Rough amounts
A common planning estimate is about two drinks per guest in the first hour, then about one drink per guest for each hour after that. Hot weather, salty food and dancing push it up. A short lunch with coffee and tea afterward brings it down.
For ice, many hosts plan around a pound or so per guest for drinks alone, and more in hot weather or if you are also chilling bottles and cans in coolers. It is cheaper to have a spare bag than to run out.
Offer a range
- Water should always be easy to find. A large dispenser with sliced citrus or cucumber looks inviting and costs little.
- Alcohol-free choices beyond soda: iced tea, sparkling water, lemonade, or a simple punch. Many guests don't drink alcohol, including drivers, children, pregnant guests and people who avoid it for health or faith.
- Hot drinks for brunches, winter events and older guests. A coffee urn or a couple of thermal carafes works for a small group.
- Alcohol, if you serve it, can be kept simple: one or two wines, a beer and perhaps one batched drink.
Set up a self-serve station
A separate drink table keeps guests out of the kitchen and away from the buffet line. Put cups and ice at the start, then drinks, then garnishes and napkins. Use a scoop for ice and keep it out of the bin between uses, so hands stay out of the ice. Label batched drinks, especially to show which ones contain alcohol.
Keeping drinks cold
Coolers or tubs packed with ice and a little water chill cans and bottles faster than ice alone. Keep them in the shade. Use separate ice for drinks and for chilling, so the ice going into glasses stays clean.
Hosting responsibly
If you serve alcohol, serve plenty of food with it, keep water and alcohol-free drinks easy to reach, and stop serving well before the end of the party. Help guests who have been drinking find another way home. Rules about serving alcohol at events, especially in rented spaces, vary by state and venue, so check with the venue before you plan the bar. Some venues require a licensed bartender or don't allow alcohol at all.
For children's parties, keep adult drinks clearly separate and out of reach, and offer kid-friendly choices with low sugar alongside the treats.
Drinks checklist
- Cups, with extra for refills and a marker for names
- Ice for drinks and separate ice for coolers
- Bottle opener, corkscrew, ice scoop and a pitcher
- Napkins and a towel for spills
- Recycling bin near the drink station