The table is the centerpiece of a perfect tailgate. You can never be too prepared for tailgating season, so I started doing some research. Tables serve a lot of roles in the tailgating community and I wanted to find the best tailgating tables on the market. The table needs to be able to handle all of the needs of a portable grill and the (hopefully plentiful) layout of food. That said, if a table is not the correct size for a quality game of beer pong, get it out of my sight. Buffalo Bills fans, I did not forget about you either. Most of these tables will fold right in half upon the impact of your drunken college roommate.
Criteria
Pricing – What should you pay for a tailgate table?
As I stated before, tables are essential for a successful tailgate and should last a long time. You do need to have a table, however, it’s just a table and there is no need to spend an entire paycheck on one.
Size – How big of a table do I need?
The size of the table should reflect the amount of food needed. If you can fit the spread on the table, you have covered priority number one.
Convenience – How easily can I get this table to the event and set up?
The invention of the folding table will be the key here. People tend to gloss over this category and then end up struggling to get their table from the basement to the car and eventually set up at the event.
Satisfaction – Are the people that purchased the table happy with the product?
This one is important for obvious reasons. No better group to ask about a product than the people that have already put it to use.
Lifetime Height Adjustable Craft Camping and Utility Folding Table, White Granite – Amazon’s Choice (4.6 Stars)
We are going to start off strong here with the classic folding table that is cost effective and gets the job done. This product is Amazon’s Choice and probably exactly what you think of when you hear “tailgate table.” This Lifetime product is the best tailgate table on the market when you factor in the criteria below. The only factor that could hold you back from buying this table is the size. This table is small, which could be an issue if you plan on having a large spread.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Pricing | This table is the best bang for your buck. The table is currently listed at $49.99. That price goes down to $39.99 if you are an Amazon Prime member. Folding tables can get surprisingly pricey but this basic table is the best value for your hard earned dollars. |
| Size | The Lifetime folding table is 48 inches long and 24 inches wide. They designed the table to seat four. There are three adjustable height settings: 24-inch, 29-inch and 36-inch (standard). The polyethylene plastic table top is 1.4 inches thick. |
| Convenience | Folding tables are the king of convenience. This table is big enough for a spread, but can be folded for easy transport. The table has a handle for carrying and folds in half. The Lifetime folding table weighs 19 pounds. |
| Satisfaction | The best tailgate tables are the ones with great reviews. Not only is the the Lifetime folding table Amazon’s choice, but has 6,400+ reviews with an overall rating of 4.6 stars. |
Cosco Deluxe 6 Foot x 30 inch Fold-in-Half Blow Molded Folding Table – (4.6 Stars)
Cosco is known for it’s products being in bulk, so it is no surprise that Cosco decided to make a bigger table. This is the most cost effective table if you have a big family or are expecting a lot of people. If you have a group of 10+ on the way, this will allow for more food on the table without having to jump into a higher price tier. If you plan on playing games like flip cup or beer pong, this table will be an upgrade over the Lifetime option.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Pricing | This table is $54.77, just a tad more expensive than the smaller Lifetime table. At the moment this table does not include a Amazon Prime discount but is still priced fairly for the product. |
| Size | The Cosco folding table is 72 inches long (6 feet) and 30 inches wide. |
| Convenience | This table is a medium size but is very portable. The table has a handle for carrying and folds in half. The Cosco folding table weighs 25.5 pounds. |
| Satisfaction | The best tailgate tables are the ones with great reviews. Cosco’s folding table has 2,700+ reviews with an overall rating of 4.6 stars. |
Lifetime Folding Tailgate Camp Table with Grill Rack, Gray – 4.5 Stars
Do you want to look like a seasoned veteran at your next tailgate? This table is not only innovative but will be the talk of the tailgate. Now this article was made to find the best tailgating tables on the market. This table will also get rave reviews at your next cookout, graduation party, or anything else that involves the outdoors and grilling. This is one of the best tailgate tables out there because it has a separate area for your portable grill, a trash bag slot, four cup holders, utensil hooks and a paper towel holder.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Pricing | This table is $69.98 which is a fair price considering it’s much higher manufacturing costs than a standard table. |
| Size | The Lifetime folding table is 48 inches long and 24 inches wide. They designed the table to seat four. There are three adjustable height settings: 24-inch, 29-inch and 36-inch (standard). The polyethylene plastic table top is 1.8 inches thick. The grill rack extension is 28.3 inches long and 26.6 inches wide. |
| Convenience | This table is big enough for a spread and grill, but can be folded for easy transport. The table has a handle for carrying and folds in half, including the grill rack. The Lifetime folding table weighs 30 pounds because of the steel on the grill rack. |
| Satisfaction | This item been fairly untested, but has a high rating. They have 4.5 stars on Amazon and 4.7 on the companies website. Lifetime puts out reliable products so I would see no issue investing in this table to upgrade your grilling needs. |
GoPong 8 Foot Portable Beer Pong / Tailgate Tables (Black, Football, American Flag, or Custom Dry Erase) – 4.3 Stars
This table strays away from the pack. I have been focusing on tables centered around food and grilling. If you have that covered already, this a table that is focused on livening up the party. The GoPong table is absolutely perfect for just about any table based drinking game. The surface is waterproof which makes for easy cleaning and the underside has a foam holder where you can store six ping pong balls. GoPong has a four different designs that can be seen on Amazon.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Pricing | GoPong’s prices vary by design. The football field table can go as low as $77.37 with Amazon Prime. The American Flag is $93.99 with Amazon Prime. Overall the prices are fairly high compared to the rest of the tables listed. However, given the design options and table length I have no problem with the listed prices. |
| Size | The GoPong table is a regulation table for beer pong (8 feet long, 2 feet wide). While the table was made for drinking games, an eight foot table is perfect for a large spread and the waterproof surface makes it spill proof as well. |
| Convenience | This table can be folded into an easy to move 2×2 foot “briefcase” that weighs 25 pounds. |
| Satisfaction | This table has about 700 reviews and an overall score of 4.3 stars. People seem very happy paying up for a quality tailgate table. |
AceLife Folding Table Portable Aluminum Outdoor Camping Picnic Suitcase Table Set with 2 Benches (3.9 Stars)
Out of all the options on the list, this one is the most unique. If you have little kids coming along to a tailgate or cookout, this is an option to consider. The AceLife product is a folding table and bench set that comes with an umbrella hole just in case you do not have a canopy tent or need extra shade. The table top and seat top is made with a waterproof material.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Pricing | This product is $89.99 for essentially an entire table set up. |
| Size | The table is 39.4 inches long, 32 inches wide and 29 inches high. The benches are 37.8 inches long, 11.4 inches wide and 17 inches high. |
| Convenience | All three parts can be folded easily and weigh a total of just 29.32 pounds. |
| Satisfaction | This AceLife set has only 11 reviews and an overall score of 3.9 stars. After taking a deeper look you will see that a single one star rating ruined the overall score. Majority of the people who reviewed the product were very happy with it. The one bad rating appeared to be from someone who did not lock out the bench correctly. |
Closing Thoughts
After doing some research on the best tailgating tables I have narrowed down the list to this top five. It is hard to just point to a single product because everyone is looking to fill a specific need. Looking for a cheap table? The Lifetime or Cosco folding tables are the most cost effective. If grilling is the priority, go ahead and get the Lifetime table with the rack extension. If you are planning on attending a college homecoming, than the GoPong table will surely be a hit. Young kids will be able to keep themselves busy with an easy to set up AceLife table with benches. The best tailgating tables are on this list, now you just need to prioritize your needs.
If you liked my article on the five best tailgating tables, check out more of our expert tailgating advice!