Heres why restaurant diners are ditching wine bottles for the table
People aren’t ordering a bottle of wine for the table the way they used to, according to a new report.But industry experts say restaurants are making up for the revenue shortfall in other ways.“We believe habits have shifted away from a group ordering a bottle of (typically red) wine to share with dinner in favor of the individuals in the group choosing their own preferred drink,” Liberty Wines, a UK-based distributor, reported in its “Premium On-Trade Wine Report 2026.”The reasons for the new trend are myriad, say experts.
More consumers are prioritizing healthy living, culinary options and conscious spending.The US wine industry is grappling with one of its most painful downturns in decades as younger consumers cut back on drinking and baby boomers age out of the market, as Fox News Digital reported earlier this year.To recoup the hit from fewer bottle orders on their bottom lines, restaurant operators are raising prices elsewhere.“What we’re seeing now is a real push into non-alcoholic spirits and zero-proof programs that carry the same price point as a craft cocktail,” Sri Divel, founder of California-based marketing and brand strategy firm The Culinary CMO, told Fox News Digital.“These aren’t the soda-and-lime mocktails of ten years ago,” Divel said.“These are muddled, multi-step builds — far more intricate than what we’re used to seeing, with house-made syrups, fresh herbs, smoked elements, the works.”The non-alcoholic drink takes the same time and skill to build as a $16 cocktail, Divel said.So it commands the same price — “and the guests get a real experience instead of feeling like they’re being penalized for not drinking.
Operators who lean into this are protecting their check averages and giving the non-drinking guest a reason to come back.” Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.Please provide a valid email.
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