Party drinks calculator: drinks per guest per hour
Enter your guests and how long the party lasts to see how many drinks to buy, split into soda, water and other drinks. This page covers soft drinks; beer, wine and liquor have their own calculators.
Enter your measurements
More options: First hour · After · Water …
- Cans or bottles of soda
- 100 cans
- Packs of soda
- 9 packs
- Bottles of water
- 100 bottles
- Cases of water
- 5 cases
- Other drinks (servings of juice, tea, punch)
- 50 servings
- Drinks per guest
- 5
- Cups if drinks are poured (2 per guest + refills)
- 113 cups
Per guest: 2 in the first hour + 1 × 3 more hours = 5
50 guests × 5 = 250 drinks: 100 bottles water, 100 cans soda, 50 servings other
- Serving alcohol too? Use the wine, beer and keg and liquor calculators, and keep plenty of water and soft drinks out for everyone.
Quick answers for common sizes
| Example | Answer |
|---|---|
| How many cans of soda for 100 guests | 200 cans |
Drinks by party length (guests and split as above)
| Hours | Drinks in total | Cans or bottles of soda | Bottles of water |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 drinks | 40 cans | 40 bottles |
| 2 | 150 drinks | 60 cans | 60 bottles |
| 3 | 200 drinks | 80 cans | 80 bottles |
| 4 | 250 drinks | 100 cans | 100 bottles |
| 5 | 300 drinks | 120 cans | 120 bottles |
| 6 | 350 drinks | 140 cans | 140 bottles |
Drinks are planned per hour, because a party’s length matters more than its menu. A simple planning figure is two drinks per guest in the first hour, then one an hour after that — people arrive thirsty, then settle down. On a hot day outdoors, plan half as much again. Iowa State Extension’s graduation-party guide is more generous still, listing two bottles of water and two cans or bottles of soda per hour, a sensible ceiling for a hot afternoon.
How the drinks are counted
drinks per guest = first-hour drinks + later drinks × (hours − 1), × 1.5 if hot total = guests × drinks per guest water = total × water share · soda = total × soda share · other = the rest
| Party length | Drinks per guest (mild) | Drinks per guest (hot) | For 50 guests (mild) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 2 | 3 | 100 |
| 2 hours | 3 | 4.5 | 150 |
| 3 hours | 4 | 6 | 200 |
| 4 hours | 5 | 7.5 | 250 |
| 5 hours | 6 | 9 | 300 |
Worked example
How many cans of soda for 100 guests works through a four-hour party with water, soda and a punch bowl.
Tips
- Water is the drink people actually need. Put out more than you think, especially outdoors and at any party with alcohol.
- Cans go in ice, not in the fridge. A tub or cooler of ice near the door chills drinks fast; the ice calculator sizes it, at 1 to 2 lb of ice per guest.
- A dispenser cuts the can count. Lemonade, iced tea or punch in a dispenser covers the “other” share — the punch calculator gives the gallons.
- Coffee after dinner. For a long evening or a winter party, add the coffee calculator.
What you’ll need
- Galvanized beverage tubBudget price
An open tub of ice and cans by the door keeps guests out of the kitchen. Layer ice, cans, ice.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Large coolerPremium price
A big cooler for drinks and ice. A drain plug matters when you are melting 40 lb of ice over an afternoon.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Beverage dispenser (2 gallon)Budget price
For punch, lemonade, iced tea or water. Two smaller dispensers are easier to refill than one big one.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Plastic party cups (16 oz)Budget price
Guests lose track of their cup, so plan two or three per person. A marker by the stack helps.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How many drinks per person for a party?
A simple planning figure is two drinks per guest in the first hour and one per hour after that — five drinks each for a four-hour party. Plan half as much again for a hot day outdoors.
How many bottles of water for a party?
Plan about 40% of the drinks as water, more in hot weather: for 50 guests at a four-hour party, about 100 bottles — four or five cases of 24.
How many cans of soda per person?
About two for a four-hour party if soda is 40% of the drinks, alongside water and other drinks. Iowa State Extension’s graduation-party guide allows up to two cans or bottles of soda per hour on a hot day.
How many drinks for a 2 hour party?
About three per guest: two in the first hour and one in the second. For 30 guests, about 90 drinks.
Related guides
Sources
- Iowa State University Extension (AnswerLine) — Graduation party tips (opens in a new tab) — Per person: sandwich meat 3–4 oz, sliders 1.5–2 oz, burgers 4–6 oz, sides 4–6 oz; 1 to 1.5 lb of food per guest; soda 2 cans and water 2 bottles per hour; punch 6 oz.
- Reddy Ice — How much ice you need for a party (opens in a new tab) — One to two pounds of ice per person attending; more for outdoor and pool parties.