How to Cut Lemons Into Wedges for Drinks

Quick Answer: To cut lemon wedges for drinks, wash the lemon, trim both ends so it sits flat, halve it lengthwise, and cut each half into wedges 1/4 to 1/2 inch (about 6 to 13 mm) thick. Microplane's guide says that gives about 3 to 4 wedges per half, so 6 to 8 per lemon. Cut a slit halfway into a wedge to mount it on a rim. Refrigerate cut wedges within two hours.

The bar wedge is the simplest lemon garnish, and it is also the one that gets cut by the hundred. This guide covers the cut, the size, how many wedges one lemon gives, and how to prep a batch for service. It is the wedge chapter of our guide to cutting lemon for garnish, which also covers wheels and twists. Once cut, wedges go into a compartment of a bar caddy or one of the garnish containers we compared.

How do you cut lemons into wedges?

Steps 2 to 4 below follow Microplane's garnish guide, a tool maker's blog article (checked September 2026).

1. Wash the lemon under running water and dry it with a clean cloth or paper towel. The FDA says not to use soap, detergent or produce wash.
2. Cut off both short ends until the top and bottom are flat.
3. Stand the lemon on one flat end and cut it in half lengthwise.
4. Lay each half flat on the board and cut wedges 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
5. Pick out the seeds. Microplane gives this step for wheels, and it applies to wedges too.

Use a clean board and a sharp knife. Penn State Extension says to keep separate cutting boards for produce and for raw meat, poultry and seafood.

What size should a lemon wedge be for drinks?

Between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. Microplane says a wedge lets the drinker squeeze more juice into the drink, and that a slit cut halfway into the wedge lets it sit on the rim of the glass. A thicker wedge holds more juice but gives fewer wedges per lemon. A thinner wedge gives more wedges but less to squeeze.

Utah State University Extension says a lemon produces more juice when warm and suggests juicing at room temperature. That advice is about juicing whole lemons. No source checked for this guide gives the same for cut wedges, so do not warm wedges up to squeeze better. Cut fruit still has the two-hour limit below.

How many wedges do you get from one lemon?

About 6 to 8. Microplane's figure is about 3 to 4 wedges per half lemon at the thickness above. The table below is arithmetic on that figure, not a measured yield, and it rounds up to whole lemons.

How do you prep lemon wedges for a shift?

Cut in batches sized to about two hours of service, and keep the rest of the lemons whole. Penn State Extension says to refrigerate fresh produce within two hours of cutting and to discard cut produce left at room temperature longer. The FDA's storage page shortens the limit to one hour when the air is above 90°F (32°C). Utah State University Extension says to use lemons as quickly as possible after cutting.

Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before you start, as the FDA advises. The FDA Food Code 2026 says food employees should not touch exposed ready-to-eat food with bare hands and should use tongs, spatulas or single-use gloves, so move wedges into the container and onto drinks with tongs. The Food Code is a model code, and your local health department enforces its own version.

When is a wedge the wrong cut?

When the drink's spec calls for something else. IBA (checked September 2026) lists a lemon twist on a Cosmopolitan and an orange slice or zest on an Old Fashioned. A wedge is also the wrong cut on a slow night: cut a lemon or two rather than a batch that will sit past two hours.

Where the Esatto Small Condiment Holder With 4 - 1 Pint Inserts fits

Esatto makes and sells the Small Condiment Holder With 4 - 1 Pint Inserts, 12 Pourers & 12 Pourer Covers, Black. It is our own product, not an independent pick. Its page lists four 1 pint inserts, 473 ml (16 fl oz) each, made of ABS plastic, with lemon wedges in one and other garnish in the rest. The page says to wash it and let it dry. It also comes with 12 pourers and 12 pourer covers.

For a busier bar, the Black Condiment Holder 6 - 1 Pint Inserts has six inserts and a muddler. More sets are on the products page.

Frequently asked questions

How do you cut lemon wedges for drinks?

Wash the lemon, trim both ends, halve it lengthwise, and cut each half into wedges 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Pick out the seeds. Cut a slit halfway into a wedge if it will sit on a glass rim.

How do you cut lemon wedges for garnish?

The cut is the same as for a drink. Cut the slit only in wedges that will go on a rim, and refrigerate what you cut within two hours.

What is the best way to cut lemon wedges?

Use a sharp knife on a clean board, cut the lemon in half lengthwise, then slice each half into wedges of the same thickness. Microplane says a sharp knife gives a clean cut.

How do you cut lemon wedges for squeezing?

Use a wedge, not a wheel, since Microplane says wedges let the drinker squeeze more juice into the drink. Pick a thickness in the 1/4 to 1/2 inch range. Thicker means fewer wedges per lemon.

How do you cut bar lemons for a busy shift?

Cut in batches for about two hours of service, keep the rest whole, and refill from the refrigerator. In hot weather above 90°F (32°C), the limit for cut fruit is one hour.

How many wedges are in a lemon?

About 6 to 8, from Microplane's figure of 3 to 4 wedges per half lemon at 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

What is the proper way to cut a lemon wedge for a rim?

Cut the wedge as above, then cut a slit halfway into the flesh and set the slit over the rim of the glass. Microplane describes this mount for wedges.