The Short Answer on Crabs Per Person
Most hosts planning a Baltimore crab feast want one number: how many crabs per person. For adults eating standard crabs with sides on the table, plan six each. Take that to eight when crabs are the only main dish. Those two counts cover most backyard feasts, church halls and company picnics we cater across the city. Crab feast catering in Baltimore is what Evolved Catering does all summer, so these numbers come from real tables, not a chart.
The count moves with three things: the size of the crab, what else is on the table, and who is picking. A jumbo crab feeds a guest faster than a standard one. A spread of corn, slaw and a second main stretches a bushel a long way. A table of first-time pickers gets through far fewer crabs than a table of Marylanders.
This page walks through each of those in plain numbers, then shows the bushel math so you can order. The rest of our Baltimore catering planning pages pick up the parts that come after the count.
How Many Crabs Per Person, by Crab Size
Crabs are sold by size, and the size changes the count more than anything else. These are the counts we build menus on. The first number assumes sides and a second main are out. The second assumes crabs are the only thing people eat.
Standard and Medium Crabs
These run about five to five and a half inches across the shell. Plan six per adult with sides, and eight per adult without. They are our pick for a big crowd, because the count is easy and the picking lasts.
Large Crabs
Large crabs run about five and a half to six and a quarter inches. Plan four per adult with sides, and five to six per adult without. This is the size most hosts choose for a party of twelve to twenty four.
Jumbo and Colossal Crabs
Jumbos start around six and a quarter inches and go up from there. Plan three to four per adult with sides, and five to six without. They cost more per crab, so most hosts save them for a small group or a milestone party.
Mixing sizes is fine, and it is common. Order the bulk of the feast in standard or large crabs, then add a dozen jumbos for guests who want a showpiece. Keep the two piles apart on the table so people can choose.
Crabs Only, or Crabs With a Full Spread
The single biggest swing in your order is whether crabs are the only main. Two crabs per adult is the gap between the two plans. On a hundred guest feast, that is close to two extra bushels.
Crabs as the Only Main
People settle in and pick for two hours. Use the higher count for every adult, and add a little extra for the table that starts early. Eight standard crabs per adult is the safe plan.
Crabs With Sides and a Second Main
Corn, slaw, potato salad and a tray of fried chicken or barbecue slow the picking right down. Use the lower count, six standard crabs per adult, and nobody leaves hungry.
One more thing moves the count: how long the table is open. A three hour feast eats more than a ninety minute lunch. If your event runs long, order on the higher count and send leftovers home. Evolved Catering plans both counts for you once we have your menu.
Bushel Math for a Baltimore Crab Feast
Crabs are ordered by the bushel or by the dozen. Once you have a crab count, the math is quick. Here is how we turn a guest list into an order.
What a Bushel Holds
A bushel of standard crabs runs about six to seven dozen. Large crabs come in around five to six dozen. Jumbos fill a bushel at about three to four dozen, because each crab takes more room.
Turning Guests Into Bushels
Take your adult count and multiply by the crabs per person above. Divide that total by twelve for dozens, then by the dozens in a bushel. Thirty adults at six standard crabs each is one hundred eighty crabs, fifteen dozen, or about two and a half bushels.
Order by the Dozen for Small Groups
Under about fifteen guests, order dozens instead of bushels. You get the size you want without buying a full basket. Most Baltimore crab houses and caterers price both ways.
Round up, never down. A half bushel of spare crabs becomes tomorrow's crab cakes, while a short order ends the party early. Evolved Catering orders on the higher count for every feast we steam.
Kids, Light Pickers and the Sides That Stretch a Bushel
Counting every guest as an adult picker is how hosts end up with crabs left over and sides gone. Split your list before you order.
Kids Under Ten
Plan one to two crabs each, and lean on corn, rolls and a kid friendly main. Many will pick one crab for the fun of it, then move to the sides.
Teens and First Time Pickers
Plan two to four crabs each. A guest who has never used a mallet works slowly, and that is part of the fun. Put an experienced picker at their table.
Guests Who Do Not Eat Crab
Every feast has a few. Count them out of the crab order and into a second main, like pit beef, fried chicken or a pasta tray. Ask about shellfish allergies when you collect your headcount.
Sides That Stretch the Crabs
Corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad, hush puppies and watermelon are the sides that stretch a bushel the furthest. They fill plates between crabs and slow the picking down. Our party catering in Baltimore menus build the spread around the crabs for this reason.
Your final headcount drives all of this, so lock it in before you order. Our guide to the catering minimum guest count in Baltimore covers when caterers need that number and what moves after it.
Crab Feast Questions From Baltimore Hosts
Plan six standard crabs per adult when sides and a second main are on the table, and eight when crabs are the only main. For large crabs, use four with sides and five to six without. For jumbos, use three to four with sides and five to six without. Count kids under ten at one to two crabs each.
A bushel holds about six to seven dozen standard crabs, five to six dozen large crabs, and three to four dozen jumbos. Bigger crabs take more room in the basket, so the dozen count drops as the size goes up. For groups under about fifteen people, order by the dozen instead.
Corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad, hush puppies and watermelon are the classics, and they stretch your crab order. Add one non-crab main, like pit beef or fried chicken, for guests who do not pick. Evolved Catering brings the full spread, the steamed crabs, the paper, the mallets and the cleanup.
Get Your Baltimore Crab Feast Counted and Catered
Tell us your date, your headcount and how many guests pick crabs. We size the order, steam the crabs, set the table with paper and mallets, and clear it all away when the picking is done.