s rule. For 10 people, that’s a 10-pound turkey, or 15 pounds with leftovers. A frozen turkey sold already stuffed needs 1¼ pounds per person (USDA).
1 lb
per person (USDA)
1½ lb
per person with leftovers (Butterball)
15 lb
turkey for 10, with leftovers
Contents
How much turkey per person
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service allows 1 pound of turkey per person, for a fresh turkey or a frozen one. That’s the weight on the label, for the whole bird with its bones, not a pound of meat each. For a frozen turkey sold already stuffed, it allows 1¼ pounds.
Butterball’s Turkey Talk-Line goes higher: about 1½ pounds a person, enough for everyone with plenty left over. Its example is a 15-pound turkey for 10 people. Butterball also suggests thinking about who’s coming: how many adults and how many children, whether they’re light or hearty eaters, and whether you want leftovers.
So use 1 pound a person when the turkey only has to feed the table, and 1½ when you want turkey sandwiches the next day.
Turkey size chart for 4 to 20 people
| People | 1 lb each (USDA) | 1½ lb each, with leftovers (Butterball) | Frozen pre-stuffed, 1¼ lb each (USDA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 lb | 6 lb | 5 lb |
| 6 | 6 lb | 9 lb | 7½ lb |
| 8 | 8 lb | 12 lb | 10 lb |
| 10 | 10 lb | 15 lb | 12½ lb |
| 12 | 12 lb | 18 lb | 15 lb |
| 14 | 14 lb | 21 lb | 17½ lb |
| 16 | 16 lb | 24 lb | 20 lb |
| 18 | 18 lb | 27 lb | 22½ lb |
| 20 | 20 lb | 30 lb | 25 lb |
What size turkey for 6, 8, 10 or 12 people
For 6 people: 6 pounds, or 9 with leftovers. The USDA’s roasting timetable starts whole turkeys at 8 pounds and lists 4 to 8 pounds only for turkey breasts. So for six, either roast a whole turkey of 8 pounds or more and keep the leftovers, or roast a turkey breast.
For 8 people: 8 pounds, or 12 with leftovers.
For 10 people: 10 pounds, or 15 with leftovers, Butterball’s own example.
For 12 people: 12 pounds, or 18 with leftovers.
For an average Thanksgiving: hosts in Butterball’s 2025 survey expected nine people at the meal, counting themselves. That’s 9 pounds of turkey at a pound each, or 13½ with leftovers: a 14-pound turkey covers it.
Feeding 18 or 20: one turkey or two?
At 1½ pounds a person, 18 to 20 guests need a 27- to 30-pound turkey. The USDA’s roasting timetable stops at 24 pounds, where an unstuffed turkey takes 4½ to 5 hours at 325°F. For a crowd that size, two smaller turkeys, or a whole turkey plus a turkey breast, keep each one within the timetable. Check that your oven fits both, or roast them one after the other.
When to buy and thaw the turkey
- Fresh turkey: buy it only 1 to 2 days before you cook it, and keep it in the refrigerator on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices. Don’t buy a fresh turkey that’s already stuffed (USDA).
- Frozen turkey: it keeps in the freezer indefinitely, but cook it within a year for the best quality. It needs days to thaw: about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds, so 3 to 4 days for a 15-pound turkey (USDA). Our sister site’s turkey thawing calculator gives the day to start.
- Frozen pre-stuffed turkey: don’t thaw it. Cook it from frozen, following the directions on the package, and buy only one with the USDA or a state mark of inspection (USDA).
Seating everyone at the table
Furniture makers plan on about 24″ of table edge per person (West Elm, IKEA), so ten people need about 20 feet of it. An 8-foot table seats eight along the sides and ten with a chair at each end; a 6-foot table seats six, or eight with the ends. Our guides to how many people fit at a 6-foot table and at a 60-inch round table have the numbers, and how to set a table shows the place settings, drawn to scale.
Questions people ask
How many pounds of turkey do I need for 10 adults?
10 pounds at the USDA’s 1 pound a person, or 15 pounds with leftovers at Butterball’s 1½.
Is a 12-pound turkey enough for 8 people?
Yes, with leftovers. Eight people need 8 pounds at a pound each, and 12 pounds is Butterball’s 1½ pounds each.
What size turkey do I need for 12 people?
12 pounds, or 18 pounds with leftovers.
What size turkey do I need for 20 people?
20 pounds, or 30 with leftovers. The USDA’s roasting timetable stops at 24 pounds, so for leftovers, think about two smaller turkeys.
How far ahead should I buy a turkey?
A fresh turkey 1 to 2 days before you cook it. A frozen one early enough to thaw in the refrigerator: about a day for every 4 to 5 pounds (USDA).
Sources
- Let’s Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey (USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service): 1 pound per person for fresh and frozen turkeys and 1¼ for frozen pre-stuffed; buying fresh 1 to 2 days ahead; no fresh pre-stuffed turkeys; frozen within a year; the mark of inspection; refrigerator thawing; the roasting timetable, with breasts at 4 to 8 pounds and whole turkeys up to 24
- Togetherness Report: 2025 Thanksgiving Outlook (Butterball, September 2025): the Turkey Talk-Line’s 1.5 pounds per person and a 15-pound turkey for 10; hosts expect nine people on average
- How to Choose a Turkey (Butterball): adults and children, light and heavy eaters, and leftovers
- Dining Room Rules of Thumb (West Elm): about 2′ per person
- 3 tips for buying a dining table (IKEA): about 24″ of eating space per person