Recommended crew for 120 guests
9 team members
Bartenders3
Barbacks2
Runners2
Glass cleaners2
Range: 8 (minimum) · 9 (recommended) · 10 (comfortable).
How many bartenders for 120 guests?
120 guests · 5 hours · mixed bar · standing service. The whole crew, not just a headcount.
Staff
The three staffing levels, role by role
Staffing is a range, not a single number. Minimum keeps the drinks moving on a calm crowd; comfortable absorbs surges, long distances to storage and a thirsty dance floor.
| Role | Minimum | Recommended | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartenders | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Barbacks | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Runners | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Glass cleaners | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total on shift | 8 | 9 | 10 |
If a seated dinner is served, 3 dinner runners join for that window only, taking the recommended team to 12 people while the plates are out.
Field note: a second bar is not half a team twice
Splitting one crew across two stations leaves both short. When Green Jar runs two simultaneous bars the floor is 3 bartenders, 2 barbacks, 3 runners and 1 glass cleaner, whatever the per-guest table says. Large events already above those numbers see no change.
Ice
Ice for 120 guests
280 kg of ice
Cube ice (drinks & chilling)210 kg105 bags
Crushed ice (cocktails)70 kg35 bags
Total to order140 bags28 sacks of 10 kg
Recommended storage1 large freezer
Adjust it to your event
Same engine, live. Change the crowd, the bar or the hours and recalculate.
Guests
Seated dinner served?
Bar service
Duration
Staff
Frequently asked questions
How many bartenders do I need for 120 guests?
3 bartenders for a mixed bar of 120 guests at the recommended level. A cocktail-led menu for the same crowd needs 4, because shaking drinks is slower than pouring them.
How many bar staff in total for 120 guests?
Counting barbacks, runners and glass collectors: 8 people at minimum, 9 recommended and 10 to run comfortable. Which level you pick depends on how far the bar is from storage and how much queue you can live with.
Do I need extra staff for a seated dinner at 120 guests?
Yes: 3 dinner runners who only work the dinner window, taking the recommended team from 9 to 12 people.
Staff is step one. Now the bar itself.
Ice, bottles per product, cocktail ingredients and a shopping list you can export to Excel.
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