Adjusted drinks
460.0
Open Bar Calculator
This is the cost mode of the party planner. Guest count, hours, and the beer, wine, and spirits mix go through the same engine as theparty alcohol calculator and thewedding alcohol calculator. Open-bar mode multiplies the baseline drink count by 1.15. You then enter prices, and the page returns purchase counts, total cost, and cost per guest.
Inventory planning only. It does not predict intoxication, and it is not a quote for bartending or venue rules.
Guests, mix, and prices
Split totals 100%.
Beer cost uses 24-pack cases. The keg price is not added. Spirits cost uses 750 mL bottles, not handles.
Beverage cost
$838.00
Cost per guest
$8.38
Beer
8 24-pack beer cases (7.67 exact) · $176.00
Wine
37 750 mL wine bottles (36.80 exact) · $518.00
Spirits
6 750 mL liquor bottles (5.44 exact) · $144.00
Optional fees: $0.00· Total: $838.00
Example costs at the placeholder prices
Same assumptions as the form before you edit it: 4 hours,1 drink per guest per hour, 40/40/20 beer-wine-spirits, cases and 750 mL bottles, beer $22.00 a case, wine $14.00 a bottle, spirits $24.00 a bottle, no fees. Replace the prices before you treat a row as a budget.
| Guests | Adjusted drinks | Beer cases | Wine bottles | Spirits bottles | Total | Per guest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 230 | 4 | 19 | 3 | $426.00 | $8.52 |
| 100 | 460 | 8 | 37 | 6 | $838.00 | $8.38 |
| 150 | 690 | 12 | 56 | 9 | $1264.00 | $8.43 |
Assumptions
- Baseline drinks =
guests × hours × drinks per hour. Open-bar mode then multiplies by 1.15, the buffer already used on the party and wedding pages. - Beer is 12 oz servings, sold as 24-packs or half-barrel kegs. Only the format you select is priced.
- Wine is 5 glasses per 750 mL bottle.
- Spirits are 1.5 oz pours, in 750 mL bottles or 1.75 L handles. Seeshots in a fifth andshots in a handle for other pour sizes.
- Costs use rounded-up packages. A negative price is treated as zero.
- Cost per guest is total cost divided by guests. Fees are included in that total.
Related calculators
FAQ
Does this use a different drink formula than the party calculator?
No. It calls the same open-bar plan as the party and wedding calculators, including the planning buffer, then prices the rounded cases, kegs, and bottles.
Why are the bottle counts whole numbers?
The cost is what you buy. Package counts are rounded up. The exact figure is shown beside the purchase count.
Are the default prices real shelf prices?
No. They are placeholders so the form has a starting point. Replace every price with what you will actually pay. This page does not publish brand prices.
What should I enter for the bartender fee?
Enter the flat amount you were quoted, or zero if there is no fee. If the quote is hourly, multiply rate by booked hours yourself and enter the total. This calculator does not estimate wages, taxes, or staffing rules.