Pour Cost Calculator
This pour cost calculator turns a bottle price and a pour size into the cost per drink and the pour cost %, and tells you what to charge for your target. Add mixers and garnish for a cocktail. It works in millilitres and ounces, needs no signup, and runs in your browser.
Calculator
Drink —Pour cost —All results ↓Pour cost formula
Pour cost % = cost of the drink ÷ menu price × 100Cost of a pour = pour size ÷ bottle size × bottle price, in the same unit (1 oz = 29.57 ml).
- A straight pour: 1.5 oz is 44.4 ml. From a 750 ml bottle at $24 it costs 44.4 ÷ 750 × $24 = $1.42. At $9 that's a 15.8% pour cost.
- A cocktail: the margarita above is $2.21 of tequila plus $0.94 of triple sec, lime juice and a wedge: $3.15. At $12 that's 26.2%.
- Price for a target: drink cost ÷ target. $3.15 ÷ 0.20 = $15.73.
What pour cost to aim for
These are rules of thumb that bar owners often quote, not rules. Your own target depends on your prices, rent and labour.
| Drinks | Often quoted |
|---|---|
| Spirits and cocktails | 18–24% |
| Wine by the glass | higher, often 30%+ |
Over-pouring is the quiet killer: a 1.5 oz pour that's really 1.75 oz raises the cost by a sixth. Measure with a jigger, and re-cost when a bottle price changes. Need the same maths for food? Try the food cost percentage calculator or the menu price calculator.
Serve food too?
Cost the kitchen side from a photo
This calculator handles the bar. For the food menu, FoodTechGuru costs your recipes for you: snap a photo of the recipe, paste a link or dictate it, and the app builds the cost card with ingredient prices for your country, prep loss and cost per serving, plus a Google Sheet you can edit.
- Free download; each recipe uses 1 credit
- Cost per serving and margin at your price, for every dish
- On iPhone
Pour cost calculator FAQ
How do you calculate pour cost?
Pour cost % = the cost of the drink ÷ its menu price × 100. The cost of a pour is the pour size ÷ the bottle size × the bottle price. A 1.5 oz pour from a $24, 750 ml bottle costs $1.42; sold for $9 that is a 15.8% pour cost.
How many 1.5 oz pours are in a 750 ml bottle?
About 16.9, so 16 full pours: 750 ml ÷ 44.4 ml. A 1 oz pour gives about 25, a 2 oz pour about 12.
What is a good pour cost?
A rule of thumb many bars use is about 18 to 24% for spirits and cocktails. Wine usually runs higher. Your own target depends on your prices, rent and labour.
How do I price a drink for a target pour cost?
Divide the drink's cost by the target. A margarita that costs $3.15 at a 20% target sells for $3.15 ÷ 0.20 = $15.73.
Should mixers and garnish count?
Yes. Triple sec, juice, syrup, a lime wedge and the salt rim are all part of the drink's cost. Add each as a line with the pack you buy and the amount one drink uses.
Is pour cost the same as liquor cost?
For one drink, yes. For a week or a month, liquor cost % = (opening inventory + purchases − closing inventory) ÷ liquor sales, the same method as the food cost template: keep a separate copy for the bar.
Price every drink on purpose
Bottle, pour, mixers, menu price: the pour cost in seconds. Free, no signup.
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