| Iced beverages | Iced tea or lemonade or fruit punch/koolaid for lunch 6 to 8 gallons Iced tea is made with 5 ounces or a scant 2 cups loose tea PLUS ice, sugar, sweetener, lemon or lime slices Sweet tea contains 1-1/2 to 2 cups of sugar per gallon of hot tea |
| Breakfast coffee and tea | Regular coffee 2-1/2 pounds Decaffeinated 1/2 pound Hot water for tea about 30 servings PLUS Tea (herb, regular, and decaf) for 30 cups, 2 pounds sugar OR 2 pound boxes sugar cubes (216-252 cubes), 3 quarts cream or milk, 50 non calorie sweeteners, honey |
| Dinner coffee and Tea | Regular coffee, 1-1/2 pounds Decaffeinated 1/2 pound (may double with older guests) Hot water about 30 servings PLUS Tea (herb, regular, decaf) for 30, 2 pounds sugar, 3 quarts cream or milk, sweeteners, honey |
| Party Coffee | Allow 1 pint of made coffee (16 ounces) per person for a three hour party |
| Party punch- non alcoholic | (1/2 cup punch per serving) 6 to 10 gallons 10 gallons allows 3-4 drinks per person, needed if served alone. Use the smaller number if coffee and tea are also served. PLUS ice |
| Soup or juice not main course |
4 ounce serving (1/2 cup) 3 gallons 8 ounce serving (1 cup) 6 gallons |
| Hot chocolate | 6 cups of straight cocoa makes hot chocolate for 100 |
| Dinner wine | 1 standard bottle of wine serves 5 glasses. Many people will drink 3-5 glasses over the course of a meal or evening. White wine to red wine ration is two to one. Beer drinkers will consume four bottle on average. |
| 1 (1.5 liter) wine bottle | 12 (4 ounce) glasses |
| 1 bottle champagne | 6 flute or 7 saucer glasses |
| Magnum Champagne | 12 (4 ounce) glasses |
| 1 case of champagne | 72-84 drinks (about 50 people) |
| Cocktail parties* | In general, plan on two drinks (3 ounces hard liquor) per guest in the first hour and one drink (1-1/2 ounces) per guest each hour thereafter. PLUS bottled waters, mixers, cut limes and lemons, and ice: for a four-hour party, figure on 2-3 lbs. of ice per guest. In warm weather, making frozen drinks, with beverages on ice or if outside, double the amount of ice. Add 30 to 40 pounds of ice per large cooler. Mixing a little water to the tub/cooler ice chills bottles more quickly. |
| 1 liter or quart hard liquor | 22 (1-1/2 ounces) drinks, 28 “1 ounce” drinks In order of use: Vodka – Scotch – Gin – Bourbon |
| Glasses | 1-1/2 to 2 glasses per person for parties less than 3 hours 2 to 3 glasses for parties over 3 hours |
| Cocktail Napkins | 2 per person the first hour plus 1 per person each additional hour |
| Professional Bartenders help reduce the total amount of alcohol and amount per person |
For a one hour cocktail reception, allow one bartender or drink waiter for each fifteen guests. |
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Liquor for small parties |
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If you are having |
Pre-dinner cocktails you’ll need |
For a 2-3 hour party you will need |
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4 people |
8 to 12 drinks (one fifth) |
12 to 16 drinks (one fifth) |
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6 people |
12 to 18 drinks (two fifths) |
18 to 24 drinks (two fifths) |
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8 people |
16 to 24 drinks (two fifths) |
24 to 32 drinks (two fifths) |
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12 people |
24 to 36 drinks (three fifths) |
36 to 48 drinks (three fifths) |
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20 people |
40 to 60 drinks (four fifths) |
60 to 80 drinks (seven fifths) |
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25 people |
50 to 70 drinks (five fifths) |
75 to 100 drinks (seven fifths) |
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40 people |
80 to 120 drinks (eight fifths) |
120 to 150 drinks (ten fifths) |
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* To allow for some extra liquor, buy quarts instead of |
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