Pour Cost Calculator
- Pour cost
- Gross profit
Within your 20% target.
How the pour cost calculation works
Find the cost per ounce
Divide the bottle cost by its size. A $24 bottle of 750 ml (25.36 oz) costs $0.95 an ounce.
Multiply by the pour
A 1.5 oz pour costs $1.42 in liquor. Add mixers and garnish if the drink has them.
Divide by the drink price
$1.42 ÷ $9.00 = 15.8% pour cost.
Price to a target
Divide the drink cost by your target. At 20%, $1.42 ÷ 0.20 = $7.10 is the lowest price that hits it.
Worked example. A $24 bottle of 750 ml (25.36 oz) gives about 16.9 pours of 1.5 oz at $1.42 each. Sold at $9.00, the pour cost is 15.8%, within an example 20% target.
Pour Cost FAQ
How do I calculate pour cost?
Divide the cost of the liquor in one drink by the drink's price. The pour cost formula is (bottle cost ÷ bottle ounces × pour ounces) ÷ drink price. $1.42 ÷ $9.00 = 15.8%.
What is a good pour cost for a bar?
There is no official benchmark. Industry guides quote different ranges, so treat any single number as an example, not a rule. Set your target from your own sales mix and past results: spirits, wine, beer and craft cocktails usually need different targets.
How many ounces are in a 750 ml bottle?
25.36 US fluid ounces (750 ÷ 29.5735 ml per ounce). A 1 liter bottle holds 33.81 oz and a 1.75 L bottle holds 59.17 oz.
How many shots are in a 750 ml bottle?
About 16.9 shots of 1.5 oz, so 16 full pours. With 1.25 oz pours you get about 20.3, and with 1 oz pours about 25.4. Spillage and over-pouring lower the real count.
Why use a 1.5 oz pour?
1.5 oz of 80-proof spirits is one US standard drink, as defined by the NIAAA. Many bars pour more or less, so enter your own jigger size.
How do I work out pour cost for the whole bar?
Take beginning inventory plus purchases minus ending inventory, then divide by bar sales for the same period.
Sources: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.9: US fluid ounce = 29.57353 ml · 27 CFR 5.203: standards of fill for distilled spirits (750 ml, 1 L, 1.75 L) · NIAAA: What is a standard drink?