The short version: plan on about one to one and a half pounds of whole lobster per adult. That gives each person roughly four to six ounces of cooked meat. Below is how to adjust it for the meal you are actually serving.
One whole lobster of 1 to 1.5 pounds per adult is the safe rule for a main course. A whole lobster yields about 20 to 25 percent of its live weight in meat, so a 1.25 pound lobster gives you around 4 ounces of cooked meat. Big appetites or a pure lobster dinner? Go 1.5 to 2 pounds each.
The simple per person guide
- Lobster as the main event: 1.25 to 1.5 pounds of whole lobster per adult.
- Big eaters or a lobster feast: 1.5 to 2 pounds each.
- One lobster roll: about 4 ounces of meat, roughly one 1 to 1.25 pound lobster.
- Lobster as part of surf and turf: one tail, or about 4 to 5 ounces, since steak fills the plate.
- Kids: about half an adult portion.
Why the live weight is not the meat weight
A lobster is shell, water and meat. Only about a fifth to a quarter of the live weight ends up on your fork. A 2 pound lobster sounds huge, but it gives you closer to six to eight ounces of meat. That is why ordering by the meal, not just the pound, keeps everyone full.
Buying for a group
For a crowd, count heads and multiply. Six adults at a lobster dinner means roughly eight to nine pounds of whole lobster. Add corn, potatoes and a salad and you can lean to the lower end. Going clawless with tails only? Plan two tails per main course.
Where to get it
Want it cooked for you instead? Find a top-rated spot near you. Browse every city we have mapped, or head to a lobster capital like Portland, Maine or Boston. Wondering which season gives you the most meat for your money? Read soft-shell vs hard-shell lobster.
How much lobster per person: FAQ
For dinner? About 1 to 1.5 pounds of whole lobster per adult, or two tails.
How much meat is in there? Roughly 20 to 25 percent of the live weight, so about 4 ounces from a 1.25 pound lobster.
For a lobster roll? About 4 ounces of meat, which is one 1 to 1.25 pound lobster.
Round up if your guests love lobster. Leftover lobster meat keeps for three to four days in the fridge, and nobody complains about a second roll the next day.
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