How to quote for mobile bar hire
Mobile bar quoting is unusual: on a cash bar your customer may pay you nothing, and your income depends entirely on how thirsty their guests are. That makes minimum spend, licensing and staffing the three lines that decide whether an event is worth taking. Here is how to quote them properly.
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How to price a mobile bar booking
Start by deciding the commercial model — cash bar, pre-paid tab, or a hybrid — because everything else on the quote follows from it. Then price the fixed costs you incur whether guests drink or not.
1. Choose the model and make it explicit
Cash bar: guests pay, you carry the stock risk, and you protect yourself with a minimum spend. Pre-paid tab or open bar: the host pays a set amount and you bill drinks against it. Hybrid: a welcome drink and wine on tables paid by the host, then a cash bar. Each has a different quote shape — never leave it ambiguous.
2. Set a minimum spend that covers your fixed costs
Your travel, setup, staff hours, licence and glass hire happen regardless of takings. Add them up, add your margin, and that is your minimum spend — commonly £500–£1,500 for a wedding. If bar takings fall short, the host pays the shortfall. Say this plainly on the quote with a worked example so it does not feel like a penalty.
3. Price staffing on the full day, not the serving hours
One bartender per 50–75 guests for a standard bar, more for cocktails. Bill from load-in through setup, service, and pack-down — typically 3–4 hours beyond the serving window. Late licences past midnight should carry an uplift, and a driver who cannot drink is still a paid pair of hands.
4. Itemise licensing, insurance and compliance
A Temporary Event Notice costs a small council fee but takes admin time and must be applied for well in advance; a personal licence holder needs to be present. Public liability cover, a risk assessment for the venue and Challenge 25 procedures are all part of what the host is buying — list them, because they are a genuine reason to pick you over a cheaper operator.
5. Add the site realities: power, access and glass
Marquee and field events need generator power, level ground, and often a water supply. Add ice, glassware hire and a breakage allowance, refrigeration, and mileage beyond your normal radius. If load-in is 100 metres across a lawn, that is extra crew time — price it.
What to put on a mobile bar quote
- Bar model: cash bar, pre-paid tab, open bar or hybrid
- Minimum spend and what happens if takings fall short
- Serving hours, plus setup and pack-down times
- Drinks list and per-drink pricing for guests
- Number of bar staff and their hours
- Licensing: TEN or venue licence, personal licence holder present
- Public liability insurance and Challenge 25 policy
- Glassware hire, ice, refrigeration and breakage allowance
- Power, water and access requirements at the site
- Travel, mileage and any late-finish surcharge
Realistic UK price ranges for mobile bars
Indicative UK figures for 2026, excluding VAT. Cocktail-led service, late licences and remote sites without power sit above these ranges.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Bar hire / setup fee | £250 – £750 |
| Typical wedding minimum spend | £500 – £1,500 |
| Bartender per hour | £16 – £28 |
| Welcome drinks package per head | £4 – £12 |
| Cocktail package per head | £15 – £35 |
| Glass hire & ice per 100 guests | £80 – £200 |
Run your own numbers in the free quote calculator or check your margin with the markup & margin calculator.
Common quoting mistakes for mobile bars
- No minimum spend on a cash bar, so a 70-guest afternoon wedding with a free venue bar next door costs you a Saturday.
- Quoting serving hours only, and absorbing four hours of setup and pack-down every single event.
- Assuming the venue's licence covers you — always confirm in writing whether a Temporary Event Notice is needed and who applies for it.
- Forgetting generator, water and level-ground requirements at marquee and field sites.
- No breakage allowance on hired glassware, which quietly costs you on every large event.
- Vague drinks pricing, so guests argue about the cost of a double at 11pm and your staff absorb it.
Pricing FAQs
How much does mobile bar hire cost in the UK?
A typical wedding booking in 2026 involves a setup or hire fee of £250–£750, or a minimum spend of £500–£1,500 on a cash bar. Cocktail-led service, extended licences and remote sites without power push the figure higher.
What is a minimum spend and how do I set it?
It is the amount the bar must take before the host owes nothing extra. Set it by adding your fixed costs for the event — travel, setup, staff hours, licence, glass hire — plus your margin. If takings come in below it, the host pays the difference.
Who applies for the alcohol licence at a private event?
If the venue is not already licensed, someone must submit a Temporary Event Notice to the local council, usually at least 10 working days in advance, and a personal licence holder should be present. Agree in writing on the quote whether that is you or the host.
How many bar staff do I need?
One bartender per 50–75 guests for beer, wine and spirits, and one per 30–40 for cocktail service. Add a supervisor on larger events and remember that whoever drives the van cannot drink and still needs paying for the full day.
Quote a mobile bar booking — minimum spend, staffing and licensing in one clear document — with QuoteRocket.
Accepted in one tap, invoiced in one click. Free trial, no card needed.