Pour cost calculator

Pour cost calculator: liquor cost per drink and the price to charge.

Type what the bottle cost, its size and how much goes in the glass. You get the cost of every drink, your pour cost percent at your price, the price that hits your target and what each drink leaves you. Free, no sign-up, and it works for your whole drink list.

Try the restaurant demo · Get started

Cost your drinks

Add one drink at a time. For each liquor or mixer, enter the bottle price, the bottle size and how much you pour. Milliliters, liters, fluid ounces, quarts and gallons all convert for you, so a 750 ml bottle and a 1.5 ounce pour just work.

How to use it

Set your target: Pick the pour cost percent you aim for. It starts at 20%, a common rule of thumb for liquor.
Add a drink and its price: Name the drink and type what it sells for. Leave the price blank to just see the cost per drink and a suggested price.
Enter each pour: Bottle price, bottle size and the amount in one drink. A mixed drink gets a line for every liquor, liqueur and mixer.
Read the results: Cost per drink, pour cost percent, the price at your target, profit per drink and how many pours each bottle gives you.
Keep a copy: Download a CSV for your spreadsheet or print it. It also stays in this browser on this device.

The pour cost formula

Liquor cost per drink = bottle price × (pour ÷ bottle size), with both amounts in the same unit. A 750 ml bottle is about 25.4 fluid ounces; a liter is about 33.8.
Cost per drink = every pour in the drink added together.
Pour cost percent = cost per drink ÷ drink price × 100.
Drink price at a target = cost per drink ÷ target pour cost. At a 20% target, divide by 0.20.
Profit per drink = drink price − cost per drink. That is before labor, rent and the rest.
Pours per bottle = bottle size ÷ pour.

Worked example: a $24 bottle of whiskey, 750 ml, with a 1.5 ounce pour. 1.5 ÷ 25.36 is about 0.059 of the bottle, so $1.42 a drink and about 16.9 pours per bottle. At a $7.50 price, pour cost is 1.42 ÷ 7.50 = 18.9% and the drink leaves $6.08. To hit 18%, the price would be 1.42 ÷ 0.18 = $7.89.

Tips that change the number (advice)

Use the price on your latest invoice, and check again when a distributor changes prices or a deal ends.
Measure your real pour. A jigger or a measured pour spout keeps every drink at the pour you priced; free pouring a little heavy raises pour cost on every drink.
Spills, comps, staff drinks and over-pours never show on a recipe. If your pour cost from inventory runs higher than this calculator, that gap is where to look.
Beer and wine usually run a higher pour cost than liquor, so set a separate target for each when you price them. A half barrel keg is 15.5 gallons.
A drink with a higher pour cost can still earn well if it sells a lot and leaves good dollars. Look at both the percent and the profit per drink.

More free tools

Menu price calculator: Plate cost, food cost percent and the price to charge for every dish.
Happy hour profit calculator: See what a drink deal gives away and how many guests it takes to break even. Free, from Restaurant Owner Tools, our calculator site for owners.
Dual pricing calculator: What a cash discount keeps you each month, on your own card rate or your processor's program.
Restaurant allergen chart: Tick the allergens in each dish and print a clean chart for your staff and guests.

Questions owners ask

How do I calculate pour cost?

Divide the cost of what goes in the glass by the drink price and multiply by 100. For the cost, divide the pour by the bottle size and multiply by the bottle price. A $1.42 pour in a $7.50 drink is an 18.9% pour cost.

How do I work out liquor cost per drink?

Bottle price × (pour ÷ bottle size). A $24 bottle of 750 ml (about 25.4 ounces) with a 1.5 ounce pour costs about $1.42 a drink. The calculator does the milliliter and ounce conversion for you.

What pour cost should a bar aim for?

Many bars aim for about 20% on liquor, with beer and wine usually higher. The right number depends on your prices and what you sell most. Set your own target in the calculator and every suggested price follows it.

How do I price a drink from pour cost?

Divide the cost per drink by your target pour cost. A $1.42 drink at a 20% target is 1.42 ÷ 0.20 = $7.10. Then round to a price that fits your menu.

How many 1.5 ounce pours are in a 750 ml bottle?

About 16.9. A 750 ml bottle holds about 25.4 fluid ounces, and 25.4 ÷ 1.5 = 16.9. A liter gives about 22.5 and a 1.75 liter bottle about 39.4.

Does the calculator save my drinks?

It saves in this browser on this device, and you can download a CSV any time. A free RightPlace account will save your drink costs so you can open them anywhere.

Is it free?

Yes. No sign-up, no ads, and nothing to download.