After managing drink inventories for years, I've learned that understanding which beverages actually move off your menu makes the difference between profit and waste. The popularity index reveals which drinks guests order most frequently, helping you decide what to promote, what to remove, and where you're generating real profit.
What is the popularity index?
The popularity index shows what percentage of your total drink sales comes from one specific beverage. It reveals which drinks your guests actually want to order—not just what you think they should want.
💡 Example:
Weekly sales breakdown:
- Sauvignon Blanc: 18 glasses
- Pinot Grigio: 12 glasses
- Chardonnay: 6 glasses
- Total white wine: 36 glasses
Sauvignon Blanc popularity: (18 / 36) × 100 = 50%
The formula for popularity index
Popularity index = (Number sold of drink X / Total number of drinks sold) × 100
You can run this calculation per category (just wines, just beers) or across your entire drink menu. Category-specific analysis gives you more actionable insights.
Gather your sales data
Pull these numbers from your POS system:
- Actual glasses or servings sold per drink
- Time period (typically 1 week or 1 month)
- Breakdown by category (whites, reds, rosé, beer, spirits)
⚠️ Note:
Track glasses served, not bottles purchased. One wine bottle typically yields 5-6 glasses.
Calculate per drink category
Break your drink menu into logical categories and calculate popularity within each group:
💡 Example beer analysis:
Last month's beer sales:
- Heineken: 240 glasses (60% popularity)
- Jupiler: 96 glasses (24% popularity)
- Leffe: 48 glasses (12% popularity)
- Duvel: 16 glasses (4% popularity)
Total: 400 glasses of beer
Interpret the results
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, here's how to read your popularity numbers:
- Above 30%: Clear winner—never let this run out
- 15-30%: Solid performer, maintain adequate stock
- 5-15%: Average mover, check if it's still profitable
- Below 5%: Dead weight, probably time to cut it
Combine with profitability
Popularity without profit analysis tells only half the story. You need both metrics working together:
💡 Example analysis:
House white wine breakdown:
- Popularity: 45% (clear bestseller)
- Cost: €3.20 per bottle
- Price: €6.50 per glass (5 glasses per bottle)
- Profit: €3.80 per glass
Decision: Push this wine harder—it moves fast and makes money
Adjust your menu based on data
Turn your popularity analysis into action:
- Drop drinks under 5% popularity after 3 months of consistent data
- Highlight drinks in the 15-30% range that carry good margins
- Feature your 30%+ winners prominently on menus and displays
- Test replacements for consistent underperformers
⚠️ Note:
Factor in seasonal patterns. Rosé tanks in winter but soars in summer. Analyze at least 3 months of data before making permanent menu changes.
How do you calculate the popularity index? (step by step)
Gather sales data from your POS
Export the drink sales from the past month from your POS system. You need: number of glasses/bottles sold per drink. Divide into categories such as white, red, beer, spirits.
Calculate the total per category
Add up all glasses sold within one category. For example: all white wines together, all beers together. This becomes your denominator in the calculation.
Apply the formula per drink
Divide the number of glasses sold of one drink by the total of that category, multiply by 100. For example: 18 glasses Sauvignon Blanc / 36 total white wine × 100 = 50% popularity.
✨ Pro tip
Track your top 2 drinks per category weekly and maintain 14 days of inventory minimum. Running out of a 40%+ popularity drink during peak service costs you more than most menu items' entire weekly profit.
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
Should I count bottles or glasses for the popularity index?
Always count individual servings—glasses for wine, pints for beer, shots for spirits. Bottles don't reflect actual customer demand patterns.
How often should I update the popularity index?
Calculate it monthly, but wait for 3 months of data before making major menu changes. One slow week doesn't indicate a trend, but three months of poor performance does.
What if a drink is popular but generates little profit?
Keep it as a 'traffic driver' but don't promote it heavily. Focus your marketing energy on drinks that combine good popularity with strong margins.
Can I compare popularity across different restaurant locations?
Only if the concepts and customer bases are similar. A sports bar's drink patterns won't match a wine bar's, so compare like venues only.
How do I handle seasonal drinks in popularity calculations?
Track seasonal items separately and compare them to the same period from previous years. Don't judge winter mulled wine sales against summer cocktail performance.
What's the minimum sample size needed for reliable popularity data?
You need at least 100 total drink sales in your analysis period for meaningful percentages. Smaller sample sizes create misleading results.
Should I factor in drink price when calculating popularity index?
No, popularity index measures unit sales only, not revenue. Run separate profitability analysis to see which popular drinks actually make you money.
📚 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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