Picture this: you're planning a beer or jenever tasting with snacks, and the pricing feels straightforward until you dive into the numbers. Alcohol carries 21% VAT, snacks only 9%, and you must factor in varying portion sizes per person. Here's how to determine a profitable price for your tasting experience.
Why tastings require different margin calculations
Regular menu items get calculated per dish. Tastings? You're calculating per person, but with multiple products that each carry their own VAT rate, portion size, and cost price.
⚠️ Note:
Alcoholic beverages carry 21% VAT, snacks 9% VAT. This dramatically impacts your margin calculation.
Gather all costs per person
Begin by calculating what one person's tasting actually costs you. Add up every ingredient you'll serve:
- Beers: quantity × purchase price per glass
- Jenever: quantity × purchase price per shot
- Snacks: all ingredients per person
- Packaging: napkins, glasses (if disposable)
💡 Example beer tasting (4 beers + 3 snacks):
Costs per person:
- 4 beers at 0.25L: €6.00 (€1.50/glass)
- Bitterballs (6 pieces): €1.80
- Cheese cubes with mustard: €2.20
- Mini rolls with toppings: €1.50
- Napkins, glasses: €0.50
Total cost price: €12.00 per person
Calculate your desired margin per category
Split your calculation between alcohol and snacks—they've got different VAT rates:
- Alcohol (21% VAT): standard margin 75-80%
- Snacks (9% VAT): standard margin 65-70%
💡 Example margin calculation:
Alcohol costs: €6.00 → At 75% margin:
- Selling price excl. VAT: €6.00 / 0.25 = €24.00
- Selling price incl. 21% VAT: €24.00 × 1.21 = €29.04
Snack costs: €5.50 → At 70% margin:
- Selling price excl. VAT: €5.50 / 0.30 = €18.33
- Selling price incl. 9% VAT: €18.33 × 1.09 = €19.98
Total selling price: €29.04 + €19.98 = €49.02
Account for group size and no-show risk
Tastings get booked for groups. And this impacts your cost price because you'll need to purchase and prep everything in advance:
- Minimum number of people: set a lower limit (e.g., 8 people)
- No-show buffer: add 5-10% extra costs for no-shows
- Fixed costs: divide across group size (location, staff)
⚠️ Note:
With small groups (under 6 people), your cost price per person jumps due to fixed costs like preparation and staff.
Extra costs you shouldn't forget
Here's something most kitchen managers discover too late: tastings carry hidden costs that'll eat into your margin if you don't plan for them:
- Staff: time for explanation, pouring, serving
- Location: room reservation, cleanup afterward
- Materials: tasting glasses, tableware, decoration
- Preparation: making snacks, setting everything up
💡 Example extra costs (group of 12 people):
- Staff (2 hours): €60
- Location/materials: €30
- Preparation (1 hour): €25
- Total: €115 ÷ 12 = €9.58 per person
New cost price: €12.00 + €9.58 = €21.58 per person
Test your pricing in practice
Before you launch, verify your price makes sense:
- Compare with competitors: what do others charge for similar tastings?
- Test with small group: friends, family, regular customers
- Calculate break-even point: at how many people do you break even?
A food cost calculator like KitchenNmbrs helps you track all these per-person costs and automatically calculate margins, even with varying group sizes.
How do you calculate the margin on a tasting? (step by step)
Calculate cost price per person
Add up all ingredient costs: beer/jenever, snacks, packaging and materials. Calculate what one person costs you in pure products.
Split alcohol and snacks for VAT
Calculate separately: alcohol costs (21% VAT) and snack costs (9% VAT). Determine your desired margin per category: alcohol 75-80%, snacks 65-70%.
Add fixed costs
Calculate staff, preparation and material costs per person. Divide total fixed costs by expected number of participants.
Calculate final price including VAT
Alcohol: cost price ÷ (1 - margin%) × 1.21. Snacks: cost price ÷ (1 - margin%) × 1.09. Add both prices for total selling price per person.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual costs for the first 3 tastings you run—most operators underestimate prep time by 40%. Use this data to refine your pricing model.
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
What VAT should I charge on beer and jenever?
Alcoholic beverages always carry 21% VAT, even at tastings. Snacks get 9% VAT. Calculate these separately for accurate margin calculation.
What margin is normal on a tasting?
On alcohol 75-80%, on snacks 65-70%. Tastings command higher margins than regular menu items because you're providing extra service and experience.
How do I account for groups that turn out smaller?
Set a minimum number of people in your terms. Add 5-10% buffer for no-shows. With groups that are too small, increase the price per person.
Should I include staff and preparation costs?
Absolutely. Tastings require more time than regular service. Include at least 1 hour preparation + 2 hours execution per group in your cost price.
📚 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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