How much wine do I need for 50 guests?

You need 55 bottles of wine for 50 guests at a thanksgiving. This provides 238 total servings with a 15% buffer to ensure you don't run out.

How much wine per person for a thanksgiving?

Plan for 4.8 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 50 guests, you'll need 55 bottles to provide 238 total servings.

What percentage of guests will drink wine at a thanksgiving?

At a thanksgiving with 50 guests, approximately 38 guests (76%) will actively drink. Our formula accounts for this when calculating the 55 bottles you need.

Should I buy extra wine as a buffer?

Yes! Our calculation of 55 bottles already includes a 15% buffer (7 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 55 bottles of wine last for 50 guests?

55 bottles of wine will last approximately 4 hours for 50 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 50 Guest Thanksgiving?

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bottles of wine

For a 50-guest thanksgiving lasting 4 hours

15% buffer included

238

Total servings

4.8

Per person

Buffer bottles

How We Calculated This

Our bartender-tested formula, step by step

Estimate actual drinkers

50 guests × 75% drinking rate

= 38 drinkers

At medium events, about 75% of guests typically drink alcohol.

Calculate base consumption

38 drinkers × 1.5 drinks/hour × 4 hours

= 228 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)

= 185 adjusted drinks

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

Apply thanksgiving modifier

× 1.3 (+30% for wine)

= 238 wine servings needed

Thanksgivings typically consume 30% more wine than average.

Convert to bottles

238 servings ÷ 5 servings per bottle

= 47.6 bottles (raw)

Each bottle of wine provides 5 servings.

Add 15% buffer & round up

47.6 × 1.15 = 54.7, rounded up

= 55 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	28 bottles	119 servings
50 guests (you)	55 bottles	238 servings
75 guests	83 bottles	357 servings
100 guests	110 bottles	476 servings
150 guests	165 bottles	714 servings
200 guests	220 bottles	952 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)

76 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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