Shifts in drinking habits bring big changes at the bar

People still want to socialize around drinks, but what and when they drink is changing. | Photo courtesy of Monin.

The statistics may be enough to convince a bartender or beverage director to toss the cocktail shaker in the trash. 

Data varies, but it mostly points to the fact that younger consumers are drinking less alcohol. According to a Consumer Sentiment Survey by NCSolutions, a Circana company, 65% of Gen Z planned to drink less in 2025 and 39% planned a completely dry lifestyle.  

And the trend is not limited to Gen Z. The same survey found that 49% of all Americans planned to drink less in 2025, up from 41% in 2024.

Granted, this survey was taken during “Dry January,” when plans to cut back are made but not always kept. Recent stats from Technomic are a little more encouraging for bar owners:

•  37% of consumers are purchasing alcohol at casual dining and bars

• While the fastest-growing beverage category on restaurant menus is alcohol-free (up 18.7%), spirits are up 7.8% and specialty cocktails up 4.8%

• “Zebra striping” is on the increase; switching off between alcoholic and zero-proof drinks at bars and restaurants. Among guests who ordered an adult beverage, 30% paired that with a nonalcoholic cocktail, beer or wine

Outback’s serves both a full-strength and alcohol-free version of its Puggle Splash, adding an element of fun to the experience. | Photo courtesy of Outback Steakhouse.

“Moderation culture is happening, but that’s not about everyone quitting drinking,” said Erica Deucy, founder of the Business of Drinks strategic advisory company and podcast. “It’s a story about consumers editing what they drink, and this offers more opportunity for operators to expand their choices at the bar; integrating low-ABV, no-ABV and full-strength drinks into one menu.” 

Whether we call it zebra striping, flexi-drinking, mindful consumption or sober curiosity, these customers are looking for more choices. 

Crafting a drinks list

At Milly’s, a neighborhood bar in Brooklyn, New York, master mixologist and co-owner Lynnette Marrero offers an eclectic mix of flavor-forward cocktails in several categories: low-alcohol, nonalcoholic and full-proof. Her goal is to create beautiful cocktails that people can’t do at home with ingredients they often don’t have on hand. 

Beautiful glassware is a selling point. | Photo courtesy of Milly’s. 

The Red House, for example, is a blend of rum, ginger, hibiscus and lemon and can be made full-strength or zero-proof, while Le Moné-Ade is a low-ABV drink crafted with Meyer lemon, elderflower, quinquina (similar to vermouth), white wine and soda. All are integrated into the same list.

“It’s a bar where everyone can get what they want,” Marrero said. Nonalcoholic (N/A) sales are outpacing spirits on some nights and pricing is thoughtful, she adds, with specialty cocktails going for $16-$17, classics for $15 and zero-proof drinks in the range of $12-$15.

Tempo by Hilton was a pioneer in the mindful drinking space, launching a Spirited and Free-Spirited cocktail program in 2023. The original list included nine signature drinks where the recipes used the same ingredients, swapping in nonalcoholic products in the Free-Spirited cocktails for the traditional tequila, vodka and bourbon. The presentation and flavor of the drinks mirrored each other, and the dual-branded program listed all the options on the same menu. “Over 25% of the cocktails ordered were Free-Spirited,” said Kevin Morgan, global brand leader of Tempo by Hilton.  

This January, a refreshed lineup is coming to the five Tempo by Hilton properties. “We turbo-charged the program, partnering with expert Derek Brown to create 10 new drinks,” said Morgan. Brown is the founder of the Drink Company, which is dedicated to fostering mindful drinking and a more inclusive bar culture through innovative no- and low-alcohol cocktails. He not only capitalized on the improved quality and larger number of brands in the N/A category, he incorporated functional ingredients and house-made tinctures into the recipes.

Sage Against the Machine is one the drinks debuting on Tempo’s new Spirited and Free-Spirited menu. | Photo courtesy of Tempo by Hilton.

Rye of the Tiger, for example, uses a tincture made from Lion’s Mane mushrooms, believed to promote brain health and have anti-inflammatory properties. Brown combined the tincture with maple syrup, orange bitters and rye in the Spirited cocktail, and substituted Lyre’s American Malt for rye in the Free-Spirited version. Both are garnished with a dehydrated pineapple wheel.

Sage Against the Machine, another Brown-crafted drink, swaps in Fluère Botanical for gin; both versions of the cocktail are mixed with lemon juice, celery bitters, aquafaba for foaminess and Nogave syrup. Nogave is a sustainable product that mimics agave; the latter has been over-harvested to meet the increased demand for tequila, mezcal and agave syrup. Pricing is market-dependent, but for the most part, the Spirited and Free-Spirited drinks are close in price. “The same craftsmanship goes into both and the N/A products are similar in cost,” said Morgan.

As at Milly’s, the trend is to weave N/A, low-alcohol and full-strength options throughout the drinks menu, not isolate them into separate categories, said Deucy. “Flexi-drinkers may order all three at the same visit—starting with a cocktail then moving on to a lower or no-alcohol option.”

She agrees that “mirror menus” like Tempo’s are the best approach for a restaurant or bar. “Build non-alcoholic versions of your most popular cocktails, like a negroni or margarita, and serve it in the same glassware,” said Deucy. “That allows all drinkers to have the same experience.”

Spritzes are gaining fans as lower-alcohol alternatives. | Photo: Shutterstock

She also sees spritz culture really taking off. Spritzes use wine—both sparkling and still—as the alcohol base, which lowers the proof of the drink. “Wine cocktails and spritzes are menu must-haves and growth drivers,” said Deucy. Indeed, Tempo’s top-selling cocktail over the past two years was the Amalfi Toast—a spritz crafted with Lyre’s Italian Spritz, white cranberry juice, Lyre’s Italian Orange and bitters in the N/A version, with vodka and Aperol standing in for the buzzy drink.

Mood-centric menus  

Functional ingredients (like the lion’s mane mushrooms in Tempo’s Eye of the Tiger) are increasingly finding their way into cocktails. “Lemon balm, ginger, turmeric and similar Ingredients can give you a ‘better buzz’ and lift your mood,” said Marrero. Consumers, especially younger ones, are looking for ways to have an adult experience and relax without alcohol.

Toward that end, Marrero joined Aplós, a rapidly growing nonalcoholic spirit brand, as liquid creative director. Aplós focuses on functional ingredients such as hemp, adaptogens and mushrooms that produce a calming, uplifting or energizing effect. Marrero helped develop the ready-to-drink cocktails with flavor profiles that mimic popular drinks: Kola Fashioned, Ume Spritz, Chili Margarita and Mandora Negroni, sold in cans at her bar and others as well. There’s also Aplós Arise and Aplós Ease, zero-proof spirits that can serve as the base for house-crafted cocktails built around how people want to feel.  

“Aplós is now served at Cote, a high-end Korean steakhouse in New York City,” said Deucy. On the menu is Cratos, a mix of Arise, watermelon, electrolytes, ginger and lime, and the Ume Spritz, a blend of plum, lion’s mane, magnesium, hemp and grapefruit; both are $15. 

Mentioning the functional ingredients contained in a cocktail can double sales, according to the company, and restaurants have the opportunity to market drinks around mood states, said Deucy. “More bars and restaurants will call out functional attributes to differentiate the cocktail list,” she predicts. 

The only drawback is the potential ban on hemp products looming next year, an indication that the federal government as well as local agencies are seeking more regulation. But ingredients like mushrooms and most botanicals should be safe. 

The rise of the ‘daycap’ 

Consumers are reshaping how and when they go out, said Deucy, which is giving rise to “afternoon society” and “daycaps”—cocktails enjoyed in the late afternoon to close the workday. “Gen Z wants to go out at 4 p.m.” she said. It’s the new iteration of happy hour and alternative to late night drinking.

Deucy cites recent data from the Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report which shows that 30%-40% of people are going out earlier and seeking lighter, more intentional drinking occasions—a trend led by younger consumers. “Around the world, we’re seeing a move towards more meaningful drinking moments whether that means in-person get-togethers with friends, discovering flavors rooted in local culture or embracing new forms of creative expression through cocktails,” said Sean Kerry, VP for global for Bacardi, in a statement.

Milly’s living room-style design invites guests to gather. | Photo courtesy of Milly’s. 

Milly’s is leaning into this trend, said Marrero, nurturing the bar as a gathering place. “It’s that ‘third place’ motivation, a comfortable spot to get together with friends or colleagues,” she said. “Milly’s looks like a living room and exudes warmth and hospitality, with a DJ playing good music on weekends.” 

Gen Z and millennials are gravitating toward these kinds of bars—less raucous, more inviting spaces that encourage connectivity and community. Local spirits often come into play, too. Some of Milly’s inventory is in local spirits, and Marrero calls them out on the menu as “they tell a nice story,” she said. 

Indeed, storytelling is playing a bigger role in cocktail culture. “Bars can tap into local distilleries not to replace but to elevate a program,” said Deucy. “Regional and local sell and tell a good story,” she agreed.

Looking ahead

As we head into 2026, smart operators will continue to offer a menu mix of N/A, low-alcohol and full-strength drinks. But what flavors, formats and presentations will meet consumers’ drink expectations? 

While classic cocktails, spritzes and zero-proof spirits are table stakes, color and flavor will have an impact as well. “We’ll see more dynamic flavors and stacking of flavors; up to nine flavors stacked in one drink, as well as culinary-inspired cocktails,” said Michael Moberly, beverage innovation manager at Monin, a supplier of syrups and purees to bars and restaurants. 

He predicts banana, coconut and savory flavors to trend upward, and more complex sweet flavors. 

Drinks that are colorful and Instagrammable have the potential to go viral. | Photo courtesy of Monin. 

Color is also a draw. “Colors move drinks and give a cocktail personality,” he said. Pair that with eye-catching glassware and garnishes, and the drink has a good chance of going viral—a feat Outback accomplished with its Puggle Splash, available in both a boozy and nonalcoholic version. The casual-dining chain served each version with a plastic egg containing color-changing butterfly pea tea to create an interactive experience. Guests stirred the tea into the drink to turn it purple and got to take home the platypus toy garnish.

In the end, “people want to have fun when they drink,” said Moberly.

Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast. She provides in-depth coverage of chefs, trends and menu innovation.

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