Diners Swap $80 Wine Bottles for $14 Glasses as Non-Alcoholic Drinks Gain Ground

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 16

$80 wine bottles are losing favor at restaurants as diners increasingly choose wine by the glass or non-alcoholic drinks, according to Liberty Wines' 2026 on-trade report.
Health-minded and budget-conscious consumers are driving the shift, while younger drinkers cut back and older baby boomers age out of the market.
Restaurants are cushioning the hit with zero-proof cocktails priced like alcohol—often $14 to $18, with some mocktails at $18—because they require similar labor and preserve check averages.
High menu markups are also pushing customers away from bottles: two drinks can top $60 with tax and tip, while guests can easily compare restaurant bottle prices with retail on their phones.
The change is reshaping wine service from a shared table ritual toward individualized orders, though some industry voices say better sommelier guidance or corkage could keep bottle sales alive.

As mocktails now cost as much as martinis, is the era of the restaurant wine bottle officially over?

With non-alcoholic sales booming, why is the U.S. alcohol market still projected to grow by hundreds of billions?

Can new 'functional' mocktails with mood-lifting ingredients truly replicate the social experience of a traditional cocktail?