Going Dry: The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Bars in the US
By
Jane Shaw
Senior Editor Updated: 05/18/2023
We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.
The alcohol industry better move over…because non-alcoholic drinks are in town, and it seems as though they’re here to stay. In fact, non-alcoholic (NA) drink consumption is expected to increase by a third by 2026, according to the International Wine and Spirit Research’s Drinks Market Analysis.
We wanted to know why this trend is sweeping the nation, and where NA drinks are making the biggest splash. So, we conducted a study across the U.S. to see how many Americans are cutting back on alcohol and their reasons for doing so. We also assessed demand for NA bars and beverages to see where the greatest opportunities in the country are for non-alcoholic beverages and social experiences.
Key Takeaways
- 67% of Americans are actively reducing their alcohol consumption
- NYC has the most sober bars of any city in the country, at 23
- While 86% of Americans don’t have access to a sober bar, 51% want access
- 7% of drinkers are ditching alcohol for physical health or mental health reasons
The Top U.S. Cities Embracing the Sober Bar Movement
So, where’s the best place to live if you’re into sipping non-alcoholic drinks? New York City, baby! Manhattan has the most sober bars of any major city, with a total of 23, according to SoberBarFinder.
The climate isn’t the only thing dry about Mesa, Arizona. It ranks second in the US with 21 sober bars. The next best city for sober sippers—Denver, Colorado—has just 12, which really puts into perspective how popular NA bars already are in the top two cities.
San Diego and Boston are last on the list, with a measly two sober bars each. The average number of bars focused on mocktails and non-alcoholic beer is just six per major U.S. city.
U.S. Cities With the Highest Demand for More Sober Bars
Denver, Colorado, was the city with the most residents interested in visiting a sober bar , with an incredible 82% saying they would. Just behind Denver was Minneapolis, MN, with 80% responding positively to the idea of going out to a specialty bar for an alcohol-free beverage.
There were two other cities where three-quarters of the population said they would hit up a sober bar:
- Charlotte, NC – 75% said they would visit
- Houston, TX – 75% said they would visit
Really, no matter which major city you ask, most residents are interested in supporting the non-alcoholic drink scene. Of the 50 largest cities in the country, more than half of the residents in 17 of them have interest in alcohol-free social events and dry bars.
Of those 17, 62% of the residents in each , on average, would give their patronage to a sober bar, provided they had access to one. That’s a whole lot of virgin old fashioneds just waiting to be sipped.
Americans Want Non-Alcoholic Options, But Lack Access
Based on our survey results, a staggering 86% of Americans don’t have access to an establishment that focuses on non-alcoholic drink options. Compare that to the 51% that said they want access, and you’ve got a killer opportunity if you’re an NA bar owner looking to expand or someone aspiring to open your first one.
That 51% is right in line with the 45% of drinkers that reported they frequently turn to non-alcoholic drinks as a healthier alternative to alcoholic ones. Only 9% of our survey participants reported that they never sub-out their alcoholic mixed drinks for mocktails.
Denver, Colorado, shows the greatest promise for a budding NA drink scene, with just 12 sober bars in the entire city and 82% of residents noting they would visit one if they had the opportunity.
Why the Shift to Non-Alcoholic Drinks?
Out of all our survey respondents, a massive 67% said they were trying to reduce alcohol consumption. Bad news for Budweiser! But why are alcohol drinkers turning to NA options, and why is the alcohol-free beverage industry booming right now? The #1 reason—reported by 41% of drinkers—is that they simply want a lifestyle change.
Just over a third of those drinkers said they were making a change for physical health reasons, and 23% were considering ditching alcohol or reducing consumption to improve their mental health. Mental health has become a bigger topic in recent years, and we recommend that you check out our responsible gambling guide before you dip your toes into the world of online casinos.
And it’s not just people saying they’ll make a change, either. There has been a real-world attraction to NA options across the country. We reached out to Rob Theodorow, the NA Beverage Curator at Generation NA, an alcohol-free bar and shop in Lafayette, IN, to get his take on the increase in interest in non-alcoholic beverages.
We opened one year ago (May 2022) and have seen sales increase every month. It’s not just a fad for Dry January. It’s a growing trend, and it’s here to stay.
Americans seem to be seeking alternative methods to achieve time-honored traditions, according to Rob.
People like having options. Most customers drink for three reasons: the taste, to relax, or for social expectations. A non-alcoholic bottle shop can cover all of these, without the hangovers.
We also spoke with Samantha, the bar manager at Pinky’s Westside, a bar and grill in Charlotte, NC.
“There has definitely been a rise in requests for non-alcoholic beverages or mocktails over the last few years. We have recently added several new non-alcoholic items to our cocktail menu [and] definitely will continue to add new NA options to accommodate everyone.
So in some cities, people are not only reporting they would visit a sober bar, but bars are also seeing an uptick in requests for alcohol-free options.
The Future Is Alcohol-Free
The data couldn’t be clearer: drinkers and non-drinkers alike want non-alcoholic options, and most already turn to alcohol-free beverages as an alternative in some cases. The fact remains, though, that the NA drink industry will need to grow a heck of a lot more to keep up with demand. More than half of Americans want access to a sober bar, and only 14% already have it.
Methodology
We surveyed 1,000 Americans in May 2023 to ask questions about interest in sober bars and NA beverages. The average age of our respondents was 37. 58% of the participants were female, 40% were male, and 2% identified as non-binary/other. We also used data from SoberBarFinder to identify the cities with the most sober bars.
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