A new Harris Poll reveals millennials and Gen X still drive alcohol sales in restaurants, while Gen Z mixes drinks, formats, and expectations.
Alcohol may still be the default for many American diners, but the latest Harris Poll suggests drinking habits are shifting. While older generations continue to reach for beer, wine, and cocktails, Gen Z is redefining what it means to drink out, focusing more on flexibility, aesthetics, and mood than tradition.
Millennials are still loyal alcohol buyers when dining out, but Gen Z’s beverage habits are harder to pin down, according to new Harris Poll data.
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What the new Harris Poll reveals about U.S. beverage behavior
In a nationally representative survey conducted by Harris in partnership with eMarketer, 36 percent of Americans reported that alcohol is their preferred restaurant beverage, slightly ahead of soda at 29 percent and water at 21 percent. But in practice, the most commonly ordered items are still non-alcoholic: 89 percent said they ordered water in the past 30 days, and 78 percent ordered soda.
Alcohol remains a strong presence, with 69 percent of diners saying they ordered at least one alcoholic drink recently. Cocktails topped the alcohol category, followed by beer, spirits, and wine. While the overall preference is clear, the details begin to diverge once you look at generational breakdowns.
Millennials still drive alcohol sales, especially with repeat orders
Millennials continue to be the most reliable customers for restaurants selling alcohol. Fifty percent say alcohol is their default drink when dining out, compared to just 25 percent of Gen Z. They also reported significantly more repeat orders over the past month—especially for beer, spirits, and wine.
This makes millennials a priority for alcohol brands and on-premise sales strategies. Libby Rodney, the Chief Strategy Officer at The Harris Poll, explained it this way: “Millennials treat alcohol as their ticket to transform ordinary meals into curated experiences.”
That framing reflects how millennials approach dining more broadly. For them, alcohol isn’t just about the drink itself. It’s part of the atmosphere, the photo, the story. The consistency in their ordering habits gives restaurants a clearer target, at least for now.
Gen Z doesn’t reject alcohol, but their approach is different
Gen Z is drinking less often and with less predictability. While a quarter say alcohol is their default drink, they’re more likely to choose soda when dining out. When they do order alcohol, it’s often more about timing and tone than tradition.
The difference is that this generation isn’t wedded to one kind of drink when dining out. Sometimes it’s about price, sometimes it’s about where they are, and sometimes it just comes down to what looks good. They might order a cocktail, a fancy soda, or nothing at all. What they’re drinking tends to shift based on the mood, not the menu category.
Rodney puts it simply: “Gen Z approaches drinking like a strategic choice, they’ll sip a craft cocktail or a soda with equal enthusiasm, depending on what fits their mood and wallet.”
Mocktails are rising, but not replacing alcohol
Interest in non-alcoholic drinks is growing. Roughly a third of adults said they ordered a mocktail or alcohol-free alternative in the past 30 days. But most of those who ordered them weren’t abstaining altogether. A 2023 Harris Poll found that only 4 percent of young adults who drink mocktails are fully sober.
The rest are blending categories. Mocktails aren’t a replacement so much as another option—something to reach for when the setting calls for it. Whether for wellness reasons, flavor variety, or aesthetics, these beverages are now part of the mix without taking over the space alcohol holds in restaurant culture.
That’s backed up by other findings: 67 percent of young adults said alcohol still feels more festive than its non-alcoholic counterparts, and 43 percent said they feel uncomfortable abstaining in group settings when others are drinking.
How brands are responding to the split
Some alcohol brands are already adapting their strategies to reach Gen Z’s more fluid preferences. Spindrift has introduced both spiked seltzers and mocktails, giving drinkers the option to choose based on the occasion. Bacardi has brought back its colorful 1990s-era Breezers with nostalgic packaging and bold flavors. The Fun Wine Company is leaning into portability and playfulness, with canned wine cocktails designed to stand out visually as much as in taste.
These moves suggest that brands are catching on. Gen Z may not drink as often, but when they do, they’re looking for something that matches the moment—whether that’s an all-day brunch, a group dinner, or something Instagram-worthy to hold in a photo.
Alcohol remains a central part of the American dining experience, but the patterns behind it are shifting. Millennials and Gen X are still driving volume, but Gen Z is the generation setting the tone. For restaurants and brands alike, the next step isn’t to abandon alcohol, but to better understand how, when, and why it gets ordered.
