Party drink calculator
Same math, less formalwear. Birthdays, reunions, office socials, holiday parties — enter your headcount and hours and get a drink plan with quantities, a shopping list and a budget.
Prices (editable defaults — retail varies)
How party drinking differs from a wedding
Weddings run long and formal; most parties run 3–4 hours and skew casual. That usually means more beer and less champagne — if there is no toast moment, use the calculator's champagne line as your sparkling-wine or prosecco stock instead, or ignore it entirely. Office parties also tend to have more non-drinkers: raise the non-drinker percentage and the plan shrinks accordingly.
Planning an actual wedding? Use the wedding drink calculator — it is the same engine with wedding defaults and guidance. Throwing a beer-focused event? The keg calculator converts your beer count into kegs.
Frequently asked questions
Does the wedding formula work for other parties?
Yes — birthdays, reunions, office parties and holiday events all follow the same one-drink-per-drinker-per-hour rule. The difference is the split: casual parties usually lean heavier on beer, so consider the beer-and-wine style or raise the beer share.
How do I plan drinks for a 4-hour house party of 30?
Thirty guests × 4 hours × 1 drink × 0.85 (15% non-drinkers) × 1.10 ≈ 112 drinks. At a full-bar split that is about 40 beers, 8 bottles of wine and 3 bottles of spirits.
What about mixers and garnishes?
For a full bar, budget roughly one 1-litre mixer bottle (soda, tonic, cola, juice) per 3–4 spirits drinks, plus lemons and limes. This calculator covers alcohol, soft drinks and ice; mixers scale with your spirits count.