Free tool · Purchasing and budget
Drink calculator for your event
Enter how many guests you expect and how many hours the party will last. You get a shopping list for beer, wine, liquor, non-alcoholic drinks, and ice, plus a safety margin that you control.
- No account required
- Suggested purchase with safety margin
- Attendance scenarios
Preloaded example80 guests (10 minors), 5 hours, and an average-paced group. Result: 185 beers, 23 bottles of wine, 5 of liquor, 24 non-alcoholic packs, and 88 kg of ice. Change the values to use your own data.
This tool requires JavaScript to calculate using your data. Without JavaScript, you can read the worked example on the right and the method below; nothing is sent to any server.
What you need to buy
| Beverage | Servings | Purchase | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | 168 | 185 | pieces |
| Wine | 101 | 23 | bottles |
| Liquor | 67 | 5 | bottles |
| Non-alcoholic | 260 | 286 | items (24 packs) |
| Ice | — | 88 | kg |
What if attendance changes?
| Attendance | Guests | Beer | Wine | Liquor | Non-alc. packs | Ice kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 % | 72 | 167 | 20 | 5 | 22 | 80 |
| 100 % | 80 | 185 | 23 | 5 | 24 | 88 |
| 110 % | 88 | 204 | 25 | 6 | 27 | 97 |
Method: people drinking alcohol = (guests − minors) × (1 − proportion not drinking alcohol). Drinks per person = first hour + remaining hours × rate. Each drink type receives its share, the buffer is added, and the result is divided by servings per unit, always rounding up. These are your assumptions, not a measure of actual consumption. Always offer water and non-alcoholic options, and plan a safe trip home for your guests.
How to use this tool
- Enter total guests, how many are minors, and how many hours drinks will be served.
- Choose the group profile (light, moderate, or lively) or type your own drinks per hour.
- Split the percentage across beer, wine, and liquor, then review the shopping list and the three attendance scenarios.
A worked example
With 80 guests, 10 minors, and 20% non-drinking adults, approximately 56 people will drink alcohol. Over 5 hours, with 2 drinks in the first hour and 1 per hour after that, each person consumes 6 drinks: 336 in total. Split 50% beer, 30% wine, and 20% liquor, add a 10% safety margin, and divide by servings per unit (1 per beer, 5 glasses per bottle of wine, 16 drinks per bottle of liquor). Result: 185 beers, 23 bottles of wine, and 5 bottles of liquor. For non-alcoholic drinks, that equals 24 12-packs and 88 kg of ice.
If 90% of the guest list attends (72 people), 167 beers will be enough; if 110% attend (88), you will need 204.
Method, assumptions, and limitations
Drinkers = (guests − minors) × (1 − percentage of non-drinking adults). Drinks per drinker = first-hour drinks + (hours − 1) × drinks each subsequent hour; if the event lasts less than an hour, it is prorated. The total is distributed according to each drink's percentage, multiplied by (1 + margin), and divided by servings per unit, always rounding up.
Both non-drinkers and drinkers also consume non-alcoholic beverages (water, soda, mixers) at hourly rates you can customize under “Advanced settings.” Ice is calculated per guest.
Keep in mind
- Consumption profiles are planning estimates that you can modify; they do not measure how much your guests will actually drink.
- Servings per bottle depend on drink or pour size: adjust the values if your caterer or bartender pours differently.
- This tool does not recommend how much alcohol a person should consume. Always provide water and non-alcoholic options, and arrange a safe way home.
Privacy: everything happens in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored, with no account or email needed. Downloaded files are generated directly on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free, and do I need to create an account?
It's free and works without an account, without an email address, and without installing anything. All calculations run right in your browser.
How many drinks per person should I estimate?
There isn't a single magic number: it depends on the event type, the time of day, and your guests. That's why you can pick a profile or type in your own drinks per hour to see how the list updates.
What is the safety buffer for?
It covers discrepancies between what you estimate and what actually happens. At 0%, you buy exactly what was calculated; at 10% or 15%, you have a cushion. You can return whatever is left over if your vendor allows it.
Is my data saved or sent anywhere?
No. The numbers are calculated locally and are neither stored nor sent anywhere. Once you close the page they are lost, so download the CSV or copy the list if you want to keep it.
Can I print the shopping list?
Yes. The "Print list" button generates a sheet with checkboxes to mark off purchased items; you can also save it as a PDF from your browser.