Party Drink Calculator

For 50 guests with about 20 adults, plan for roughly 1 drink per adult per hour for the first 2 hours, then 0.5 drinks per hour after that. For a 3-hour party, that is about 50 beers or glasses of wine for the adult guests. Buy a mix of beer, wine, and a non-alcoholic option so every guest has a choice.

Plan for 2-3 drinks per person for a 2-hour party. Adults consume about 1.5 drinks per hour, while kids drink about 1 cup per hour. For a typical birthday party lasting 2-3 hours, budget 4-5 drinks per adult and 2-3 per child, including water, soda, and juice.

Plan for 2 juice boxes per child plus water. For a party of 20 kids, buy at least 40 juice boxes. Kids also drink water, so have 1 water bottle per child per hour of party time. For a 2-hour party with 20 kids, that is 40 juice boxes plus 40 water bottles.

For an outdoor party, plan 0.5 water bottles per person per hour in mild weather and add 30% more in hot weather. A 3-hour outdoor party for 30 guests in the heat needs about 60 water bottles. Always err on the side of more water — it is cheap and guests always appreciate it.

Plan for 1 can of soda per child per hour and 1.5 cans per adult per hour. For a 2-hour party with 15 kids and 10 adults, you need about 30 cans for kids and 30 for adults — 60 cans total. Buy a variety: cola, lemon-lime, and one fun flavor like orange or grape.

Buy in bulk from warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's Club to save 40-60%. A 40-pack of water bottles costs $4-6 (versus $8-12 at grocery stores). Juice boxes come in 40-packs for about $10. For soda, buy 2-liter bottles instead of cans if you have cups — a 2-liter serves about 6 cups and costs $1-2.