Corrections or additions?
This article by Kathleen McGinn Spring was prepared for the March
27, 2002 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Boozy Benchmarks
Some might suspect that an electronic kiosk at a store
selling liquor might just err on the high side when estimating the
beverage requirements of a party.
Here, for example, is the suggested shopping list for a three-hour
cocktail party for 45 guests where 5 percent are non-drinkers, 30
percent are light drinkers, 30 percent are moderate drinkers, and
35 percent are party animals. It assumes that 50 percent of the guests
drink beer, 50 percent drink wine, and 50 percent drink liquor (some
part-goers might drink two types of booze and party animals might
try all three — hence the total percentage exceeding 100).
Six bottles of liquor.
12 six packs of beer.
15 bottles of wine.
Five six packs of soda.
For a reality check we fed the kiosk information based on aparty that we have actually held for the past three or four years:the reception for the authors of stories and poems published in ourannual Summer Fiction issue. Around 45 to 50 people attend this event.Figuring out the refreshments still remains a puzzle. We havedetermined,however, that this is not a hard-drinking crowd. We told theChoiceMasterkiosk that 50 percent of the guests are non-drinkers, 25 percent arelight drinkers, 25 percent are moderate drinkers. Here is what thekiosk suggested:0 bottles of liquor.4 bottles of wine.4 six-packs of beer.9 six packs of soda.That’s remarkably close to what we actually buy for the party.For the record we always end up with about a six-pack of beer andat least one unopened bottle of wine. On the other hand, we wouldnot cut it any closer. That would be the time when a party animalshows up.Previous StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
