That extra 5 ml per drink might seem insignificant, but it's silently draining hundreds of euros from your monthly profits. Bar staff often pour with a heavy hand, and most owners don't realize the financial damage until it's too late. Here's exactly how much money you're hemorrhaging and the math behind it.
Why overpour destroys your margins
Every single milliliter in your drinks directly attacks your profit margin. Alcoholic beverages typically run 18-25% pour costs, so each extra drop translates to immediate profit loss.
💡 Example calculation:
You sell a beer for €3.50 (incl. 21% VAT):
- Selling price excl. VAT: €2.89
- Cost price per 33cl: €0.65
- Normal pour cost: 22.5%
With 5 ml extra (from 33cl to 33.5cl):
- Extra cost per beer: €0.01
- At 200 beers per day: €2.00 per day
- Per month: €60.00 on beer alone
Different drinks, different damage
Your premium spirits hurt way more than beer. The cost per milliliter varies dramatically across your inventory:
💡 Cost overview per 5ml extra:
- Beer (€0.65/33cl): €0.01 per drink
- Wine (€12/75cl): €0.08 per glass
- Whisky (€35/70cl): €0.25 per shot
- Premium gin (€45/70cl): €0.32 per cocktail
Calculate your monthly hemorrhage
You'll need these numbers to assess your actual losses:
- Daily drink volume by category
- Cost price per liter for each beverage
- Average overpour in milliliters
- Operating days per month
One of the most common blind spots in kitchen management is assuming your staff pours consistently. But measuring actual versus theoretical yields often reveals shocking discrepancies.
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate alcoholic drinks with 21% VAT, not 9%. This applies to beer, wine and spirits. Non-alcoholic drinks in your establishment fall under 9% VAT.
The overpour formula that matters
Here's your calculation for monthly losses:
Monthly loss = (Extra ml / 1000) × Cost price per liter × Number of drinks per day × Working days per month
💡 Practical bar example:
An average bar with 5ml overpour:
- 150 beers/day × €0.01 = €1.50
- 80 wine glasses/day × €0.08 = €6.40
- 30 shots/day × €0.25 = €7.50
Total per day: €15.40 = €462 per month
Stop the bleeding
Control and consistent training prevent most overpour issues:
- Use jiggers and measuring tools for every cocktail
- Train staff on precise pouring techniques
- Track bottle yields against theoretical counts
- Monitor daily bottle consumption versus actual sales
Digital tracking systems help you monitor drink costs per cocktail and flag when pour costs drift outside acceptable ranges.
How do you calculate your overpour loss? (step by step)
Gather your sales data
Count how many drinks you sell per day per type. Check your POS system or count manually for a week. Take the daily average.
Calculate the extra cost per drink
Divide the cost price per liter by 1000 (for price per ml). Multiply by the number of ml overpour. This gives you the extra cost per drink.
Calculate monthly loss
Multiply the extra cost per drink by the number of drinks per day, then by your working days per month. Add all drink types together for your total monthly loss.
✨ Pro tip
Track one bottle of your most expensive spirit for exactly 7 days. Count every pour and calculate the average - you might discover you're giving away 30% more than you think.
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 much overpour is normal in a bar?
An overpour of 2-5 ml per drink is common in most establishments. Anything beyond 10 ml signals serious training gaps or control issues. You can measure this by tracking how many drinks each bottle actually produces versus the theoretical yield.
Should I include VAT in my overpour calculation?
No, stick to cost prices only. VAT applies to your sales, not purchases, so overpour calculations should focus purely on ingredient costs.
How do I check if my staff is pouring too generously?
Count actual drinks per bottle and compare with theory. A 70cl whisky bottle should yield 28 shots at 25ml each. If you're only getting 22 shots, you're averaging 32ml per pour instead.
Which drinks hurt most when overpoured?
Premium spirits and cocktail ingredients cost the most per milliliter. A 5ml overpour on top-shelf gin can cost €0.30+ per drink, while the same overpour on beer only costs €0.01.
📚 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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