Ask five different caterers what “hosted bar” means and you might get five different answers. Some use it as another word for open bar. Others use it to describe a scaled-back version of one. Then add “cash bar” into the mix and it’s easy to see why so many hosts end up guessing at what they’re actually booking. Here’s how the terms actually break down, and how to figure out which setup fits your event.
What is an Open Bar?
An open bar means the host pays for the drinks, and guests don’t pay for anything at the bar. It’s the most straightforward of the three terms: full access, no cash changing hands, the final bill goes to whoever’s hosting.
Open bar doesn’t automatically mean top-shelf everything, though. You can scope it down to beer and wine only, or open it up to spirits and signature cocktails. What makes it “open” is that guests aren’t paying, not what’s on the menu.
What is a Hosted Bar?
This is where the confusion usually starts. A lot of caterers and venues use “hosted bar” as a direct synonym for “open bar,” since the host is footing the bill either way. Others use “hosted” specifically to mean a curated or limited version of that: a set drink menu, a beer-and-wine-only setup, or a per-person spending cap, as distinct from a fully open, unlimited bar.
Neither use is wrong. It just means the term alone doesn’t tell you much. If a caterer offers a “hosted bar” package, the more useful question isn’t what it’s called, it’s what’s actually included: how many drink options, whether spirits are covered, and whether there’s a cap on cost or consumption.
What is a Cash Bar?
A cash bar flips who pays. Guests buy their own drinks individually, usually at standard bar prices, while the host typically still covers the bartending fee and setup. It’s the most budget-predictable option for a host, since you’re not paying for alcohol at all, only for the service that makes it available.
Some hosts avoid cash bars because it can feel less generous toward guests. Others choose one deliberately, especially for larger guest lists or events where alcohol isn’t the main focus.
What About a Partially Hosted Bar?
There’s a fourth option worth knowing, even though it doesn’t show up in the head-to-head searches: a partially hosted bar. This is a hybrid where the host covers beer and wine, and guests pay cash for spirits or premium drinks. It’s often described as a middle-ground option, since it keeps costs more predictable while still giving guests a full range of choices if they’re willing to pay for them.
What Does Each Option Typically Cost?
Pricing varies by caterer, guest count, and drink selection, but a few patterns typically hold true wherever you are in the country. Open and hosted bars with a standard selection of beer, wine, and well liquor tend to run $25 to $40 per person, with premium or top-shelf packages running higher. Beer-and-wine-only setups usually land lower, often $15 to $25 per person. Cash bars remove the per-person alcohol cost entirely, though most caterers still charge a flat bartending or setup fee.
At Event Liquor Catering, our Starter, Select, and Premium packages are all versions of a hosted or open bar, ranging from $22 to $32 per person plus a $750 bartending fee for two bartenders. Our Cash Bar Only option runs a flat $1,200, and we can also build a partially hosted setup if you want beer and wine covered with spirits available for guests to purchase.
How to Choose Between Them
A few things tend to make the decision easier:
- Cost predictability. A hosted or open bar gives you a fixed number to plan around. A cash bar shifts that variability onto guests instead.
- Guest experience. Open and hosted bars generally feel more generous, while cash bars work fine for casual or larger events where that matters less.
- Budget ceiling. If a full open bar doesn’t fit, a beer-and-wine hosted bar or a partially hosted setup often gets you most of the experience for less.
- Group size. Larger guest lists tend to push hosts toward a cash bar or partially hosted setup, simply because the per-person math on a full open bar adds up fast at scale.
There’s no universally right answer. It comes down to your guest list, your budget, and how much (or little) you want guests thinking about the bar at all.
Which Term Does Event Liquor Catering Use?
We use “hosted” and “open” more or less interchangeably, since the real distinction that matters is what’s included, not which word describes it. Our Starter, Select, and Premium packages are all versions of a host-paid bar, just at different levels of what’s poured. Cash Bar Only is exactly what it sounds like: guests pay per drink, and we handle the licensing, staffing, and setup either way.
If you’re not sure which structure makes sense for your guest count and budget, that’s a normal question to walk through during a consultation rather than something you need to figure out on your own first.
Ready to Build Your Bar?
Whichever direction you’re leaning, Event Liquor Catering can build a licensed bar package around it: hosted, open, cash, or somewhere in between.
See our packages or request a custom quote to get started.
