Figure out exactly how many drinks each guest will need. Get a breakdown by drink type based on your specific event.
Calculate Per GuestTL;DR - Quick Answer
For 100 guests at a 4-hour event, plan 3-4 drinks per person — that's 300-400 total drinks. Split: ~120 beers, ~100 wine servings, ~80 cocktails.
Get exact numbers for your eventInclude confirmed RSVPs and expected plus-ones
Duration and event type affect per-guest amounts
See exactly what each guest needs
Different events have different consumption patterns
BBQs, game days, casual crowds
Dinner parties, sophisticated events
Cocktail parties, trendy events
How per-guest drinks translate to totals
| Guests | Per Guest | Total Drinks | Beer Cases | Wine Bottles | Liquor Bottles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 4 | 100 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
| 50 | 4 | 200 | 4 | 15 | 4 |
| 75 | 5 | 375 | 6 | 25 | 6 |
| 100 | 5 | 500 | 8 | 35 | 8 |
| 150 | 5 | 750 | 12 | 50 | 12 |
Based on 4-hour event with mixed crowd preferences
Plan for 1 drink per guest per hour as a baseline. For a 4-hour wedding, that means 4-5 drinks per guest. Adjust up for younger crowds or heavy drinking events, and down for daytime or corporate events.
The standard rule is 1 drink per person per hour. However, the first hour usually sees higher consumption (about 2 drinks), then it tapers to 1 per hour. A mixed crowd splits roughly: 40% prefer beer, 35% prefer wine, 25% prefer cocktails. If you know your guests, adjust accordingly.
For 50 guests at a 4-hour event, plan for about 200 total drinks. That breaks down to roughly 4 cases of beer, 15 bottles of wine, and 4 bottles of liquor. Our calculator adjusts these amounts based on your crowd preferences and event type.
Typically 15-20% of guests don't drink alcohol or drink very little. Our calculator accounts for this with a "non-drinkers" slider. Always have generous non-alcoholic options - sparkling water, sodas, and mocktails.
Yes! Daytime events see 30-40% less consumption than evening events. Brunch guests average 2-3 drinks. Evening party guests average 4-5 drinks for the same duration.
Wedding guests average 4-6 drinks over a reception. Corporate events: 2-3 drinks. Cocktail parties: 3-4 drinks. Brunch events: 2-3 drinks. Our calculator adjusts per-guest amounts based on your event type.
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