The formula
Pour cost % = cost of the drink ÷ menu price. The cost of each ingredient is the bottle price divided by the number of ounces in the bottle (ml ÷ 29.57), times the ounces you pour. Add garnish, mixer and ice if you cost them, then divide by the price.
What is a normal pour cost?
For a bar as a whole, total beverage cost usually sits around 18–24% of beverage sales (BevSpot, 2016; Backbar Academy, 2019). By category, BevSpot's data puts liquor near 14–15%, beer 20–24% and wine 22–28% (top quarter to median). A single cocktail can sit above or below those ranges; what matters is where the whole menu lands, and how many dollars of margin each drink leaves.
Why price from cost and not from the bar down the street
Two bars charging $13 for the same drink can run 14% and 24% pour cost depending on what they pay per bottle and how much they pour. Cost your recipes again whenever a supplier price changes, and check your actual pour cost with a monthly inventory count: a recipe can be right on paper and wrong at the rail.
Read the guide: What Is a Normal Pour Cost for a Bar? (2026 Benchmarks).