🥤 Party Drink Quantity Calculator
Estimate how many drinks (and cases) you'll need for a party based on guest count, consumption rate, and event length.
Guests, rate and hours multiplied together
total drinks = ceiling(guests x drinks per person per hour x hours)
cases = ceiling(total drinks / drinks per case)At the defaults, 30 guests drinking 1 an hour for 3 hours need 90 drinks, and 90 split into 24-can cases is 4 cases - 96 cans, with 6 spare. Both figures round up, so a rate of 1.2 over the same party gives 108 drinks and 5 cases.
Choosing the rate and the case size
One drink per person per hour is the flat planning rate. Real consumption is front-loaded: guests take two in the first hour while they are greeting people, then settle to one. Over three hours that is 4 each, not 3, which is why 1.3 is a safer rate for a short party and 1 holds up better over five or six hours.
- Beer: 24 cans or bottles per case - the default.
- Canned soda: 12 per pack, so set the box to 12.
- 2 L bottles: about 8 servings each at 8 oz.
- Bottled water: 24 or 35 to a case, depending on the pack.
Run it once per drink type. Split the rate the way you expect the room to drink - 0.6 beer, 0.4 soft - and the runs still total 1 an hour.
Frequently asked questions
How many drinks per person for a 3 hour party?
Three at the flat one-an-hour rate. Allowing for the busy first hour, four is closer, which turns 90 drinks for 30 guests into 120.
How many cases of beer do I need for 30 people?
Four 24-can cases covers 30 guests for three hours at one an hour. If only two-thirds of the room drinks beer, three cases is enough and the rest of the budget goes to wine or soft drinks.
How much soda and water should I buy?
Half a serving per guest per hour is a reasonable floor: 45 servings for 30 guests over three hours, or two 24-can packs. Double it if the party is outdoors in summer.