How Many Bartenders for 60 Guests?
Sixty guests is the count where the answer is genuinely close. One bartender per 50 guests is the guideline, so 60 sits just over the line, and a single bartender still copes at light consumption, one to two drinks per guest. At medium or heavy, book two. One bartender for a 4 hour party is 5 x $79 = $395 with setup and breakdown, or $495 with the optional $100 gratuity.
Why 60 is a judgement call
At 40 guests one bartender is obvious. At 100 two is obvious. Sixty sits between them, and what settles it is how much those 60 people drink, not the headcount.
Light consumption is one to two drinks per guest, so 60 to 120 drinks across four or five hours. One bartender pours that without a line forming. Medium is three to four drinks each, so 180 to 240. Heavy is six or more, so 360 and up, which no one person makes in four hours. That is why a second bartender is recommended at medium or heavy whatever the count.
One bartender or two, in money
Bartenders are $79 per hour with a 4 hour minimum. With your own drinks, each bartender is also billed 30 minutes of setup and 30 of breakdown, so a 4 hour party is 5 billed hours. The second figure in each cell adds the optional $100 gratuity per bartender, paid in full to staff.
| Party hours | 1 bartender | 2 bartenders | The second one costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5 x $79 = $395, plus $100 = $495 | 2 x 5 x $79 = $790, plus $200 = $990 | $395, or $495 |
| 5 | 6 x $79 = $474, plus $100 = $574 | 2 x 6 x $79 = $948, plus $200 = $1,148 | $474, or $574 |
The decision is worth $395 at 4 hours and $474 at 5, or $100 more with the optional gratuity, plus travel for the extra person if the venue is outside central Los Angeles. Against a drinks bill in the thousands, that is a small line. The reasoning by guest count is in our general guide to bartender numbers.
One bartender plus a barback
A barback is also $79 per hour and works the 4 hours without a bartender setup window, so one bartender plus a barback for a 4 hour party is $395 + $316 = $711, or $911 with the optional gratuity. The choice is mostly about the job, not the price. A barback fetches ice, restocks bottles, cuts garnish and clears glasses, so the bartender never leaves the bar.
It does not fix a bar slowed by too many orders, because a barback does not pour. Every order still passes through one pair of hands. Take the barback when the bar sits far from the ice and the storage. Take the second bartender when the queue is the problem.
Signs it will run heavy
Book two in advance if you recognise your party here.
- A bachelorette or bachelor party. The drinking starts early and stays there.
- A start time of 9pm or later, which compresses the same drinks into fewer hours.
- A summer pool party, where heat lifts the drinks per guest and the afternoon is long.
- Everyone arriving at once, for example a ceremony ending. Sixty people at the bar in ten minutes is a line either way, and two bartenders halve it.
Drinks for 60 guests
- Full bar: $1,140 light, $2,280 medium, $3,420 heavy
- Craft cocktail bar: $1,500 light, $3,000 medium, $4,500 heavy
- Craft cocktails and full bar: $2,220 light, $4,440 medium, $6,660 heavy
- Wellness bar, flat per guest: $1,080 classic, $1,560 premium, $2,280 Platinum Vitality
Common questions
Is one bartender enough for 60 guests?
At light consumption, yes. At medium or heavy, no. If you are unsure which one your party is, assume medium and book two.
What does the second bartender add?
Roughly double the drinks per hour, and a shorter line at the start when everyone arrives together. It also means the bar never closes when one person steps away.
Can I book one bartender for three hours?
No. All staff carry a 4 hour minimum, so a three hour party is billed as four, plus the bartender setup and breakdown: 5 x $79 = $395 with your own drinks.
For an exact price on 60 guests, build a quote at book.platinumbartender.com, call 310-985-3014, or email info@platinumbartender.com.
