Wine bottles rarely deliver their theoretical glass count in real restaurant operations. Pouring mishaps, staff tastings, and inevitable spillage reduce your actual yield. Here's how to calculate your true glass count and build accurate costs.
The basic calculation: bottle volume divided by glass size
Standard restaurant pours measure 125 ml or 150 ml. A 750 ml bottle theoretically yields:
- With 125 ml pours: 750 ÷ 125 = 6 glasses
- With 150 ml pours: 750 ÷ 150 = 5 glasses
Reality delivers less every time.
💡 Example:
Chardonnay bottle €18.00 (excl. VAT €14.88), 150 ml glasses:
- Theoretical: 5 glasses
- With 10% loss: 4.5 glasses
- Cost price per glass: €14.88 ÷ 4.5 = €3.31
At €15.00 sales per glass: pour cost = 22.1%
Where does the volume go?
Wine disappears through predictable channels:
- Quality tastings: Staff and kitchen testing before service
- Pour mistakes: Overfilled glasses, spills, wrong orders
- Bottle dregs: Final drops that won't pour cleanly
- Returns: Glasses sent back for taste or order errors
Most operations see 8% to 15% volume loss. A pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials shows establishments with higher turnover often experience greater loss percentages due to rushed service.
⚠️ Note:
Calculate using wine price excluding VAT. Alcohol carries 21% VAT, not 9%. That €24.20 bottle actually costs you €20.00 excl. VAT.
Formula for actual cost price per glass
Your real cost calculation:
Cost per glass = (Bottle volume ÷ Glass volume) × (1 - Loss%) × Purchase price excl. VAT
💡 Example calculation:
Pinot Grigio bottle, purchase €21.00 incl. VAT (= €17.36 excl. VAT):
- Bottle volume: 750 ml
- Glass volume: 125 ml
- Loss: 12%
Actual glasses: (750 ÷ 125) × (1 - 0.12) = 6 × 0.88 = 5.28 glasses
Cost per glass: €17.36 ÷ 5.28 = €3.29
Calculate and monitor pour cost
Pour cost mirrors food cost but for beverages. It shows what percentage of sales goes to purchasing:
Pour cost % = (Cost per glass ÷ Sales price excl. VAT) × 100
- Standard wine pour cost: 18-25%
- Champagne/premium bottles: 20-30%
- House wines: 15-22%
💡 Pour cost check:
Selling that Pinot Grigio glass for €16.50 incl. VAT:
- Sales price excl. VAT: €16.50 ÷ 1.21 = €13.64
- Cost per glass: €3.29 (from previous calculation)
- Pour cost: (€3.29 ÷ €13.64) × 100 = 24.1%
Falls within standard wine margins.
Loss percentage by operation type
Different venues experience varying loss rates:
- Fine dining: 8-12% (trained service, minimal spillage)
- Bistro/brasserie: 10-15% (faster pace, higher volume)
- Wine bars: 12-18% (frequent tastings, longer bottle storage)
- Casual dining: 15-20% (less specialized wine staff)
Digital tracking of pour cost
Excel and paper tracking create problems:
- Supplier price increases get missed in updates
- Loss percentages estimated rather than measured
- Per-glass recalculations consume time
Systems like KitchenNmbrs automate cost calculations and pour cost percentages. You input purchase prices and loss rates - it handles the math.
How do you calculate glasses per bottle including loss? (step by step)
Determine your glass size and loss percentage
Measure your standard wine glass: usually 125ml or 150ml. Realistically estimate your loss percentage: 8-12% for fine dining, 12-18% for busy establishments. Track this for a week to measure your actual loss.
Calculate actual number of glasses per bottle
Divide bottle volume (750ml) by glass volume. Multiply by (1 minus loss percentage). For example: (750 ÷ 125) × (1 - 0.12) = 6 × 0.88 = 5.28 glasses per bottle.
Calculate cost price per glass and pour cost
Divide your purchase price excl. VAT by the actual number of glasses. Check your pour cost: (cost price ÷ sales price excl. VAT) × 100. Aim for 18-25% for wine.
✨ Pro tip
Track your loss percentage weekly for 4 weeks by counting opened bottles against glasses sold. Most operators guess at 10% but actually lose 15-18% through inconsistent pours.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How many glasses do I get from a 750ml bottle of wine?
With 125ml pours you'll get 4.8-5.5 glasses per bottle depending on your loss rate. For 150ml pours, expect 4.0-4.6 glasses. Always factor in 8-15% loss from spillage and tastings.
What's a normal pour cost for wine?
Standard wine pour cost runs 18-25% of your sales price. Premium wines can reach 30%, while house wines often stay between 15-22%. This percentage represents how much of each sale goes to product cost.
Should I include VAT in wine cost calculations?
Never include VAT in cost calculations. Wine carries 21% VAT, not the 9% food rate. A €24.20 bottle costs you €20.00 excl. VAT for costing purposes.
How do I measure my actual loss percentage?
Track purchased bottles against sold glasses over one week. Divide glasses sold by (bottles purchased × theoretical glasses per bottle). The gap to 100% reveals your loss rate. Above 20% suggests training issues or portion control problems.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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