How much soft drink per non-drinker?

Plan for about 400 ml per hour per non-drinker, which is roughly 2 glasses or cups per hour. This includes water, juice, and fizzy drinks. For a 4-hour party, that is about 1.6 litres per non-drinker. This sits at the upper end of UK caterer guidance of 1–2 soft drinks per person per hour.

Do alcohol drinkers need soft drinks too?

Yes — alcohol drinkers also need water and soft drinks. Plan for about 150 ml per hour per alcohol drinker for water, mixers they drink between alcoholic drinks, and rehydration.

What non-alcoholic options should I provide?

Offer a variety: still and sparkling water, orange juice, apple juice, cola, lemonade, and squash or cordial. For adults, consider mocktails, elderflower pressé, or premium soft drinks.

How much water should I provide?

Water should make up about 30% of your soft drink provision. Have both still and sparkling available. In warm weather or for outdoor events, increase water to 40% and have it easily accessible.

PartyCalcs

Non-Alcoholic Drinks Calculator — Soft Drinks Planning

Plan soft drinks, juice, water, and squash quantities for your event.

Number of Guests

Total number of people attending

Event Duration

How long drinks will be served, in hours

% Non-Alcohol Drinkers

Share of guests on soft drinks only — UK guidance is ~20–25% teetotal/moderating, so 30% also covers designated drivers

Avg Price per Litre (optional)

Average price per litre of soft drinks, to estimate cost

How We Calculate This

This calculator estimates soft drink quantities for both non-drinkers and alcohol drinkers.

The formula

Non-drinker soft drinks = non-drinkers × hours × 400 ml

Alcohol drinker soft drinks = drinkers × hours × 150 ml

Total soft drinks are split into water (30%), juice (25%), fizzy drinks (25%), and squash/cordial (20%). The first three are rounded up and squash takes the remainder, so the four categories always add up to the headline total.

Rates are based on UK caterer and bar-hire guidance: roughly 1–2 soft drinks (≈ 240–400 ml) per person per hour, around 20–25% of UK adults being teetotal or moderating (with a 30% default to cover designated drivers too), and a typical event mix of water, juice, fizzy drinks and squash. Figures are rounded up for safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Adjust quantities based on your guests and event type.