
How to calculate drinks for your party?
- When you know how many guests drink a specific type of alcohol: Calculating beer 🍻: the general rule is that one person drinks one beer per one hour of ...
- When you need a general estimation, not knowing exactly who will drink what: In this case, it all comes down to one basic equation telling you the total number ...
- Calculating soft drinks
How much alcohol should I buy for a party?
You’ll need 75 cans or bottles of beer for 20 guests at a 3-hour party. Liquor is a little trickier, since you’ll need to account for both the liquor and the mixer. Plus, liquor bottles aren’t sold in standard sizes, so you may have to do some on-your-feet math when you get to the store.
How much food and drink to serve at a party?
While there is no perfect formula to calculate how much party food and drink you’ll need, there are some basic guidelines that usually ensure a successful party. ONE POUND RULE: The easiest rule is the “One Pound Rule.”. Provide one pound of food for each adult guest (not including drinks or dessert). 1 Adult = 1 Pound of Food.
How much food do I need for a party?
- Starters: Appetizers or snacks should consist of two to three portions per person
- 3 ounces of dip or salsa (about 1/3 cup per person)
- One cup of soup (less if it's a thick soup, like chowder)
- 3 ounces of salad (about 1 cup)
- 6 ounces of meat or main entrée
- 5 ounces of starch (potato, pasta, or rice)
- One and a half pieces of dessert
How much alcohol do I need for my Party?
How much alcohol do you need for 50 guests? For a 4 hour party with 50 guests, you will need approximately 200 drinks: 80 beers, 72 glasses of wine (15 bottles) and enough for 48 individual cocktails (amounts will depend upon what type of cocktail you serve).

How much alcohol do you need for 50 guests?
For a 4 hour party with 50 guests, you will need approximately 200 drinks: 80 beers, 72 glasses of wine (15 bottles) and enough for 48 individual c...
How much alcohol do you need for 100 guests?
For a 4 hour party with 100 guests, you will need approximately 400 drinks: 160 beers, 144 glasses of wine (29 bottles) and enough for 96 individua...
How much alcohol do you need for 150 guests?
For a 4 hour party with 150 guests, you will need approximately 600 drinks: 240 beers, 216 glasses of wine (44 bottles) and enough for 144 individu...
How much alcohol do you need for 250 guests?
For a 4 hour party with 250 guests, you will need approximately 1000 drinks: 400 beers, 360 glasses of wine (72 bottles) and enough for 240 individ...
How It Works
Use this handy tool to figure out how much alcohol to have for your party by entering the number of hours and guests, then mark the type of alcohol you want to serve.
Start the Party
Get the party started by sending an Evite invitation, then make your celebration stand out — and stay sane while doing it. With our helpful party planning tips and ideas, there's no need to break the bank. And we think that deserves a drink. Cheers!
How much ice do you need for a party?
Add these items to your shopping list to ensure your party is well-stocked with all the essentials. Buy ice. You'll need 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of ice per guest to keep beverages chilled.
What to do if you know your guests' preferences?
If you know your guests' preferences on drinks (beer, wine, spirits, or soft drinks), you can calculate what you need accordingly. If you're unsure about guests' preferences, purchase a mix of beverages with some to spare. Ask your beverage retailer if you can return unopened bottles.
What are some good drinks to serve with a cocktail?
Soft drinks: lemon-lime, diet lemon-lime, cola, and diet cola. Tonic. Club soda. Juices: orange, cranberry, and tomato. Besides these basics, if you're making a signature cocktail (these are our favorite classic cocktails) or know guests' favorite drinks, add the appropriate ingredients to your shopping list.
Is it okay to serve wine at a casual gathering?
Especially for casual gatherings, serving only wine, beer, and nonalcoholic choices is perfectly acceptable and may be the prefer red approach. Most guests will find a satisfying option, and for the hostess, a limited alcohol selection simplifies planning and allows you to match beverage choices to your menu.
How many glasses of wine are there at a party?
Guests will always eat — and drink — more at night than during the day. Wine – One 750-milliliter bottle of wine provides five to six glasses. Pick up one bottle for every two guests. Cocktails – A 750-milliliter bottle makes about 16 drinks. Pick up a quart of mixer for every three guests.
How many bites per hour for appetizer?
Each guest will eat 4 – 6 bites per hour during an appetizer-only event. If a main meal is to be served, calculate 6 bites total per person. Serve each adult guest 6 – 8 ounces of protein (meat or seafood). For barbecues, that equates to one hamburger patty.
What are the factors that determine the length of a cocktail party?
Many factors come into play when you make your plans including the length of your party, the type of food you'll be serving, the composition of men, women, and children in your group, as well as the richness of the food you plan to serve. The time of your party is also very important. An after-dinner cocktail party requires much less food ...
How many bites per hour for hors d'oeuvres?
4 - 6 bites per hour when hors-d'oeuvres are the meal. The longer your party and the larger your guest list, the greater the number of selections you should offer. Poultry, meat or fish - 6 ounces when you have one main dish, 8 ounces when you offer two or more main courses.
How to plan a menu?
Begin by following these "rules of thumb" and write down your initial thoughts. Then look at the big picture several times over a period of a few days to make adjustments to your plan.
Can you assume that everyone will taste everything on a buffet?
The more choices you offer, the smaller your calculation of individual portion size should be. That said, you can assume your guests will taste everything on a buffet, but the tastes will be small. However, overall consumption per individual will be greater than if there were fewer choices.
Do you round up your estimates?
Always round up your estimates, don't round them down. Anticipate which food selections will be most popular and serve more of them than the general portion guidelines suggest. For example, shellfish appetizers are always popular, so serve as much as your budget allows.
