Bottle Service Minimum Spend
What the table earns on a normal night, dedicated service and mixers, with a premium. The minimum spend in whole bottles.
What that table earns on an ordinary Saturday, per person.
A bottle table sits all night. A normal table turns 1.5 to 2 times.
Holding a table all night for one group should pay a premium. 20% is fair.
How this is calculated
Opportunity cost = seats × normal spend × turns given up. That is what the table earns if you do not sell bottles.
Profit required = (opportunity + dedicated service + mixers) × (1 + premium). Bottles = required ÷ (price − cost), rounded up. Minimum = bottles × price.
Profit at the minimum = bottles × (price − cost) − service − mixers. It has to beat the opportunity cost or the table was better off open.
Prices are before GST/HST. Add tax on top of the price shown, never inside your margin. Estimates, not advice.
Bottle service beats a normal night
3 bottles at $320 to hit the minimum
- Table earns on a normal night
- $504
- Dedicated service
- $66
- Margin per bottle
- $272
- Profit at the minimum
- $712
- Better than a normal night by
- $208
What a minimum set too low costs across a year of bottle tables, halved for the ones that over-spend anyway.
Save in workspaceWant this saved, with your real numbers?
Every drink costed from the same bottle list as the kitchen. Saved on this device, free.
Open the bar workspaceMore bar calculators
All BarsCocktail Pour Cost Calculator
Bottle cost, pour size, garnish, and target pour cost in. Cost per drink, menu price, and margin out.
Keg Cost Per Pint
Keg cost and size, pour size and waste in. Cost per pour, pours per keg, pour cost % and profit per keg out.
Happy Hour Margin Calculator
Regular price, happy hour price, pour cost and the uplift you really get. Profit per happy hour against a normal hour.
Bar Par Levels & Order Sheet
Weekly usage, delivery cycle, lead time and safety stock. Par per product, what to order today, and what is sitting above par.
Menu Engineering Calculator
Sales and margin per drink. Stars, plowhorses, puzzles and dogs on your drink list, with what to do about each.
