Drinks Menu

How to make a drinks menu

A drinks menu lists everything a restaurant or bar pours: soft drinks, coffee and tea, beer, wine by the glass, cocktails, and spirits. A good one groups those categories so guests find what they want in seconds and orders the higher-margin pours you want to move. MenuCrafters structures the list, sets pricing, and publishes it to a hosted page.

Beverages carry some of the best margins in the room, so the drinks menu deserves the same care as the food. The work is mostly organization: clear categories, consistent pricing, and enough description to sell without crowding the page. Keep it skimmable so guests can scan it between conversations.

How to organize a drinks menu

Lead with what sells fastest and carries margin, then move to the rest in a logical order. Most rooms run soft drinks and non-alcoholic first or last, with beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits as their own clear blocks. Within each, list by style or strength so guests self-navigate.

  • Group by category: non-alcoholic, beer, wine, cocktails, spirits
  • List wine by the glass and bottle where both are offered
  • Note pour size or volume so pricing reads as fair
  • Put signature and high-margin drinks at the top of a block

Pricing what you pour

Cost each drink by pour, not by bottle, then price to a target cost percentage that reflects the prep involved. A built cocktail justifies a higher markup than a poured beer. Keep prices consistent within a category so nothing looks arbitrary.

Step by step

  1. 1

    List your categories

    Set up sections for non-alcoholic, beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits as they apply.

  2. 2

    Add each pour

    Enter every drink with a short description and the pour size where it matters.

  3. 3

    Price by pour

    Cost each drink per serving and price to your target margin with the food cost calculator.

  4. 4

    Publish and place

    Publish the hosted page and add a QR code at the bar and on tables.

Frequently asked questions

What should be on a drinks menu?
Group your offerings into clear categories — non-alcoholic, beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits — and list each with a short description and price. Note pour sizes where they affect how the price reads.
How do I price drinks?
Cost each drink by the pour rather than the bottle, then price to a target cost percentage. Built cocktails carry more prep and justify a higher markup than a straight pour.

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