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Planning guide

Bar and beverage planning

How much to order, and which glass goes with what. Our bar and beverage planning numbers, built from what actually comes back empty.

Which glass for which drink

  • Water — water goblet, all-purpose wine, highball, stemless wine
  • Cocktails — highball, old-fashioned (rocks), martini, stemless martini, margarita
  • Beer — pilsner, pint glass
  • Champagne — flute, coupe
  • Wine — white, red, crystal white, crystal Bordeaux, stemless

Traditional cocktail glasses are the highball and old-fashioned, but there are quite a few newer cocktail styles that have become popular. Specialty cocktails are a big trend at large parties and weddings, and the glassware runs from stemless martini and stemless wine back to the traditional highball or shot glass.

How many glasses per 10 adults

Recommended counts per 10 adults.
Event typeWater gobletsWine glassesCocktail glassesPilsner / other
Brunch or lunch1015158
Sit-down dinner10202012

How much to pour

  • Liquor — approximately 2 drinks per guest, per hour. The most commonly requested are vodka, tequila, gin, scotch, whiskey, bourbon and rum.
  • Wine and champagne — a case holds 12 bottles, each pouring four to six glasses. At a 4.5 to 5 ounce pour, a case serves roughly 50 to 70 guests.
  • Punch — one gallon serves about 24 people.
  • Coffee — one pound yields about 60 cups.

Taste and event type shift these numbers, so treat them as a starting point rather than a rule.

Questions about any of this? Call the office at (408) 747-1000, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.