Party drinks calculator
How many bottles, cans and bags of ice? Enter your guests and the length of the party. The per-hour rates behind the answer are listed below the results, ready to adjust.
What to buy
100 drinks for 20 adults over 4 hours, plus 20 for 5 children.
- Beer & cider 25 cans or bottles 12 fl oz each, about 2 × 24-pack
- Wine 4 bottles 18 glasses of 5 fl oz
- Spirits 1 bottle 8 measures of 1.5 fl oz, plus 32 fl oz of mixers
- Soft drinks & juice 70 cans or glasses about 6.75 gal of soft drinks and juice
- Water 5.5 gal of water 6.8 fl oz per person per hour
- Ice 25 lb of ice for the drinks tub and the glasses
- Cups 50 cups 2 per guest, so refills can reuse them
Planning assumptions (edit any)
The assumptions, in plain sight
The estimate assumes each adult has two drinks in the first hour and one in every hour after, and each child one drink an hour. Water, ice and cups are counted per person. These are common party-planning rules of thumb, not measured averages, so if your friends are slow sippers or the party will be dancing till late, change the rates under the results.
A hot day adds 50% to soft drinks, water and ice, because people drink more when it is warm. Unticking Serving alcohol turns every adult drink into a soft drink.
Serving sizes
In US units, servings are the US standard drink: a 12 fl oz beer at 5% alcohol, a 5 fl oz glass of wine at 12% and a 1.5 fl oz measure of 40% spirits. A 750 ml bottle gives five such glasses of wine. In metric units, the calculator uses a 330 ml can, a 150 ml glass and a 44 ml measure from a 700 ml bottle. Always have plenty of water and alcohol-free choices, and plan safe ways home.
Sources
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): What is a standard drink?
Questions
How many drinks per person for a party?
Our starting point is two drinks per adult in the first hour and one each hour after, so about five over a four-hour party. Adjust it for your group.
How much ice do I need?
The default is about 1 lb (450 g) per guest for chilling and glasses, more on a hot day or if the drinks start warm.
Does it count drinks for the designated drivers?
Yes. Soft drinks are planned for every adult drink that is not alcoholic, plus water for everyone.