How to use this calculator
Pour cost is the share of a drink's price that goes to the liquor in the glass. If the whiskey in a $9 pour costs you $1.35, the pour cost is 15 percent. Owners watch it because it moves with three things they control: what they pay for the bottle, how much goes in the glass, and what the menu charges.
Pick the bottle size, type what you paid for the bottle, the pour size you serve and the menu price. The calculator divides the bottle into pours, takes the waste percentage off the top, and shows the cost per pour, the pour cost percentage, the gross margin per drink and the number of pours you can expect from one bottle. Switch to Cost per ounce when you only want to compare bottles.
A worked example
A 750 ml bottle holds 25.4 ounces. At a 1.5 ounce pour that is 16.9 pours; take 5 percent waste off and you get about 16 pours. If the bottle cost $22, each pour costs $1.37. Sold at $9, the pour cost is 15.2 percent and the gross margin is $7.63 per drink. Raise the pour to 2 ounces and the cost per pour becomes $1.83, a 20.3 percent pour cost on the same price.
What range to aim for
Commonly cited targets are around 18 to 24 percent for spirits, 20 to 30 for wine and 24 to 30 for draft beer, with cocktails often set lower per ingredient because there are several of them. These are rules of thumb, not research findings. A high-rent room with cheap drinks and a dive bar with premium pours can both be healthy at different numbers. Use the calculator to see where each drink lands and set a target that pays your bills.
Why pour cost drifts
- Over-pouring. A quarter ounce over on a 1.5 ounce pour is a 17 percent gift on every drink. Measured pours or a weekly spot-check with a jigger bring it back.
- Spillage and breakage. Normal, but it should be a known number. Count it and put the real figure in the waste field.
- Theft and comps. Free drinks, unrung rounds and heavy hands for friends show up as a gap between the pour cost you calculate here and the one your inventory counts report. Track comps as a line item and compare the two numbers every week.
- Price changes. A bottle that went up $3 at the distributor changed every drink's pour cost. Recalculate whenever an invoice price moves.
The number on this page is your theoretical pour cost. Your actual pour cost comes from what you bought minus what is left on the shelf, divided by sales. The difference between them is where the money leaks.
Frequently asked questions
What is pour cost?
What the liquor in a drink costs you, divided by what you sell the drink for, as a percentage. A $1.00 pour sold for $8.00 is a 12.5 percent pour cost.
What is a good pour cost percentage?
Commonly cited targets are roughly 18 to 24 percent for spirits, higher for beer and wine. Your right number depends on your rent, labor and concept. The calculator shows where each drink lands so you can set your own target.
How many pours are in a 750 ml bottle?
A 750 ml bottle holds 25.4 fluid ounces: about 16 pours at 1.5 oz, 12 at 2 oz, or 25 at 1 oz, before spillage.
How do I account for spillage and over-pouring?
Use the waste field. A few percent is normal; the calculator removes it from the pours per bottle and raises the cost per pour to match.
Does ice or mixer change the pour cost?
Ice does not. Mixers, garnish and juice do: add their cost per drink in the extras field so the pour cost reflects the whole drink.
How often should I check pour cost?
Recalculate whenever a bottle price or menu price changes, and compare with your real usage from inventory counts every week or two. The gap between the two is where money leaks.
Reference: pours per bottle
| Bottle | Ounces | 1 oz pours | 1.5 oz pours | 2 oz pours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 375 ml | 12.7 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
| 750 ml | 25.4 | 25 | 16 | 12 |
| 1 L | 33.8 | 33 | 22 | 16 |
| 1.75 L | 59.2 | 59 | 39 | 29 |
Whole pours, before waste.