How many reusable cups to plan for your event
How many reusable cups should you plan for your event? The complete calculation method
Estimating the right quantity of reusable cups to order for an event is one of the trickiest logistical decisions for an organiser. Ordering too few means risking running out in the middle of service and frustrating your customers. Ordering too many needlessly ties up budget and complicates storage after the event. This guide gives you the complete method to calculate your needs precisely according to your type of event, your audience and your deposit scheme.
The basic formula for calculating your cup needs
Calculating the quantity of reusable cups needed relies on a simple but precise formula:
Quantity = Number of attendees × Average drinks per person × Logistics coefficient
Each variable deserves careful analysis to avoid mistakes. Let us look at them one by one.
Variable 1: the number of attendees
This figure seems obvious but often holds surprises. For a ticketed event, start from the number of tickets sold, bearing in mind that the actual attendance rate generally ranges between 85 and 95% depending on the nature of the event. For a free or municipal event, rely on the history of previous editions or on the capacity of the venue. Always plan towards the top of the range: it is better to have 200 cups too many than 200 too few on the day.
Variable 2: average drinks per person
This is the most influential variable in the final calculation. Here are the averages observed in the industry:
- One-day music festival: 4 to 6 drinks per person
- Multi-day festival: 3 to 5 drinks per person per day
- Concert or sporting event: 2 to 4 drinks per person
- Wedding or private reception: 5 to 8 drinks per person (over the whole evening)
- Drinks reception or corporate cocktail party: 2 to 3 drinks per person
- Seminar or conference: 3 to 4 drinks per person per day
- Town fête or Christmas market: 1 to 3 drinks per person
- Association or student party: 4 to 7 drinks per person
These averages vary according to the weather (a hot summer significantly increases consumption), the length of the event and the profile of the clientele. For an outdoor summer event, do not hesitate to apply the upper range.
Variable 3: the logistics coefficient
This is the multiplier that adjusts your order to the reality on the ground. It takes into account breakages, losses, cups taken away as souvenirs and the possible rotation through washing.
| Type of scheme | Coefficient to apply | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit + on-site washing | 1.2 to 1.5 | Cups circulate quickly thanks to washing |
| Deposit without on-site washing | 1.8 to 2.2 | More cups needed in rotation |
| No deposit, cups given away | 2.5 to 3 | Maximum losses and souvenirs |
| Event with personalisation (logo) | +0.3 | Visitors are more likely to keep the cup as a souvenir |
Worked examples for different events
Example 1: a one-day music festival for 3,000 people with deposit and washing
Calculation: 3,000 people × 5 drinks × 1.3 = 19,500 cups
With standard packaging in cases of around 400 units, this represents 49 cases to order. To keep service flowing at this type of event, go mainly for 50 cl cups (the XL pint format that is in high demand at festivals), complemented by a quarter of 33 cl cups for soft drinks.
Example 2: a wedding with 150 guests and catering service
Calculation: 150 guests × 6 drinks × 1.5 = 1,350 cups
For a wedding, a variety of formats is essential. Plan for:
- 300 cups of 25 cl (tasting format) for the drinks reception
- 800 cups of 33 cl (standard format) for the evening
- 250 cups of 40 cl (long cocktail format) for the cocktail bar
Example 3: a town fête for 800 people with no deposit
Calculation: 800 people × 2.5 drinks × 2.8 = 5,600 cups
The absence of a deposit significantly increases the requirement. For this type of public event with a large audience, the 33 cl cup in universal format covers most needs (water, squash, half-pint of beer, soft drinks).
Example 4: a 3-day corporate seminar for 200 executives
Calculation: 200 people × 3 drinks × 3 days × 1.3 = 2,340 cups
The 33 cl format is essential here because it matches professional conventions (coffee, water, soft drinks, wine at the gala dinner). A top-up of 25 cl cups can be useful for the closing drinks reception.
Example 5: a craft brewery equipping its terrace for the season
For a brewery, the calculation is seasonal rather than event-based. Count the seating capacity of the terrace, the average service turnover and the number of opening days. For a terrace of 80 seats open for 4 months with 3 turns per day:
Calculation: 80 seats × 3 turns × 120 days × 1 drink × 1.3 = 37,440 cups over the season, or around 95 cases to order as initial stock and replenishments. The Covr range makes it possible to handle these volumes thanks to quickly delivered reusable cups.
How should you split your cups between the different capacities?
The classic mistake organisers make is to order everything in a single size. A smart split between several formats improves the customer experience and optimises material costs. Here are the recommended splits by type of event:
| Type of event | 25 cl | 33 cl | 40 cl | 50 cl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music festival | 0% | 25% | 15% | 60% |
| Bar / Brewery | 10% | 40% | 40% | 10% |
| Wedding / Reception | 25% | 55% | 20% | 0% |
| Corporate event | 20% | 70% | 10% | 0% |
| Town fête | 10% | 50% | 20% | 20% |
| Association party | 0% | 30% | 30% | 40% |
These ratios are averages observed in the profession. Adapt them to your specific drinks offer: if you serve a lot of long cocktails, increase the share of 40 cl. If your event is centred on speciality beer, increase the share of 50 cl.
To help you choose the right formats precisely, see our dedicated guide: Reusable cup: 25, 33, 40 or 50 cl? The guide to choosing well.
Should you plan a safety stock?
Yes, and it is the most common mistake made by novice organisers. The safety stock represents 10 to 15% of the total order and covers several unforeseen events:
- Higher attendance than forecast (last-minute entries, uncounted visitors)
- Good weather that increases consumption
- Excessive breakages or losses during the evening
- Late arrival of washed cups in the case of a deposit scheme with outsourced washing
- Unanticipated theft or disappearances
In the example of the 3,000-person festival above, the safety stock would therefore represent 2,000 to 3,000 additional cups, or 5 to 8 cases. A marginal cost compared with the risk of running out on the day.
When should you order your reusable cups?
The optimal ordering lead time depends on your supplier and the type of cups chosen:
- Plain cups in stock: 1 to 2 weeks before the event is generally enough. The Covr range is permanently in stock with fast delivery on volumes of 1,000 to 10,000 units.
- Custom cups: allow 3 to 6 weeks depending on the printing technique chosen (screen printing, pad printing or digital printing).
- Very large quantities of cups (over 20,000): plan 4 to 8 weeks ahead to secure the stock and shipping logistics.
For projects requiring your logo or the event artwork to be printed on the cups, explore our dedicated range of personalised reusable cups.
Optimising cost: the levers to pull
Once you have estimated your quantity, several levers can help optimise the total budget:
1. Benefit from volume discounts
Professional suppliers apply tiered pricing from 1,000 units. The larger your order, the lower the unit price. If you need 4,500 cups, it may be worth ordering 5,000 units to reach a price tier.
2. Pool with other events
If you organise several events during the year, pool your order. Buying 10,000 cups at once is far more cost-effective than 5 orders of 2,000.
3. Set up a deposit scheme
A deposit scheme (€1 to €2 per cup) lets you recover most of the cups distributed. At a festival of 3,000 people, that is between €4,000 and €8,000 worth of cups that can potentially be reused for your following events.
4. Pool with other local organisers
More and more associations and local authorities are creating "cup pools" shared between several events in the same area. This practice drastically reduces the amortisation cost per event.
FAQ — Calculating the quantity of reusable cups
How many cups should you plan per person for a festival?
For a one-day festival with a deposit scheme and on-site washing, count on around 1.3 cups per person per drink consumed, which is on average 5 to 7 cups per person over the full day. Without a deposit, this figure rises to 10 to 15 cups per person.
How do you calculate the quantity for a wedding of 100 guests?
With an average of 6 drinks per guest and a logistics coefficient of 1.5, plan for around 900 cups for 100 guests. Split them between 25 cl (drinks reception), 33 cl (evening) and possibly 40 cl (cocktails). Add 10% safety stock.
What should you do with unused cups after the event?
Unused reusable cups can be stored for your next events, resold to other local organisers, or used in-house by your establishment. Their lifespan of several years makes them a sustainable investment.
Can you hire reusable cups rather than buy them?
Yes, some providers offer reusable cup hire, generally with a washing service included. This solution is attractive for one-off events but quickly becomes more expensive than buying as soon as you organise several events a year.
How do you avoid running out of cups in the middle of service?
Three essential precautions: apply the logistics coefficient rigorously, plan a safety stock of 10 to 15%, and set up a visible rotation (continuous washing, an incentivising deposit). Appoint a cup lead in your events team to monitor stock during the event.
What is the minimum quantity you can order from a professional supplier?
At Covr, the minimum order generally starts from one case (around 400 units depending on the format). For large orders, our volume discounts apply from 1,000 units and make it possible to obtain very competitive terms on volumes of 1,000 to 10,000 cups.
Summary: your ordering checklist
Before finalising your reusable cup order, check these 8 essential points:
- Exact number of estimated attendees, with a high margin
- Average number of drinks consumed per person
- Logistics coefficient suited to your scheme (deposit, washing, personalisation)
- Split between the different sizes according to your drinks offer
- Safety stock of 10 to 15%
- Delivery lead time consistent with your event date
- Supplier compliance with the AGEC law in France
- Volume discounts applicable to your quantity
Discover the 4 Covr reusable cup formats
At Covr, we support event organisers, brewers, restaurateurs and local authorities in choosing the right format and the right quantity of cups. Our range covers the 4 standard capacities on the market in food-grade polypropylene, compliant with the AGEC law in France:
- 25 cl reusable cup — for drinks receptions, tastings and soft drinks served in small quantities.
- 33 cl reusable cup — the versatile format for bars, restaurants and professional events.
- 40 cl reusable cup — the standard pint for breweries and long cocktails.
- 50 cl reusable cup — the XL pint for festivals and large events.
To go further on the 50 cl format specifically, see our complete guide: 50 cl reusable cup: which format for your events and breweries?
A project under way? Our team can help you size your order and will send you a personalised quote within 24 hours. Contact us with the key details of your event (date, number of attendees, type of drinks) and we will suggest the combination of sizes and the volume perfectly suited to your needs.
