How much profit should you actually make from each beer tasting guest? Many entrepreneurs forget to include costs like staff, venue and materials. Here's how to calculate your real profit margin per person.
What determines your margin on a beer tasting?
Your beer tasting margin depends on more than just what you pay for the beer. You're dealing with direct costs (beer, snacks, materials) and indirect costs (staff, venue, marketing).
- Direct costs: beer, snacks, glasses, napkins
- Staff costs: sommelier, service, dishwashing
- Venue costs: rent, heating, cleaning
- Material costs: tasting glasses, spittoons, water
Calculate your direct costs per person
Start with costs that directly relate to participant numbers. These are usually your biggest expense items.
💡 Example beer tasting (8 people):
Tasting with 6 beers + snacks:
- Beer (6x 15cl p.p.): €8.50
- Snacks (cheese, sausage, bread): €6.00
- Disposable tasting glasses: €1.50
- Water, napkins, materials: €1.00
Direct costs per person: €17.00
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with VAT rates: beer is 21% VAT, snacks often 9% VAT. This affects your net margin.
Add staff and venue costs
These costs stay fixed per session, regardless of how many people attend. Divide them by participant numbers to get cost per person.
- Staff: Beer sommelier €150, service €80 (3 hours)
- Venue: Room rental €100, cleaning €50
- Other: Marketing, administration €50
💡 Fixed costs calculation:
Total fixed costs: €150 + €80 + €100 + €50 + €50 = €430
With 8 participants: €430 ÷ 8 = €53.75 per person
Total cost price: €17.00 + €53.75 = €70.75 per person
Determine your desired margin
A healthy margin for events runs between 40-60%. With lower margins, you've got little buffer for unexpected costs or lower attendance. One of the most common blind spots in kitchen management is underestimating these variable costs that can quickly erode your planned profits.
- 40% margin: Safe, but little room for growth
- 50% margin: Standard for premium events
- 60% margin: High, only for unique experiences
💡 Price calculation at 50% margin:
Cost price: €70.75 per person
Formula: Selling price = Cost price ÷ (1 - Margin%)
€70.75 ÷ (1 - 0.50) = €70.75 ÷ 0.50 = €141.50
Selling price: €141.50 per person (incl. VAT)
Account for occupancy risk
Not every session fills up. If you plan for 8 people but only 6 show up, your cost per person increases. Build a buffer for this.
⚠️ Note:
Calculate with 75% average occupancy instead of 100%. This prevents disappointments in your profit figures.
Monitor your actual margin
After each session, track what your actual costs were. Suppliers raise prices, staff becomes more expensive, venue costs increase. Check at least every 3 months if your prices still make sense.
A cost tracking system helps you monitor all expenses per event, so you can quickly spot if a tasting remains profitable.
How do you calculate the margin on a beer tasting? (step by step)
Calculate direct costs per person
Add up all costs that directly relate to participants: beer, snacks, glasses, materials. This forms the basis of your cost price.
Divide fixed costs by number of participants
Staff, venue and other fixed costs are divided by the expected number of participants. Add this to your direct costs for the total cost price per person.
Calculate selling price with desired margin
Use the formula: Selling price = Cost price ÷ (1 - Margin%). With a 50% margin, you divide your cost price by 0.50.
✨ Pro tip
Track your craft beer margins over the next 6 weeks - you'll discover that Belgian tripels and IPAs typically deliver 22% higher profits than standard lagers. The premium pricing more than offsets the higher wholesale costs.
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 margin is normal for a beer tasting?
A healthy margin runs between 40-60%. For premium experiences or unique venues, this can go higher. Below 40%, you've got little buffer for unexpected costs.
Should I include VAT in my margin calculation?
Always calculate your margin based on prices excluding VAT. Beer has 21% VAT, snacks often 9% VAT. This prevents confusion in your profit calculation.
What if fewer people show up than planned?
Your fixed costs stay the same, so your cost price per person increases. Calculate with 75% average occupancy instead of 100% to avoid disappointments.
How do I factor in seasonal beer price fluctuations?
Track your beer costs monthly and adjust prices quarterly. Seasonal craft beers can swing 20-30% in cost, which directly impacts your margins if you don't stay on top of it.
📚 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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