How Many Cups of Coffee in a Pound? (Chart for 6, 8, 10 and 12 oz Cups)
A pound of coffee makes about 35 eight-ounce cups at standard strength and up to about 64 at diner strength. Standard here means the Specialty Coffee Association's Golden Cup ratio, about 55 grams of coffee per liter of water. Diner strength is the lighter 2 ounces per half-gallon pot that many restaurants use. Both are estimates, and the chart below shows how they change with cup size.
The range is wide because the cup count depends on how strong you brew, not on the coffee. Our own FAQ rule, one pound for every 40 to 50 six-ounce cups, then add extra, lands right on standard strength.
Cups of coffee per pound chart
| Cup size | Standard strength (Golden Cup) | Diner strength |
|---|---|---|
| 6 oz | about 46 cups | about 85 cups |
| 8 oz | about 35 cups | about 64 cups |
| 10 oz | about 28 cups | about 51 cups |
| 12 oz | about 23 cups | about 43 cups |
Every number is an estimate for one pound (453.6 grams). Standard assumes 55 grams of coffee per liter of water, a little under 4 ounces per half-gallon pot. Diner assumes 2 ounces per half-gallon pot. The counts are cups of brew water, and the grounds hold some back, so expect a few cups less.
Standard strength vs. diner strength
Standard strength is the full-bodied cup most people expect from a good drip brewer. It is also where our FAQ starts you: "Start with two tablespoons per six ounces of water." Two level tablespoons of ground coffee weigh about 10 grams, which is almost exactly the Golden Cup ratio.
Diner strength is the lighter coffee many restaurants pour, often from pre-measured 2-ounce packs made for a half-gallon pot. It nearly doubles the cups per pound and suits a pot that gets refilled all morning. Brew a pot, taste it and adjust. If your guests take it without cream, read coffee you can drink black.
How many cups are in each of our sizes
| Size | Weight | 8 oz cups, standard | 8 oz cups, diner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Hoff | 1/2 lb | about 17 | about 32 |
| The Hoff | 1 lb | about 35 | about 64 |
| Big Hoff Bag | 2 lb | about 70 | about 128 |
| Queen Hoff | 3.5 lb | about 122 | about 224 |
| King Hoff | 7 lb | about 244 | about 448 |
| Bulk | 20 lb | about 700 | about 1,280 |
Whole bean and ground make the same number of cups, because a pound is a pound. Beans take up more room, so weigh your coffee or measure it after grinding. Ground comes in one medium-fine grind that works for every brew method, espresso included. Whole bean is there for anyone who grinds in house. More in whole bean vs. ground coffee.
Cost per cup of coffee
What an 8-ounce cup costs in coffee alone, as estimates rounded to the cent:
| Size and price | Per pound | Per cup, standard | Per cup, diner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Hoff Bag, 2 lb, $34 | $17.00 | about $0.49 | about $0.27 |
| King Hoff, 7 lb, $105 | $15.00 | about $0.43 | about $0.23 |
| Bulk, 20 lb, $250 one-time | $12.50 | about $0.36 | about $0.20 |
| Bulk, 20 lb, $230 subscription | $11.50 | about $0.33 | about $0.18 |
Bulk is our lowest price per pound, and the subscription price takes it lower. The King Hoff and Big Hoff Bag also come on a schedule, at $95 and $30. Each extra Big Hoff Bag in an order is $4 off, and each extra Queen or King Hoff is $10 off. There is no extra-unit discount on Bulk.
Orders of $50 or more ship free by USPS, so every Queen, King and Bulk order does. A single Big Hoff Bag pays shipping; a second one ($30 with the extra-unit discount) brings the order past $50. Subscriptions come weekly, every 2 weeks or monthly, with a two-delivery minimum. You manage deliveries online through a secure emailed link: skip, pause, move a date earlier or change sizes.
How to figure pounds for a week or an event
The math is the same for an office, a restaurant or a party:
coffee drinkers × cups each × days ÷ cups per pound = pounds
Use 35 cups per pound for standard 8-ounce cups, or 64 for diner strength. Worked examples, all estimates (the links open the ground version; switch to whole bean on the page):
| Where | Assumption | 8 oz cups | Pounds | What to order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small office | 5 coffee drinkers, 2 cups a day, 5 days, standard | 50 a week | about 1.4 lb a week, 6 lb a month | King Hoff (7 lb), monthly |
| Larger office | 16 coffee drinkers, 2 cups a day, 5 days, standard | 160 a week | about 4.6 lb a week, 20 lb a month | Bulk (20 lb), monthly |
| Diner or cafe | 10 half-gallon pots a day, 7 days, diner strength | 560 a week | about 8.75 lb a week | Bulk (20 lb), every 2 weeks |
| Morning event | 100 guests, 3 in 4 drink coffee, 1.5 cups each, standard | about 113 | about 3.2 lb | Queen Hoff (3.5 lb), one-time |
How many people drink coffee? The National Coffee Association reported in spring 2026 that 66% of American adults had coffee in the past day, so two in three is a fair guess for an office. Evening crowds drink less: if half of 100 guests have one cup, that is about 50 cups, or about 1.4 lb. At standard strength, the diner above would use about 16 lb a week. Round up, then add extra.
Planning something big? Send us a note with the head count and how you will brew it, and we will give you a number.
Measuring without a scale
A kitchen scale is most accurate, but tablespoons work. As an estimate, a level tablespoon of ground coffee weighs about 5 grams, so a pound is roughly 90 tablespoons and a 2-tablespoon scoop holds about 10 grams. Weigh one scoop once and go by scoops after that.
Watch the word "cup." A "12-cup" coffee maker usually counts 5 or 6 ounce cups: 60 to 72 ounces of water, about 7 to 9 eight-ounce mugs. Plan by the ounce. Brewing in a percolator or an urn? Our guide to percolator coffee covers how to perk a better pot.
Ordering coffee for a business
Any business can buy, serve and resell our coffee, with no account, no application, no approval and no minimum. Order the size that fits and start serving when the box arrives. Here is how it works when you order office coffee with no account:
- Checkout: guest checkout with your email and shipping address, paid by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. There is no company-name field, so type your business name with your name or on the Apt, suite line.
- Confirmation: the email lists what you ordered and the total.
- Shipping: USPS to US addresses only, free at $50 or more. Orders typically go out within a few business days. Delivery times are estimates, not guarantees.
- Big orders: online orders are limited to 60 items. For more, write to us through the contact page or call 414-375-5804.
We roast one coffee: 100% Colombian Supremo Arabica, medium-dark in the German Norwegian style, in cast iron on our family farm in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, in a barn in the family since 1944. Customers describe it as smooth and low in acid. Want to taste it first? The barn at 1040 Sherman Road is open every day from 9 to 5, and the first cup is on us.
“Ordered a 2lb bag for my office. Brewed some this morning and it was fantastic!”
Brian K, X, August 2026
Cups of coffee per pound: questions
How many cups of coffee are in a pound of whole beans?
The same as a pound of ground: about 35 eight-ounce cups at standard strength and up to about 64 at diner strength, as estimates. The count depends on weight and strength, not on whether the beans are ground yet.
How many cups does a 20 lb bag of coffee make?
About 700 eight-ounce cups at standard strength, or up to about 1,280 at diner strength. By our own rule of one pound for every 40 to 50 six-ounce cups, it makes 800 to 1,000 six-ounce cups. All of these are estimates.
How much coffee do I need for 100 people?
For a morning event where about three in four guests drink a cup and a half, plan on about 3.2 lb at standard strength, so one Queen Hoff (3.5 lb). For an evening event where half the guests have one cup, about 1.4 lb. These are estimates, so add extra.
How long does a pound of coffee last?
One person drinking two 8-ounce cups a day at standard strength gets about two and a half weeks from a pound, as an estimate. An office of 16 coffee drinkers at two cups a day, five days a week, goes through a 20 lb Bulk bag in about a month.
Does your ground coffee work in my brewer?
Yes. Ground comes in one medium-fine grind that works for every brew method, espresso included. If you grind in house, order whole bean.
Do I need an account or a minimum to order for my business?
No. Any business can buy, serve and resell our coffee with no account, no application and no minimum. Check out as a guest, and we ship by USPS, free on orders of $50 or more.
Do you make decaf?
No. We make one coffee, a medium-dark Colombian Supremo with nothing added. If your event needs decaf, plan it separately.
Pick a size and start pouring
As an estimate, a pound makes about 35 full-strength 8-ounce cups or up to about 64 lighter ones. When you know your number, see our 20 lb bulk bags and business sizes, or start with a 1 lb bag and count the cups yourself. Prost.