What this calculator does
The usual planning rule is one drink per guest per hour, which for thirty guests over four hours comes to 120 drinks. The split across beer, wine and spirits is then set by whatever you expect the crowd to prefer.
One per hour is a reasonable average across a mixed group, but it is only an average. Consumption is front-loaded, with the first hour often running well above the rate and later hours below it, so having enough chilled and ready at the start matters more than the total.
The formula
Total drinks are guests multiplied by hours multiplied by the drinks per person per hour. That total is split by the percentages given: beer takes its share first, wine takes its share of what remains, and spirits take the rest. The figures are drinks rather than bottles, so a conversion to purchase quantities is still needed.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Standard drink | One beer, one glass of wine or one measure of spirits, treated as equivalent for planning purposes. |
| Drinks per hour | The planning rate, conventionally 1 per guest per hour across a mixed group. |
| Front-loading | The tendency for consumption to be highest in the first hour, which affects how much to have ready rather than how much to buy. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Guests | Number of guests. |
| Party length (hours) | Length of the event in hours. |
| Drinks per person per hour | Drinks per guest per hour. One is the usual planning figure; adjust down for a daytime or family event. |
| Share as beer (%) | Percentage of drinks expected to be beer. |
| Share of the rest as wine (%) | Percentage of the remainder expected to be wine, with spirits taking what is left. |
When to use it
Planning a wedding or large party
The total is what determines the order, and getting the category split roughly right avoids ending up with a great deal of one thing and none of another.
Working out fridge and ice requirements
The first-hour rate rather than the total determines how much has to be cold at the start, which is a common planning failure.
Budgeting
Converting drinks to bottles and then to cost is straightforward once the drink count is settled: roughly 5 glasses per bottle of wine and about 16 measures per 750 ml bottle of spirits.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How many drinks does each guest count need?
A range of guest counts over a four hour event.
| Guests | Total drinks needed | Beer | Wine | Hard liquor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 40 | 16 drinks | 14 drinks | 10 drinks |
| 20 | 80 | 32 drinks | 29 drinks | 19 drinks |
| 30 | 120 | 48 drinks | 43 drinks | 29 drinks |
| 50 | 200 | 80 drinks | 72 drinks | 48 drinks |
Questions
How many drinks per person for a party?
One per person per hour is the standard planning figure, so a four hour party needs about four drinks per guest. Adjust down for a daytime event, a family gathering or a crowd that largely drives, and up for a late evening party among heavier drinkers.
How many glasses in a bottle of wine?
About five at a 150 ml pour from a 750 ml bottle. Spirits give roughly sixteen 45 ml measures per 750 ml bottle. Those two conversions turn the drink counts here into a shopping list.
Should I buy extra?
Buying around 10% over is usual, and unopened bottles generally keep or can be returned where the retailer allows it. Running out partway through is the more common and less recoverable failure.
What about guests who do not drink alcohol?
Plan the same number of drinks per hour for them in non-alcoholic form, which is frequently under-provided. Something other than soft drinks and water is worth having, since a guest not drinking alcohol is otherwise stuck with the least interesting options all evening.
For food quantities for the same event, see the BBQ party planner. For diluting spirits for batched cocktails, see the alcohol dilution calculator.