💵 Garnish & Mixer Cost Per Drink Calculator
Add up what your ingredients (spirits, mixers, garnishes) cost for a batch, and how many drinks it makes, to see your cost per drink.
The division is easy; the total is the work
The tool itself does one thing:
cost per drink = total ingredient cost / number of drinksThe default $24 over 8 drinks is $3.00 each. What takes thought is the $24, because you almost never use a whole bottle. Cost the portion instead:
cost per oz = bottle price / bottle size in oz
750 ml = 25.4 oz 1 L = 33.8 oz 1.75 L = 59.2 ozA $30 bottle of gin is $1.18 an ounce, so a 2 oz pour costs $2.36. Add $0.35 of vermouth, $0.20 for half a lime and $0.05 of syrup and that drink is $2.96. Eight of them is the $24 to type in.
Counting the drinks honestly
- Count finished servings, not pours. A batch gains 20-30% of its volume as dilution water, which costs nothing and stretches 8 pours into 10 glasses. Costing against the smaller number overstates every drink.
- Include what you throw away. A lime bought for one wheel still costs a whole lime, and a bottle of tonic opened for one drink goes flat. Perishables belong in the total at purchase price, not at the fraction you poured.
- Set a price from the answer. Bars work to a pour cost of 18-24%, so dividing $3.00 by 0.20 gives a $15 menu price.
Frequently asked questions
How many drinks does a 750 ml bottle make?
Sixteen at a 1.5 oz pour or twelve at 2 oz, since the bottle holds 25.4 fl oz. Allow a little for what stays in the jigger and the bottle neck.
What is a good pour cost percentage?
18-24% of the menu price for spirits is the usual bar target, and beer and wine run higher. A $3.00 cocktail at 20% prices at $15.
How much does a homemade cocktail cost?
Typically $2 to $4 in ingredients for a spirit-forward drink made with a $25-35 bottle. Fresh citrus and a bottle of vermouth that has to be finished within a month push it up faster than the spirit does.