Benchmark Against Your Bar Type, Not the Industry

Spirit bars, wine bars, and beer halls should all target different pour costs. Don't apply one number to everything.

Updated May 6, 2026

The 'good pour cost' number depends on what you sell. Blended COGS across a program with very different category margins is a lagging indicator at best, and misleading at worst.

Realistic Targets by Bar Type

  • Spirit-forward cocktail program: 16-20% pour cost
  • Beer & wine focused program: 25-30% pour cost
  • Mixed program: look at each category separately, not just the blended number

If your bar runs 28% blended pour cost and a spirit-heavy competitor runs 20%, you might actually be ahead on spirits alone. Your 28% pour cost could just reflect a big beer/wine mix doing exactly what it should. Dig into categories before deciding you have a problem.

Takeaway

One target fits all is the fastest way to misread your own business.