Calculate ingredient costs and set profitable drink menu prices
| INGREDIENT | AMOUNT | PACKAGE SIZE | PURCHASE PRICE ($) | COST ($) |
|---|
Menubly Drink Pricing Calculator is a specialized pour cost calculator designed to help restaurant or bar owners, bartenders, and beverage managers optimize their drink pricing and maximize profitability. This accurate tool helps you manage your liquor cost percentage and make sure you achieve your ideal pour cost goal. With this calculator, you can:
Follow these simple steps to get the most out of our Drink Pricing Calculator:
For each product, provide:
Click “Add ingredient” button if you need to add more components to your drink recipe. This selection process helps staff efficiently track all recipe components.
Once all inputs are entered, using the calculator will automatically display:
The default markup percentage is set to 20%, but you can adjust this to match your restaurant or bar’s pricing strategy. Make sure to set targets that align with industry standards for liquor cost percentage. You can alternatively set a specific markup amount in dollars if you prefer fixed margins. Toggle the “Include Tax?” option if you want to display prices with tax included on your menu.
Calculating the price of a drink involves several key factors:
For more comprehensive guidance on pricing within your overall business strategy, check out our guide on creating a thorough bar business plan.
Pricing cocktails requires balancing profitability with customer perception of value:
The initial investment in quality spirits and ingredients can be substantial. Learn more about startup costs in our article about how much it costs to open a bar.
Specialty establishments like wine bars will have different pricing strategies compared to traditional cocktail bars or pubs, so adjust your approach accordingly.
Beverage cost is a critical metric for bar profitability. Here's how to calculate it:
Beverage Cost Percentage = (Total Ingredient Cost ÷ Selling Price) × 100For example, if a cocktail costs $3 to make and sells for $12, the beverage cost percentage is 25%.
For more insights on maximizing profitability when opening a bar, including choosing the right bar name that appeals to your target market, explore our comprehensive guides.
If you're opening a specialty venue, we also have specific naming guides for establishments like sports bars to help you establish a distinctive brand that supports your pricing strategy.
A pour cost calculator is software that determines the exact cost of ingredients in each drink you serve. This tool calculates how much cocktails cost to make by breaking down individual ingredient expenses, helping you set profitable menu prices.
Read below for an intro to how this works: the calculator makes everyday tasks easier by eliminating manual calculations, giving you less time crunching numbers and more time helping customers. Unlike the largest inventory platform for restaurants, pour cost calculators focus specifically on drink costing. Many bars use backbar's free tools alongside these calculators, though a dedicated platform for mobile and web or comprehensive bar inventory platform for mobile offers more features.
An ideal liquor cost percentage typically ranges between 18-25% for most restaurants and bars. High-volume bars often target 15-20%, while craft cocktail establishments might operate at 20-25% due to premium ingredients.
Using software to track this percentage means less time crunching numbers and more time helping your business grow. The calculator makes everyday tasks easier by automatically computing these percentages. Many establishments use backbar's free resources combined with costing tools to monitor liquor costs. While platform for restaurants and bars solutions offer comprehensive tracking, focused pour cost management helps achieve ideal percentages without complexity.
Menubly is an affordable and easy-to-use online menu and ordering platform for bars. It helps bars create beautiful, interactive online menus and take orders directly from customers - with zero commission fees.
When customers want to view your menu, they can scan a QR code at your cafe table or click a link you share on social media. They'll see a mobile-friendly menu that makes it easy to browse dishes, check prices, and place orders directly with you - whether for dine-in, pickup, or takeaway.
Menubly is perfect for any food business that wants to modernize its menu experience with an online menu that customers can access instantly and place orders through, such as:
