Drinks ready for a party

How Much Drink Do You Need for a Party? A Simple UK Guide

Running out of drinks halfway through the night is every host's nightmare, but so is a garage full of leftover cases. The good news is that planning drinks for a party is mostly simple maths. Here's how to get it right.

Start with drinks per guest

A widely used rule of thumb is to allow two drinks per guest for the first hour, then one drink per guest for every hour after that. So for a four-hour party, plan on around five drinks per person. Adjust up for a big celebration, down for an afternoon do or a crowd that's driving.

Example: 30 guests × 5 drinks = 150 drinks.

How many drinks are in a bottle?

  • Wine (75cl bottle): six standard 125ml glasses, or just over four large 175ml glasses.
  • Prosecco, Champagne or Cava (75cl): around six flutes.
  • Spirits (70cl bottle): 28 single 25ml measures.
  • Beer and cider: one can or bottle is one drink.

Splitting it between drinks

Most mixed UK parties land somewhere around half wine and fizz, a third beer and cider, and the rest spirits, but you know your guests best. Using the 150-drink example above, that would look something like:

  • 75 glasses of wine and fizz = about 13 bottles (two 6-bottle cases plus one)
  • 50 beers or ciders = about two 24-packs
  • 25 spirit measures = about one 70cl bottle, plus mixers

Buying wine, beer and cider by the case is almost always better value, and you can browse full cases in our wine and beer & cider ranges.

Don't forget mixers, soft drinks and ice

  • Mixers: allow one 200ml mixer per spirit serve. Grab a case from our mixers & soft drinks range.
  • Soft drinks and water: plan for drivers and non-drinkers, and for everyone to have water through the night. Our no & low alcohol range is worth a look too.
  • Ice: around 1kg per guest is a safe rule of thumb if you're chilling drinks and serving spirits over ice. Double it on a hot day.
  • Garnishes and snacks: lemons, limes and nibbles are in our snacks & pairings section.

Quick checklist

  1. Count your guests and the length of the party.
  2. Work out total drinks (2 in the first hour, 1 per hour after).
  3. Split between wine/fizz, beer/cider and spirits.
  4. Add mixers, soft drinks, water and ice.
  5. Order by the case and get it delivered, so you're not lugging it home. See our delivery information.

Frequently asked questions

How many glasses of wine are in a bottle?

A standard 75cl bottle of wine gives six 125ml glasses, or just over four 175ml glasses.

How many shots are in a 70cl bottle of spirits?

A 70cl bottle holds 28 single measures of 25ml, or 14 doubles.

How much ice do I need for a party?

Allow around 1kg of ice per guest if you're chilling drinks and serving spirits over ice, and more in hot weather.

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Please drink responsibly. For the facts about alcohol, visit drinkaware.co.uk. You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol.

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