How Much Does Pig Roast Cost?

Last Updated on September 21, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

The decor, the music but also the menu are some of the details that matter for a successful event. A unique experience can be guaranteed by the presence of excellent fresh dishes, prepared in a unique way, such as the preparation of a pig roast for example, which is something we do not see too often.

Not everyone is able to prepare a roast pig. Not only do you need the necessary equipment to rotate the pig over the fire for hours, but experience and patience are two qualities that the chef must not lack.

The preparation process will attract the attention of all your guests. Not only will they want to take photos of the food being prepared, and then share it with friends on social media, but they will also be interested in finding out even the smallest details or secrets of the craft of cooking roast pig.

How much does a whole pig roast cost?

The cost of a whole pig for roasting is anywhere between $12 and $20 per person, in case you choose a company that charges per person. The price will decrease as you will have more guests at your location. It is important to mention that usually, the policy implies a minimum deposit.

If you choose to hire a catering company be prepared to pay in one of the two ways: either be charged per person or to pay one flat fee, no matter how many people you need to feed for the special occasion. Even though the number of guests does not matter if you choose the second option, people from the company will tell you how many guests they are going to be able to feed.

The price of a whole roasting pig will depend on some factors including the weight of the pig, how many people you have to feed, the place where you are living, or if you hire some company to do this job.

For instance, ThePigKahuna.com catering company charges around $17 for events with less than 99 guests, but a minimum of 50 guests. The price can drop to $15 per person if there are between 100 and 175 guests.

You might also like our articles about the cost of pork belly, prime rib, or ribeye steak.

Another example comes from Andrew’s BBQ company, located in Tempe, Arizona, which charges almost $18 per guest for a whole pineapple smoked pig. This cost is for 100 people order.

If you prefer to hire a company that charges a flat rate, be ready to pay anywhere between $700 and more than $2,000 for a pig. The delivery, the preparation of the food, the cooking process, and the cleaning will be added to this cost.

In case you want to cook the pig yourself, you can purchase a slaughtered big from a local farm or store for $250 to $600.

Pig roast details

For the roasted pig to be a delicious dish, it must be prepared long before your event. After slaughter and preparation in the ideal form for the roaster, the pig goes through a process that we know as marinating.

Not many spices are used; only a few natural spices that give the meat the unmistakable taste specific to roast dishes will become part of the marinating process base. The meat will marinate for hours, sometimes even days, so that it is penetrated by the aroma of natural spices in-depth, which means a real delight for the taste buds.

Finally, after a long ritual of preparing the pig, it arrives at the rotisserie where it will also spend a long time until it acquires that reddish hue that announces that it can be served.

When hiring a catering company, it will deliver the pig a few hours before the event, as it needs at least eight hours to roast.

Usually, the catering company will come with all the necessary equipment to cook the pig, plus the dishes, napkins, and tableware. In some cases, you will have to be prepared with cutlery, plates, tables, and chairs, depending on what you agree with the providers.

What are the extra costs for this service?

Usually, the catering companies will also provide in their package side dishes for the roasted pig service buffet, such as salads, baked beans, rice, chicken, vegetables, cornbread, sauce, and fruits. The cost of each of these is anywhere between $2 and $8 per dish, per guest.

The pig price is often affected by the meat market conditions, so you should budget around $3 per pound only for the pig.

In case you need to have the roasted pig delivered outside the radius of the catering company you may have to pay an additional fee. This can be a subject to change and you can go yourself picking up your whole roasting.

There are catering companies that charge an extra fee for cleaning that can be anywhere between $60 and $120.

It is recommended to rent a roasting box and a pig roaster in case you choose to cook the pig yourself. You can find one at many local shops for the price of $60 to $170 per day.

If there is an event with many guests, an additional staff team will usually be required and the cost per hour for one more employee is anywhere between $25 and $40.

Important things to consider

Try to reserve a pig roast for your event prior as during the peak season the catering companies are very busy.

Some companies offer product samples so you can taste the food before deciding which one to choose.

With one pig you can feed around 100 to 125 guests.

How can I save money?

Try to find at least three price offers from the catering companies as most of them will be more than happy to give you a price estimate.