What to buy for Friday afternoon drinks
A Friday afternoon drinks setup needs more than bottles and snacks. Plan for welcome drinks, a bar, coffee and tea, buffet service, dietary options and enough glassware for guests who stay longer than expected. This shopping list also covers practical items that are easy to overlook, such as bottle openers, serving tongs, coolers, waste bins and extension cords. Use your confirmed guest count to adjust quantities before you shop.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Foldable tablesqty 6
- High tablesqty 4
- Chairsqty 50
- Clothes racksqty 2
Tableware
- Drinking glassesqty 60
- Wine glassesqty 60
- Coffee cupsqty 50
- Platesqty 60
- Cutlery setsqty 60
- Serving plattersqty 12
- Serving tongsqty 6
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 3
- Chef's knifeqty 3
- Measuring cupsqty 2
- Thermos flasksqty 4
- Bottle openersqty 4
- Corkscrewsqty 3
Equipment
- Coolersqty 4
- Bluetooth speakersqty 2
- Extension cordsqty 3
- Power stripsqty 3
Decorations
- Buntingqty 6
- Tableclothsqty 8
- Flower arrangementsqty 6
- Menu standsqty 6
Lighting
- String lightsqty 4
- LED lampsqty 6
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 4
- Vacuum cleaner
- Mop set
- Cleaning glovesqty 4
Catering
- Groceries
- Pilsener - 120 bottles
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Dry white wine - 8 bottles
- Rosé wine - 6 bottles
- Red wine - 4 bottles
- Prosecco - 6 bottles
- Cola - 12 liters
- Cola Zero - 12 liters
- Sinas - 6 liters
- Tonic - 4 liters
- Ginger beer - 4 liters
- Spa Blauw - 30 liters
- Spa Rood - 12 liters
- Apple juice - 6 liters
- Orange juice - 6 liters
- Coffee beans - 2 kilograms
- Tea bags - 100 pieces
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Ice cubes - 20 kilograms
- Baguettes - 10 pieces
- Butter - 500 grams
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Brie - 1 kilogram
- Fuet - 1 kilogram
- Cooked ham - 1 kilogram
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Tapenade - 500 g
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Salted peanuts - 2 kilograms
- Mixed nuts - 2 kilograms
- Olives - 2 kilograms
- Pickles - 2 jars
- Cucumber - 8 pieces
- Snack tomatoes - 2 kilogram
- Carrots - 2 kilogram
- Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Strawberries - 2 kilograms
- Mini meatballs - 3 kilograms
- Vegetarian snacks - 3 kilogram
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Garlic sauce - 2 bottles
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Cocktail sticks - 300 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Sponges - 6 pieces
- Microfiber cloths - 12 pieces
Tips
- Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Include water and non-alcoholic options rather than counting only wine, beer or spirits.
- Buy about four to six snack portions per guest for a short drinks reception, with extra portions for popular items. Set dietary options aside and label them before the buffet opens.
- Plan one drinking glass per guest plus roughly 20% extra, and one wine glass for each person who may drink wine. Add enough plates, cutlery sets, serving platters and serving tongs for the full snack service.
- Chill drinks several hours before guests arrive. If the fridge is too small, use coolers with ice and keep a bottle opener and corkscrew at the bar instead of leaving guests to search for them.
- Do not leave coffee and tea supplies until the last shop. Count coffee cups, measuring cups and thermos flasks, and check extension cords and power strips before connecting speakers, lighting or other equipment.
Frequently asked questions
- How many drinks do I need for Friday afternoon drinks?
- Plan for two to three drinks per person during the first hour, then one drink per person for every additional hour. Keep water and non-alcoholic drinks available throughout the event.
- How much food do I need for afternoon drinks?
- For a short reception, allow four to six small snack portions per guest. Add extra if the drinks run through a meal period or if the guest list includes people with larger dietary requirements.
- How many glasses should I buy for a drinks reception?
- Allow one drinking glass per guest and add about 20% spare glasses. If wine is served, provide one wine glass per guest likely to drink wine, plus a small reserve.
- When should I chill drinks for Friday afternoon drinks?
- Chill bottles and cans at least three to four hours before guests arrive. If you are using coolers, fill them with ice shortly before setup and keep a separate supply ready for topping them up.
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