This document describes a method and system for recommending items, such as beverages, that members of a group are likely to find appealing. When group members are identified, the system may identify one or more preference models for each member. Each preference model represents a pattern of dependency between characteristics of items that the member has rated and the member's ratings for those items. The system may develop a group preference profile by merging the patterns of dependency for each of the members into a group preference model. Then, when it receives a request for a recommendation for an item, the system uses the group preference profile to select, from a database, a candidate item having characteristics which are likely to appeal to many or all members of the group.