How Many Satay Sticks, Kuih and Lok Lok Sticks per Person? A Malaysian Party Guide

Plan about 5 satay sticks, 2 to 3 pieces of kuih and 5 to 7 lok lok sticks per guest. For 50 people that is roughly 250 satay sticks, 100 to 150 pieces of kuih and 250 to 350 lok lok sticks. Add 10 to 15% when that food is the main thing people eat.

Most portion guides online are written for sandwiches and roast chicken, not for the food at a Malaysian party. The numbers below come from what Klang Valley caterers actually pack into their satay, kuih and lok lok packages, with the price per stick so you can budget at the same time.

How many satay sticks per person?

5 sticks per person is the standard allowance. D'Expert BBQ, a satay caterer delivering across the Klang Valley, builds its packages on "anggaran 5 cucuk seorang": 5 sticks each. Adjust it to the role satay plays at your event.

• One dish among many at a buffet: 3 to 4 sticks per guest.
• A main dish, with ketupat and a few sides: 5 sticks per guest.
• The main food of the night, like a satay party: 8 to 10 sticks per guest, with extra ketupat.

Satay for 20, 50, 100 and 200 people

At 5 sticks each, and at the per-stick prices Klang Valley caterers publish (RM1.40 for chicken up to RM2.00 for lamb grilled on the spot):

• 20 people: 100 sticks, about RM140 to RM200. D'Expert BBQ's packages for 20 are RM155 for chicken and RM160 mixed.
• 50 people: 250 sticks, about RM350 to RM500.
• 100 people: 500 sticks, about RM700 to RM1,000. D'Expert BBQ's packages for 100 are RM775 for chicken and RM810 mixed.
• 200 people: 1,000 sticks, about RM1,400 to RM2,000. D'Expert BBQ's packages for 200 are RM1,450 for chicken and RM1,520 mixed.

Want the satay grilled on the spot? Orange Catering's live satay station has a minimum of 600 sticks, which at 5 per person means about 120 guests. It charges RM1.50 a stick for chicken, RM1.70 for beef and RM2.00 for lamb grilled live, against RM1.40, RM1.60 and RM1.90 ready-grilled. Ketupat is RM1.50 a piece. For smaller parties, ready-grilled satay delivered with kuah kacang is the practical choice.

How many lok lok sticks per person?

5 to 7 lok lok sticks per guest. That is what Lekluu Lok Lok's event packages on GatherPlate work out to, and each includes the crew, the cooking and 3 sauces.

• Small, RM950: 210 sticks for 30 to 40 guests, 5 to 7 sticks each.
• Medium, RM1,350: 330 sticks for 50 to 60 guests, 5.5 to 6.5 sticks each.
• Large, RM1,850: 470 sticks for 80 to 90 guests, 5 to 6 sticks each.

All three include 5 hours of service with 1 server, sweet, chilli and peanut sauces, and disposable plates and cutlery. That works out to about RM3.90 to RM4.50 a stick, or RM21 to RM32 per guest. Compare lok lok catering packages.

How many kuih per person?

2 to 3 small pieces per guest is Rasa.my's guideline for kuih and desserts: about 60 pieces for 20 guests and 120 to 150 for 50. Dessert table packages plan a similar range, from 1 to 4 pieces per guest.

• After a full meal: 1 to 2 pieces per guest.
• Tea break or doa selamat with light food: 2 to 3 pieces per guest.
• Kuih as the main spread, like a morning tea: 3 to 4 pieces per guest.
• 100 guests: about 250 to 300 pieces at 2 to 3 each, with a little extra.

Mix two or three kinds rather than one, so guests can take different pieces. For a set menu with kuih included, see tea break and hi-tea catering, and for a styled spread, dessert table prices in Malaysia.

Cheat sheet: food for a 50-person party

If you are cooking some dishes and ordering others, these are the quantities for 50 guests. The rice, chicken, beef and drinks figures follow Rasa.my's guide.

• Rice: about 5 kg uncooked, at roughly 90 g per person.
• Chicken: about 5 whole chickens, cut into 10 to 12 pieces each, one piece per guest.
• Beef rendang or kurma: about 5 kg, at roughly 100 g per person.
• Drinks: 15 to 18 litres, about 300 ml per person.
• Satay: about 250 sticks.
• Kuih: 120 to 150 pieces.
• Lok lok: 250 to 350 sticks.

Add 10 to 15% for second helpings when these are the main dishes. For buffet quantities at 20, 50 and 100 guests, see how much food to order.

Satay or lok lok for your party?

They cost very different amounts because you are buying different things. Satay at RM1.40 to RM2.00 a stick is mostly food: about RM7 to RM10 per guest at 5 sticks, usually delivered ready-grilled. Lok lok at about RM4 a stick includes a cooking station and crew for 5 hours: about RM21 to RM32 per guest. Lok lok doubles as entertainment, which is why it turns up at birthdays, open houses and company family days, while satay is the budget way to feed a crowd.

How to avoid running out

• Order for guests who have confirmed, then add 10 to 15% if the food is the main meal.
• Check how much ketupat and kuah kacang the satay package includes. Some packages limit ketupat by size, so order extra if satay is the meal.
• Book satay at least 3 days ahead, and a week ahead during Ramadan and Hari Raya, when satay caterers are busiest.
• For lok lok, the stick count is fixed by the package, so pick the size by your top guest estimate.

Satay prices and allowances come from D'Expert BBQ and Orange Catering's websites, kuih and cooking quantities from Rasa.my's guide (April 2025), and lok lok figures from Lekluu Lok Lok's packages on GatherPlate, all checked on 25 September 2026. Portion guidance is a planning estimate: appetites and menus vary.

Frequently asked questions

How many satay sticks per person?

About 5 sticks per person when satay is a main dish, which is the allowance Klang Valley satay caterers pack for. Use 3 to 4 when it is one of many buffet dishes, and 8 to 10 when satay is the main food of the night.

How many satay sticks for 100 people?

About 500 sticks at 5 per person, which costs roughly RM700 to RM1,000 at Klang Valley per-stick prices. Satay packages for 100 people are listed from about RM775.

How many kuih per person?

2 to 3 small pieces per guest, or about 60 pieces for 20 guests and 120 to 150 for 50. Plan 1 to 2 after a full meal and 3 to 4 when kuih is the main spread.

How many lok lok sticks per person?

5 to 7 sticks per guest. Lok lok event packages in the Klang Valley include 210 sticks for 30 to 40 guests, 330 for 50 to 60, and 470 for 80 to 90, with the cooking crew included.

How much does satay cost per stick in KL?

Caterers in the Klang Valley list about RM1.40 a stick for chicken, RM1.60 for beef and RM1.90 for lamb, ready-grilled. Grilling on the spot costs about 10 sen more a stick and usually needs a minimum order, such as 600 sticks.