A busy Friday night, and your sommelier realizes the Pinot Grigio is running low faster than expected. You need to know exactly how many glasses each 75cl bottle yields to manage inventory and pricing correctly. The answer depends on your glass size: 5 glasses at 15cl or 6 glasses at 12.5cl.
Standard wine glass sizes
Different establishments use varying glass sizes depending on their wine program. The most common portions are:
- 15cl per glass - most common in restaurants
- 12.5cl per glass - often used for more expensive wines
- 10cl per glass - for tastings or very exclusive wines
- 20cl per glass - large glasses, less common
Calculating the number of glasses per bottle
The math is straightforward: 75cl ÷ glass size = number of glasses
💡 Example:
Sauvignon Blanc bottle of €18.00 (incl. 21% VAT):
- With 15cl glasses: 75 ÷ 15 = 5 glasses
- With 12.5cl glasses: 75 ÷ 12.5 = 6 glasses
- With 10cl glasses: 75 ÷ 10 = 7.5 glasses
Calculating cost price per glass
Your profit margins depend entirely on accurate cost calculations. Always work with prices excluding VAT for internal costing.
💡 Example cost price:
Bottle of wine €18.00 incl. VAT (21%):
- Purchase price excl. VAT: €18.00 ÷ 1.21 = €14.88
- With 5 glasses: €14.88 ÷ 5 = €2.98 per glass
- With 6 glasses: €14.88 ÷ 6 = €2.48 per glass
Smaller glasses = lower cost price per glass
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate wine with 21% VAT, not the 9% that applies to food. Alcoholic beverages fall under the higher VAT rate.
Waste and practical considerations
Real-world service rarely matches theoretical calculations. One of the most common blind spots in kitchen management is underestimating wine waste, which directly impacts your actual cost per glass.
- Tasting drops - chef tastes to advise the guest
- Spillage - happens when pouring
- Oxidation - open bottles that get discarded
- Returns - guest doesn't like the wine
Factor in 5-10% waste in your cost calculations to stay realistic.
💡 Example with waste:
Bottle of €14.88 excl. VAT with 10% waste:
- Actual cost price: €14.88 × 1.10 = €16.37
- With 5 glasses: €16.37 ÷ 5 = €3.27 per glass
- With 6 glasses: €16.37 ÷ 6 = €2.73 per glass
Wine list pricing
Most restaurants apply a multiplier of 3 to 4 times the purchase price for healthy wine margins. This approach ensures profitability:
- Cost price per glass × 3 = minimum selling price
- Cost price per glass × 4 = comfortable selling price
💡 Example pricing:
Cost price €2.73 per glass (12.5cl):
- Factor 3: €2.73 × 3 = €8.19
- Factor 4: €2.73 × 4 = €10.92
- Menu price: €9.50 - €11.50
Margin: approximately 70-75%
How do you calculate the number of glasses from a bottle? (step by step)
Determine your standard glass size
Choose a fixed glass size for your restaurant. 15cl is most common, 12.5cl for more exclusive wines. Consistency is important for cost price calculation and guest service.
Divide 75cl by your glass size
Use the formula: 75cl ÷ glass size = number of glasses. With 15cl you get 5 glasses, with 12.5cl you get 6 glasses per bottle.
Calculate cost price per glass
Divide the purchase price of the bottle (excl. 21% VAT) by the number of glasses. Factor in 5-10% waste for spillage and tasting.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual pours over 2 weeks to verify glass consistency. Many bartenders pour 16-17cl instead of 15cl, reducing your bottle yield from 5 to 4.4 glasses without realizing it.
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 champagne bottle?
A champagne bottle of 75cl yields the same number of glasses as regular wine. With 12.5cl glasses (standard for bubbles) you get 6 glasses per bottle.
What if I use different glass sizes?
Choose one standard size per wine type. Red wine often 15cl, white wine and champagne 12.5cl. Don't switch between different sizes for the same type.
How much waste should I factor in for wine?
Factor in 5-10% waste for spillage, tasting and oxidation. With good wine management you can limit this to 5%, with less experienced staff up to 10%.
📚 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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