Free Pour Cost Calculator
for Bars
Enter your bottle cost, bottle size, and pour size to get the cost per pour, pour cost percentage, and the price to charge at any target. Works in oz or ml. No signup required.
Your bottle
Result
Enter a bottle cost and size to see your cost per pour.
Costing food and drinks together?
Dishboard costs every recipe and drink, with margins that update when supplier prices change.
How to use this pour cost calculator
- 1
Enter the bottle cost
What you pay your distributor for one bottle, before tax.
- 2
Enter the bottle size
Pick a preset (750 ml, 1 L, 1.75 L) or type the size. Switch between oz and ml with the toggle.
- 3
Enter your pour size
The standard US spirit pour is 1.5 oz. Use your house pour, and remember a jigger is the only way to hit it consistently.
- 4
Add the drink price (optional)
Enter your menu price to see pour cost % and gross profit, then use the target table to price a new drink.
Typical pour cost targets
These are the cost of the liquid only. Garnish, ice, and labor are separate, and high-volume cocktail programs should cost their full recipe, not just the spirit.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a good pour cost percentage?
- Most bars target an 18 to 22% pour cost overall. Spirits often run 10 to 18%, bottled and draft beer 22 to 28%, and wine by the glass 25 to 35%. The blended target depends on your mix. Lower pour cost means more profit per drink, but pricing too high for your market reduces volume.
- How do I calculate cost per pour?
- Cost per pour = bottle cost divided by the number of pours in the bottle. A 750 ml bottle is about 25.4 oz, so at a 1.5 oz pour it yields roughly 17 pours. A $24 bottle then costs about $1.41 per pour. This calculator does the division for you in oz or ml.
- What is a standard pour size?
- In the US a standard spirit pour is 1.5 oz (about 44 ml), though many bars pour 1 oz or 2 oz depending on the drink. Wine by the glass is usually 5 to 6 oz. Free pouring without a jigger is the biggest hidden cost in most bars: a half-ounce of over-pour on every drink can wreck your pour cost.
- What is the difference between pour cost and food cost?
- They are the same idea applied to different products. Pour cost is the beverage version of food cost percentage: the cost of the liquid divided by the selling price. Bars track them separately because beverage margins are usually higher than food margins.
- Why does my actual pour cost not match this calculator?
- This calculates your ideal (theoretical) pour cost for one perfect pour. Real bars run higher because of over-pouring, spillage, comps, breakage, and theft. Compare this ideal figure to your actual pour cost from inventory to find the gap and where it is leaking.
- How do I price a drink from pour cost?
- Divide your cost per pour by your target pour cost percentage. A $1.41 pour at a 20% target prices at about $7.05, which you would round to a menu-friendly $7 or $8. Use the target table in this calculator to see the price at every common pour cost target.
Dig deeper
Cost your whole bar and kitchen in Dishboard
Track cocktails, food, and packaging in one place, with margins that recalculate when prices change. Free, no card required.