Definition
Pour cost percentage
Beverage cost used during a period expressed as a percentage of beverage sales for the same scope, the headline ratio for beverage margin health.
Formula
Pour cost % = beverage cost used ÷ beverage sales × 100
Worked example
Beverage cost used $4,500. Beverage sales $22,500 for the same week and locations. Pour cost = 4,500 ÷ 22,500 × 100 = 20%. If last week was 18% with similar mix, investigate cost, comps, variance, or pricing before rewriting the menu.
When operators use this
Compute pour cost after a counted period, not from a recipe card alone. Category bands matter: liquor, packaged beer, and wine by the glass are different jobs. pour cost band and pour cost method sit beside pour cost calculator. pour cost and bar analytics is the product pillar.
Common mistakes
Using food-and-beverage sales in the denominator, or recipe cost in the numerator, produces a number that cannot be compared week to week. A brunch mimosa promo will move the ratio without anyone over-pouring whiskey. Annotate mix before you rewrite the well.
How ExactPour handles it
ExactPour builds pour cost from counted usage (or COGU) and POS beverage sales, then breaks it down by category, product, and location. Recipe-level cost shows which drinks drag the period average.
Qualification
The ratio is sensitive to product mix, prices, counting accuracy, and the revenue definition used. Taxes and tips are normally excluded; say so in policy.