Pour Cost Calculator
Enter a bottle, its cost and your pour size to get the cost per drink, your pour cost percentage and the price you should charge to hit your target.
Your numbers
Results
- Pours per bottle
- 16.9
- Suggested price
- —
Pour cost is the cost of the liquor in a drink as a percentage of its selling price. Most bars aim for an 18–24% pour cost, with around 20% as a common benchmark.
How to calculate pour cost
- Enter the bottle. Add the bottle size and what you paid for it.
- Enter the pour. Add your standard pour size — 1.5 oz is typical for spirits in the US.
- Find cost per pour. The calculator divides the bottle cost across the pours it yields.
- Price it. Divide cost per pour by your price for pour cost %, or set a target % to get a suggested price.
Worked example
Well spirit: A $25, 750 ml bottle poured at 1.5 oz costs about $1.48 per drink. Sold at $9, that is a 16% pour cost.
Pricing to target: To hit a 20% pour cost on a $1.48 pour, price the drink at about $7.40.
Pour cost FAQ
What is pour cost?
Pour cost is the cost of the liquor in a drink divided by the drink's selling price, shown as a percentage. It is the bar equivalent of food cost.
What is a good pour cost percentage?
Most bars target an 18–24% pour cost, with about 20% as a common benchmark. Lower pour cost means more gross profit per drink.
How do I calculate pour cost?
Divide the cost per pour by the drink's sell price and multiply by 100. Cost per pour is the bottle cost spread across the number of pours the bottle yields.
How do I price a drink from pour cost?
Divide the cost per pour by your target pour cost as a decimal. A $1.48 pour at a 20% target should sell for about $7.40.
What is a standard pour?
A standard spirit pour in the US is 1.5 oz, though some bars pour 1 oz or 2 oz. Wine pours are commonly 5 oz and draft beer 12–16 oz.
Is this calculator free?
Yes — it runs entirely in your browser, needs no account, and your numbers never leave your device.
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