Party Drinks Calculator
How much to buy — bottles, glasses and ice — for a given crowd and event length.
The planning convention is one drink per person in the first hour and one per hour after.
How the party drinks calculator works
The planning convention is one drink per person in the first hour and one per hour after. It is an average across the whole crowd, and it holds surprisingly well over a large group even though almost nobody drinks exactly that.
Bottle arithmetic is where people come unstuck. A 750 ml bottle of wine gives five 150 ml glasses, not six, and champagne flutes are smaller so a bottle gives six or seven. Spirits at a 30 ml nip give about 25 servings per 750 ml bottle before mixers.
Ice is routinely under-ordered. Plan on about 500 g per person for chilling and serving, and more in hot weather — it is cheap, and running out mid-event is not recoverable.
Always provide non-alcoholic options for at least a quarter of the crowd. That is planning, not moralising: designated drivers and non-drinkers are a real and growing share of any guest list.
Formula: drinks = guests × (1 + hours − 1); bottles = drinks / servings per bottle
Worked examples
| Inputs | Total drinks needed | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 80 guests for four hours | 320 drinks | 320 drinks |
| A two-hour reception | 160 drinks | 160 drinks |
| More non-alcoholic | 320 drinks | no prompt shown |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How many drinks per person at a party?
The planning convention is one in the first hour and one per hour after — so four drinks each over a four-hour event.
How many glasses in a bottle of wine?
Five at a 150 ml pour. Champagne flutes are smaller, so six or seven.
How much ice do I need?
About 500 g per person, more in hot weather. It is cheap and running out mid-event cannot be fixed.
How much non-alcoholic should I provide?
At least a quarter of the total. Designated drivers and non-drinkers are a substantial share of any guest list.
How many glasses should I hire?
About 1.5 per guest — people put glasses down and take a fresh one rather than retrieving their own.
Where these figures come from
- US FDA Food Code — food service guidance — holding and service context behind catering quantities
- UK Food Standards Agency — the UK food regulator
Last checked: September 2026. Portion and spacing figures are standard catering and event-industry conventions, stated on each page.