Enter your guest count and hours of service to see exactly how much beer, wine, liquor, mixers, and ice to buy — and what it should cost. Built on the same standards we use to plan bar programs for weddings, corporate galas, and private parties.
Most upscale events land between 70% and 85%.
From the moment we begin pouring to last call.
Industry standard is roughly 30% with a cocktail program, 50% without.
Roughly 20% with cocktails, 50% without.
Roughly 50% when a craft cocktail menu is offered.
Preferences total 100% — perfectly balanced.
Based on 80 drinking guests and approximately 400 drinks poured across 4 hours.
5
Cases of Beer / Seltzer
24 cans or bottles per case.
16
Bottles of Wine
750ml — five pours per bottle.
13
Bottles of Liquor
750ml — sixteen 1.5oz pours per bottle.
5
Cases of Mixers
Juices, sodas, tonic, and soda water.
250 lb
Ice Required
Service ice plus chilling — craft ice supplied by us.
Estimated Spend
$662 – $1,245
Beverage cost only. Varies by market, brands, and retailer.
This is an estimate assuming average drinkers. Purchase where returns are accepted on unopened product — and always round up on your signature cocktail.
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100 guests · 80% drinking (80 drinkers) · 4 hours of service · mix 30/20/50 (beer/wine/spirits) · approx. 400 drinks
| ☐ | Beer / seltzer | 5 cases (24 per case) |
| ☐ | Wine (750ml) | 16 bottles |
| ☐ | Liquor (750ml) | 13 bottles |
| ☐ | Mixers (juice, soda, tonic) | 5 cases |
| ☐ | Ice | 250 lb |
| ☐ | Garnish (citrus, cherries, herbs) | Plan 1 lemon + 1 lime per 12 cocktails |
| ☐ | Cups / glassware | 500 (1.25 per drink) |
| ☐ | Napkins & straws | 600 |
Estimated beverage spend: $662 – $1,245. Buy where unopened product can be returned, and round up on your signature cocktail.
The exact math we run when we build a bar program — so you can sanity-check the calculator against the kind of event you are hosting.
3 hours of service, 80% drinking, mix of 40% beer / 20% wine / 40% cocktails.
Beverage spend
$276 – $513
Two coolers of ice and one extra bottle of the signature spirit keeps the bar from stalling.
5 hours of service, 85% drinking, mix of 25% beer / 30% wine / 45% cocktails.
Beverage spend
$1,354 – $2,616
Wine climbs at seated dinners. Plan a champagne pour for the toast on top of this list.
4 hours of service, 70% drinking, mix of 30% beer / 25% wine / 45% cocktails.
Beverage spend
$1,796 – $3,412
Two-plus bar stations keep waits under three minutes at this headcount.
Set the sliders above to match your event, then use Print Shopping List for a checklist you can carry into the store.
Plan on two drinks per guest in the first hour and one per hour after that. For 100 guests at a four-hour party with 80% drinking, that is roughly 400 drinks — about 5 cases of beer, 16 bottles of wine, and 13 bottles of liquor with mixers.
Two drinks in the first hour and one per hour after that. It is the figure professional bar programs use, and it holds up across weddings, galas, and corporate receptions.
A 750ml bottle pours about sixteen 1.5oz cocktails. For 50 guests over four hours with half of the drinks being cocktails, plan on about 7 bottles; for 100 guests, about 13. Always add one extra bottle of your signature spirit.
Beverage pricing swings widely by state, retailer, and the brands you select. The low end reflects solid well and house selections; the high end reflects premium and top-shelf labels.
Budget about 1.5 pounds of ice per guest for service and chilling, and more in warm weather. Our bar programs bring craft ice for cocktails in addition to bulk service ice.
In most markets the host purchases the alcohol and we provide the licensed, insured bar service, tools, ice program, garnish, and full setup and breakdown. Send us your event details and we will build the exact shopping list.
Yes. Share your guest count and style and we will return a bespoke cocktail menu with an itemized proposal within 24 hours.
Send your numbers over and we will return an itemized bar plan — staffing, menu, and exact quantities — within 24 hours.