How Much Soft Drink Do I Need for a Party?
Do not calculate soft drinks only for a guessed percentage of “non-drinkers”. Water and alcohol-free choices can be needed by everyone, while children and adults may consume different amounts.
Start with total alcohol-free volume
Choose an hourly volume for adults and children that fits your event, multiply by duration, then add only the contingency you want. Keep the assumption visible so you can adjust for weather, activity and the other drinks available.
Split the total after calculating it
Once you have a litre target, divide it across water and the drinks your guests actually prefer. A fixed universal split between cola, juice, squash and water is convenient for a calculator but can create waste when it does not match the crowd.
Water deserves its own thought
Make drinking water easy to find throughout the event. Hot weather, outdoor parties, dancing and salty food can all change demand. If alcohol is served, attractive alcohol-free choices should remain readily available.
Children are not just a percentage of adults
Age, activity and party length matter. The calculator therefore lets you set a separate child rate rather than automatically applying one hidden child multiplier.
Example
Twenty adults at 0.25L/hour and ten children at 0.20L/hour over four hours gives 28L before contingency. A 10% reserve raises the starting target to 30.8L.
Use the Non-Alcoholic Drinks Calculator and change the assumptions for your party.