Event drinks quantity calculator
Work out how much wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks to buy for your event, based on guest count, duration and how much your crowd tends to drink.
How this is worked out
We assume one drink per guest per hour, split roughly 40% wine, 40% beer, and 20% spirits and soft drinks combined, with a bottle of wine pouring 5 glasses. Figures round up so you don't run short. Ice is calculated at 0.3kg per guest.
Worked example
80 guests for 5 hours at an average pace works out to roughly 400 drinks. Split across categories, that's about 21 bottles of wine, 96 cans of beer, 4 bottles of spirits and 40 litres of soft drinks.
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy more than the calculator suggests?
Most UK retailers offer sale-or-return on wine and beer, so buying 10-15% extra is common practice with no financial risk.
Does this account for children or non-drinkers?
No — enter your adult drinking guest count only, and use the soft drinks figure separately for children and non-drinkers.
How much does this assume per glass of wine?
We assume a standard 750ml bottle pours five 150ml glasses, in line with typical UK serving sizes.
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