How much wine do I need for 30 guests?

You need 35 bottles of wine for 30 guests at a thanksgiving. This provides 152 total servings with a 15% buffer to ensure you don't run out.

How much wine per person for a thanksgiving?

Plan for 5.1 servings of wine per person at a thanksgiving. This accounts for the fact that not everyone drinks alcohol and consumption naturally slows as the event progresses.

How many servings are in a bottle of wine?

One bottle of wine contains 5 servings. For 30 guests, you'll need 35 bottles to provide 152 total servings.

What percentage of guests will drink wine at a thanksgiving?

At a thanksgiving with 30 guests, approximately 24 guests (80%) will actively drink. Our formula accounts for this when calculating the 35 bottles you need.

Should I buy extra wine as a buffer?

Yes! Our calculation of 35 bottles already includes a 15% buffer (4 extra bottles). This ensures you won't run out even if some guests drink more than average. It's always better to have leftovers than to run short.

How long will 35 bottles of wine last for 30 guests?

35 bottles of wine will last approximately 4 hours for 30 guests at a thanksgiving. This calculation factors in the natural slowdown of consumption as the event progresses.

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How Much Wine for a 30 Guest Thanksgiving?

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bottles of wine

For a 30-guest thanksgiving lasting 4 hours

15% buffer included

152

Total servings

5.1

Per person

Buffer bottles

How We Calculated This

Our bartender-tested formula, step by step

Estimate actual drinkers

30 guests × 80% drinking rate

= 24 drinkers

At small events, about 80% of guests typically drink alcohol.

Calculate base consumption

24 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 4 hours

= 144 base drinks

Industry standard is 1.5 drinks per person per hour for a 4-hour event.

Apply consumption decay

Adjusted for drinking slowdown over time (decay factor: 3.25)

= 117 adjusted drinks

People drink faster in the first hour and slow down as the event progresses.

Apply thanksgiving modifier

× 1.3 (+30% for wine)

= 152 wine servings needed

Thanksgivings typically consume 30% more wine than average.

Convert to bottles

152 servings ÷ 5 servings per bottle

= 30.4 bottles (raw)

Each bottle of wine provides 5 servings.

Add 15% buffer & round up

30.4 × 1.15 = 35.0, rounded up

= 35 bottles

Always round up and add a buffer. Running out is worse than having leftovers!

* Why trust this formula?

Based on industry standards and refined by bartenders with 30+ years of experience. We factor in consumption decay (people drink less as events progress) and real-world drinking percentages.

📊 Quick Reference: Wine by Guest Count

Guests	Wine Needed	Total Servings
25 guests	30 bottles	127 servings
50 guests	59 bottles	253 servings
75 guests	88 bottles	380 servings
100 guests	117 bottles	507 servings
150 guests	175 bottles	760 servings
200 guests	234 bottles	1013 servings

* All calculations include a 15% buffer. Amounts for thanksgiving.

Your Shopping List

Everything you need, plus essentials you might forget

🍷

Wine

The main event

bottles

Don't forget these

Wine opener/corkscrew (Have a backup!)

2 pieces
Buy
Wine glasses (or plastic) (2 per drinker for variety)

48 glasses
Buy

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Pro Tips for Your Thanksgiving

Insider advice from experienced bartenders

💡

Wine consumption peaks during dinner - have bottles ready at the table.

⏰

Pre-dinner cocktails should be light so people can enjoy the meal.

🎯

After-dinner drinks (port, brandy) are a nice touch.

🧊

Football watching = beer in the afternoon before dinner.

✨

Designated drivers are essential - plan non-alcoholic options.

🛒 Buying Guide

Thanksgiving is wine-heavy with the meal. Plan 1 bottle of wine per 2 adults at the table. Have a light cocktail option for pre-dinner and maybe some beer for football watching. Keep it classy.

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