Oyster Roast Porta Potty Guide for Lowcountry Hosts

Oyster roast season in the Lowcountry runs roughly September through April, the months with an R in the name. Cooler nights and good oysters make fall and winter the busy stretch for backyard and church roasts. Book an oyster roast porta potty early for holiday weekends, when many hosts pick the same dates.

Roasts often start late afternoon and run past dark. That timing changes how many units you need and where they go.

An oyster roast needs about one standard unit for every 200 guest-hours: multiply guests by hours and divide by 200. A 100-guest roast running 4 hours needs 2 units. A 150-guest roast running 5 hours needs 4. Round up, and add one more when the crowd is large or the party runs late.

Try your own numbers on the porta potty calculator.

Beer should raise the oyster roast count by about one unit for every four units. Guests drinking beer use the restroom more often, and the lines show up in the last two hours. A 150-guest, 5-hour roast that needs 4 units dry should get 5 units when a keg or cooler of beer is on site.

An oyster roast needs a hand wash station because shucking leaves hands covered in mud, salt and oyster juice. Sanitizer alone does not cut through grit. A hand wash station has two foot-pump sinks, soap and towels, and holds about 400 washes per fill, enough for most backyard roasts.

• One station near the shucking tables.
• One near the restrooms if the count is over 3 units.
• A trash can beside each station for paper towels.

See hand wash station sizes for details.

Light the oyster roast restrooms with solar stake lights or lanterns along the path and a light near each door. Standard porta potties do not have built-in lights, and fall evenings get dark early. A battery puck light stuck inside each unit helps guests find the paper and the latch after sunset.

1. Light the pathSolar stakes every few feet from the party to the units.
2. Light the doorsA lantern or clamp light near each door.
3. Light the insideA battery puck light on the inside wall.
4. Keep it clearNo cords across the walkway.

Oyster roast units should go 50 to 100 feet from the fire and tables, on firm ground, with the doors facing the party. Keep the units away from the smoke and the shell pile. The spot also needs to be within about 25 ft of where the service truck can park, and clear of soft marsh edge.

Read our placement guide for sand and marsh ground before you pick a spot near the water.

A big roast with 150 or more guests, or a dressy crowd, may do better with a restroom trailer. A trailer has flush toilets, sinks, lights and climate control, which helps on cold winter nights. A restroom trailer needs a 110V/20-amp outlet nearby, a water hose or onboard water, and level ground with truck access.

Compare options on our restroom trailer page.