Food and drink sales can be one of the most profitable revenue streams at an event. But pricing them poorly, whether too high, too low, or without proper planning, leaves money on the table or drives attendees to smuggle in their own supplies. Here is how to set prices that work for your audience and your bottom line.
Understanding your food and drink revenue model
Before setting prices, clarify your model. There are three common setups:
- You run the bar and catering directly -- You buy stock, hire staff, and keep all the revenue. This gives you full control over pricing but requires significant upfront investment and operational management.
- You use the venue's bar and catering -- The venue handles everything and keeps the revenue, possibly giving you a commission or reducing the venue hire fee. You have little control over pricing.
- You bring in external vendors -- Street food traders, pop-up bars, or catering companies run their own operation and pay you a pitch fee or a percentage of their sales. You set guidelines but vendors set their own prices.
Your pricing approach differs significantly depending on which model you use. This guide focuses primarily on the first and third models, where you have influence over pricing.
Pricing drinks
Alcoholic drinks
The standard markup on alcohol at UK events is 3 to 5 times the cost price. This is higher than pub markups (typically 2.5 to 3.5 times) because event bars have additional costs: temporary bar setup, short-term staff, glass hire, and the logistical overhead of operating for a single day or weekend.
Typical event drink prices in the UK:
- Pint of lager or cider -- £5 to £7. At the lower end for community events and beer festivals, higher for city centre events and festivals.
- Glass of wine -- £5 to £8 for a 175ml glass.
- Spirits and mixers -- £6 to £9 for a single measure.
- Cocktails -- £8 to £12. Higher-end events and festivals can command premium cocktail prices.
- Prosecco or champagne -- £6 to £9 per glass. Popular for welcome drinks and VIP packages.
Keep prices round. £5.50 for a pint creates change-handling headaches at a busy bar. £5 or £6 keeps transactions fast.
Soft drinks
Do not neglect soft drink pricing. Not everyone drinks alcohol, and designated drivers, pregnant attendees, and people who simply prefer soft drinks deserve good options at fair prices.
- Bottled water -- £1.50 to £2.50. Pricing water above £3 attracts criticism, especially at outdoor events in warm weather. Consider providing free water refill stations and selling branded bottles for those who want convenience.
- Soft drinks (cans or bottles) -- £2 to £3.50. Cola, lemonade, and fruit juices.
- Premium soft drinks -- £3 to £5. Tonic water brands, craft sodas, and kombucha are increasingly popular at events.
Token systems
Drink tokens simplify transactions and speed up service. Attendees buy tokens in advance or at a token booth, then exchange them at the bar. Common approaches:
- Single-value tokens -- Each token is worth £1. A pint costs 5 tokens, a wine costs 6. Simple maths but requires stocking multiple token denominations or giving change in tokens.
- Drink-equivalent tokens -- Each token equals one drink, regardless of type. Simplifies the bar operation enormously. Price tokens at the average drink cost (e.g. £5.50 per token). This means cheaper drinks (soft drinks) subsidise pricier ones (cocktails), but the operational benefit is significant.
If you pre-sell tokens through your ticketing platform, you lock in revenue before the event. For more on adding drink packages to your tickets, see our guide on bundle deals and add-ons.
Pricing food
If you are providing catering directly
The target margin on event food is typically 60 to 70 per cent gross margin. That means if a meal costs you £4 in ingredients and preparation, you sell it for £10 to £13.
Typical UK event food prices:
- Snacks -- Crisps, nuts, olives: £2 to £4.
- Street food main -- Burger, pizza slice, loaded fries, curry bowl: £7 to £12.
- Premium food -- Gourmet burger, seafood, steak sandwich: £10 to £16.
- Desserts -- Brownies, churros, ice cream: £3 to £6.
- Children's meals -- Smaller portions or simpler options: £4 to £7.
If you are managing external food vendors
When street food traders or caterers operate at your event, you have three options for your cut:
- Flat pitch fee -- Charge each vendor a fixed fee (£100 to £500+ depending on expected footfall) for the right to trade. They keep all their sales. Simple and predictable for you.
- Percentage of sales -- Take 10 to 20 per cent of each vendor's gross sales. This aligns your incentives but requires trust or point-of-sale monitoring.
- Hybrid -- A lower pitch fee plus a smaller percentage (e.g. £100 plus 10 per cent of sales above £1,000).
You can set pricing guidelines for vendors to ensure consistency and avoid gouging. "Main dishes must be priced between £7 and £13" gives vendors flexibility while preventing one trader from charging £18 for a burger next to another charging £8.
Pricing for outdoor events and festivals
Outdoor events have specific food and drink pricing considerations:
- Captive audience -- If attendees cannot easily leave to find cheaper food, you have more pricing power. But abusing this leads to negative reviews and social media complaints. Price fairly.
- Weather impact -- Hot weather dramatically increases water and cold drink sales. Cold weather boosts hot food, coffee, and hot chocolate sales. Have flexible stock and consider weather-responsive pricing on perishable items.
- Hydration and duty of care -- At outdoor events, particularly in summer, providing access to free drinking water is both a legal requirement under the Licensing Act 2003 (if you serve alcohol) and a moral one. Make free water available and price bottled water reasonably.
Common pricing mistakes
- Overpricing water -- Nothing generates more complaints than expensive water, especially at hot outdoor events. Keep it at £2 or under, and provide free refill points.
- No cash-free option -- In 2026, many people carry no cash. If your bar or food stalls are cash-only, you will lose sales. Card payment terminals are essential.
- Inconsistent pricing across vendors -- If one food stall charges £8 for a burger and the next charges £14 for a similar product, attendees feel confused and potentially ripped off. Set guidelines.
- Ignoring dietary requirements -- Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options should be available and fairly priced. Do not charge more for a basic vegan option than a meat equivalent.
- Not enough variety -- Offering only one price point for food limits sales. Have options ranging from £3 snacks to £12 mains so everyone can find something that suits their budget.
Maximising food and drink revenue
Beyond pricing, several operational decisions boost food and drink revenue:
- Location -- Place food and drink outlets where people naturally congregate or pass through. Near the entrance, by the main stage, and along walkways between areas.
- Staffing -- Understaffed bars with long queues lose sales. People give up and go without. Invest in enough bar staff to keep wait times under five minutes.
- Pre-selling -- Offer food and drink packages as ticket add-ons. This guarantees revenue and reduces on-the-day queuing.
- Last orders announcement -- A clear "last orders in 30 minutes" announcement drives a final rush of sales at the end of the event.
Food and drink revenue can equal or exceed ticket revenue at well-run events. Get the pricing right, keep the quality consistent, and make purchasing as convenient as possible. For a broader view of building event revenue, see our guide on setting ticket prices for a new event.
