I'll admit it - I used to avoid alcohol-free wine pairings because the margins seemed impossible to calculate. You're dealing with 9% VAT instead of 21%, plus those higher purchase prices per bottle. But once you understand the math, these pairings can be surprisingly profitable.
What makes alcohol-free wine different?
Alcohol-free wine operates under completely different rules than regular wine:
- VAT rate: 9% (same as food and soft drinks in restaurants)
- Purchase price: often €8-15 per bottle (more expensive than basic wine)
- Serving size: usually 125ml per glass (same as regular wine)
- Glasses per bottle: 6 glasses (750ml / 125ml)
? Example:
You buy alcohol-free Chardonnay for €12 per bottle and sell per glass for €6.50 incl. VAT:
- Selling price per glass excl. VAT: €6.50 / 1.09 = €5.96
- Purchase price per glass: €12 / 6 = €2.00
- Pour cost: (€2.00 / €5.96) × 100 = 33.6%
That's on the high side for beverages.
Calculate your purchase price per glass
Every margin calculation starts with knowing what one glass actually costs you:
Price per glass = Purchase price per bottle ÷ 6 glasses
- Bottle of €8: €1.33 per glass
- Bottle of €12: €2.00 per glass
- Bottle of €15: €2.50 per glass
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with 6 glasses per bottle, even though you can technically pour 7-8 from it. This gives you room for tastings and spillage.
Determine your target pour cost
Pour cost works like food cost but for beverages. Here's what you should aim for with alcohol-free drinks:
- Premium alcohol-free wines: 25-30%
- Basic alcohol-free wines: 20-25%
- For wine pairings: 30-35% (because you need less staff)
The more expensive the bottle, the higher your pour cost can be without killing profitability. But there's a mistake that costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month - not tracking these percentages weekly and letting them creep up.
Calculate your minimum selling price
With this formula, you can determine what you need to charge at minimum:
Minimum price excl. VAT = Purchase price per glass ÷ (Pour cost % ÷ 100)
? Example:
Alcohol-free Sauvignon Blanc, €10 per bottle, target pour cost 28%:
- Price per glass: €10 ÷ 6 = €1.67
- Minimum price excl. VAT: €1.67 ÷ 0.28 = €5.96
- Minimum price incl. VAT: €5.96 × 1.09 = €6.50
You need to charge at least €6.50 per glass.
Pairing vs. individual glasses
With a wine pairing, your calculation changes compared to individual glasses:
- 3-course pairing: 3 glasses at 100ml = 400ml per person
- 5-course pairing: 5 glasses at 80ml = 400ml per person
- Guest benefit: lower price per ml than individual glasses
- Your benefit: higher revenue per person, less decision fatigue
? Example pairing:
3-course wine pairing with 3 different alcohol-free wines:
- Total purchase price: €1.67 + €2.00 + €2.50 = €6.17 per person
- At 30% pour cost: €6.17 ÷ 0.30 = €20.57 excl. VAT
- Selling price: €20.57 × 1.09 = €22.50 per person
That's €7.50 per glass - more attractive than €8-9 per individual glass.
Don't forget additional costs
These hidden costs need to factor into your calculation:
- Glassware: washing, breakage, different glass types
- Presentation: cards with descriptions, tasting notes
- Staff training: knowledge about alcohol-free wines
- Inventory risk: alcohol-free wine has a shorter shelf life
These costs typically add another 5-10% to your beverage purchases.
Related articles
How do you calculate the margin on an alcohol-free wine pairing? (step by step)
Determine your purchase price per glass
Divide the bottle price by 6 glasses. A bottle of €12 therefore costs €2.00 per glass. Add up all the wines in your pairing.
Choose your desired pour cost percentage
For alcohol-free wine pairings, 25-35% is typical. The more exclusive the wines, the higher your percentage can be.
Calculate your minimum selling price
Divide your total purchase price by your pour cost percentage. Don't forget to add 9% VAT for the final price.
✨ Pro tip
Track your alcohol-free wine pour costs weekly for 4 weeks straight. If they're consistently under 25%, you can probably raise prices by €1-2 per glass without losing customers.
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
Why is alcohol-free wine more expensive to purchase?
Can I take a higher margin than with regular wine?
How many glasses do I get from a bottle of alcohol-free wine?
Do I charge 9% or 21% VAT?
What if my alcohol-free wine goes bad before I sell it all?
Should I offer half-glasses for alcohol-free pairings?
Can I charge the same price as for regular wine?
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
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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