What GP should you make on Christmas drinks?
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Aim for at least 66% GP on Christmas drinks: that was the wet GP across the whole UKHospitality × Christie & Co Benchmarking Report 2022, with community and food-led pubs at 65% (12 months to December 2021). At wholesale prices read on 25 October 2026, a 125 ml glass of prosecco costs £1.83, so 66% GP means selling it for £5.39 ex VAT, or £6.46 with VAT.
Cost and price per serve
| Drink | Cost a serve | Price at 66% GP, ex VAT | Inc 20% VAT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mulled wine, one serve (recipe makes 8) | £2.84 | £8.36 | £10.03 | costed recipe, La Colombe Merlot, 75 cl at £9.49 (JJ Foodservice) |
| Prosecco, 125 ml glass | £1.83 | £5.39 | £6.46 | Primi Soli Prosecco DOC, 75 cl, £10.99 (JJ Foodservice) |
| Red wine, 175 ml glass | £2.45 | £7.20 | £8.64 | Faustino Rivero Tinto Rioja, 75 cl, £10.49 (JJ Foodservice) |
| Ruby port, 50 ml | £0.65 | £1.91 | £2.29 | Morrisons Ruby Port, 75 cl, £9.75 (Morrisons) |
Bottle prices: JJ Foodservice collection prices and a Morrisons shelf price, read 25 October 2026. Cost per serve = bottle price × serve ÷ bottle size, with no allowance for spillage. VAT on alcohol is 20% (GOV.UK VAT rates).
Why mulled wine is the one to watch
Mulled wine is a recipe, not a pour: wine, port, brandy, sugar, oranges and spices. Our costed batch comes to £2.84 a serve,, and the port and brandy are a good share of that. Keep it hot but not boiling, which drives off alcohol and volume, and cost the batch on what you actually serve.
Food and drink on one ticket
If the drinks are part of a set price, cost them inside the package rather than at bar prices: see Christmas party night per-head pricing and how food and drink GP blend.
More Christmas costing: Christmas set menu cost per head · Christmas party night per-head pricing · All costed Christmas dishes · UK GP benchmarks
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