Start With a Simple Formula
Planning an office happy hour in San Francisco or anywhere in the Bay Area comes down to one question nobody wants to get wrong: how much do you order? The standard estimate used by event planners is two drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person for each hour after that. A two-hour happy hour for 30 people works out to roughly 90 drinks total (30 × 3).
That’s a ceiling, not a floor. Corporate gatherings tend to run lighter than a wedding or birthday party — if the crowd is mixed or the event is midweek, reduce the total by 10–15% and add more water and sparkling water instead.
Decide on the Mix: Beer, Wine, and Spirits
Once you have a headcount and a drink total, split it across beverage types. A workable starting split for most offices is roughly 40% beer, 35% wine, and 25% spirits. Adjust based on what you know about your team — a wine-heavy crowd in a SoMa office is different from a tech crew in the Dogpatch who’ll drain a keg before the second hour.
Always have non-alcoholic options on hand. A few cans of good sparkling water or a cold brew don’t take much space and matter a lot to people who aren’t drinking. Browse the non-alcoholic selection for options that actually feel festive.
How Much Beer?
A standard 12-oz serving counts as one drink. If beer is 40% of your 90-drink target, you need about 36 beers — roughly three cases. At that volume, ordering a keg starts making financial sense: draft beer is consistently cheaper per serving than cans or bottles, and it looks a lot better on the table.
A sixtel (one-sixth barrel) holds about 55 twelve-ounce servings. A half-barrel holds roughly 165. For 25–40 people, a sixtel of something local — Fort Point KSA, an Almanac hazy, or Anchor Steam — is usually the right size without leaving half a keg at the end of the night. For larger all-hands events of 75 or more, a half-barrel makes more sense. The $50 keg deposit is fully refundable when you return the empty.
How Much Wine?
A standard pour is 5 ounces, and a 750 ml bottle holds five standard glasses. For 30 people where 35% drink wine — roughly 11 people having 3 glasses each, about 33 glasses — you’re looking at seven bottles. Round up to nine and pick two or three varieties: one white, one red, and a rosé or sparkling. Check the wine collection to see what’s in stock.
How Much Spirits?
A standard cocktail uses 1.5 oz of base spirit. A 750 ml bottle yields about 17 pours. For the spirits portion of a 30-person party (roughly 23 drinks), two bottles covers it with a little room to spare. Keep the setup simple: vodka, whiskey, and tequila handles most preferences without requiring a full bar build. Add basic mixers — soda water, tonic, juice — and you’re set.
Quick Reference by Headcount
For a two-hour happy hour, here’s a rough starting point:
- 20 people: ~60 drinks — 1 sixtel of draft beer, 4–5 bottles of wine, 1 bottle of spirits
- 40 people: ~120 drinks — 1 half-barrel or 2 sixtels, 8–10 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of spirits
- 75 people: ~225 drinks — 1 half-barrel + 1 sixtel, 16–18 bottles of wine, 3–4 bottles of spirits
If you’re also serving food, people tend to drink less — shave about 10% off each column.
Ordering From Mike’s
Mike’s Liquors has been supplying San Francisco offices, restaurants, and events from Mission St in the Excelsior since 1959. We deliver within San Francisco for an $8 flat fee on orders of $125 or more — same day if you place your order by 9 AM. East Bay deliveries run on Tuesdays, South Bay on Wednesdays. Or come by the store and we’ll help you plan it out in person.
For offices ordering regularly, we set up B2B accounts. Browse our keg equipment and service options or give us a call.
How many drinks should I plan per person for an office happy hour?
Plan for two drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person per hour after that. For a two-hour event, that’s three drinks per person. Corporate gatherings tend to run lighter than social parties — reducing the estimate by 10–15% is reasonable. Always have water and non-alcoholic options available too.
Is a keg worth it for an office party?
Yes, once you’re serving around 25 or more people. Draft beer from a keg is cheaper per serving than canned or bottled beer and stays cold and fresh throughout the event. A sixtel (about 55 twelve-ounce servings) is the right size for most mid-sized office gatherings. The keg deposit at Mike’s is $50 and fully refundable.
Can Mike’s deliver for my office happy hour?
Yes. We deliver within San Francisco for an $8 flat fee on orders of $125 or more — same day if ordered by 9 AM. East Bay deliveries run on Tuesdays, South Bay on Wednesdays. Free in-store pickup is always available at our Mission St location in the Excelsior.