Beverage Census: Beer & Wine
While 19% of consumers overall are ordering more beer than a year ago, this percentage climbs to 40% for Gen Y, 35% for those earning less than $20,000 a year and 28% for Northeastern residents.
By Allison Perlik -- Restaurants and Institutions, 11/1/2008
The Facts: Beer
- While 19% of consumers overall are ordering more beer than a year ago, this percentage climbs to 40% for Gen Y, 35% for those earning less than $20,000 a year and 28% for Northeastern residents.
- Overall, 21% are ordering less beer, especially women (27%), Gen X (27%) and those living in the West (31%).
- Notable beer categories operators say are increasing in sales include microbrew tap and bottled beers (for 22% and 21% of operators, respectively), imported bottles and tap beer (25% and 21%, respectively) and seasonal brews (14%).
- Among beers consumers would like to order more but don’t typically see on menus are seasonal brews, flavored beers, organic beers and flights.
- For both beer and wine, cost is the biggest reason among customers who say they’re ordering less often, but the expense factors much more into wine orders than beer.
- Overall, 21% of consumers are ordering more wine than they did a year ago, including 39% of Gen-Y diners and 29% of Gen-X diners; 16% of consumers are ordering less wine.
- Overall, domestic white wines just edge domestic reds among operators’ top sellers, but red wines slightly outpace whites when it comes to increasing sales.
- Women, matures and diners earning $35,000 per year or more are significantly more likely to order wine by the glass than other consumers.
- In fine dining, perhaps best illustrative of up-and-coming trends, domestic reds and whites are increasing in sales most (for 36% and 29% of operators, respectively), followed by imported reds (26%), champagne and sparkling wine (16%), imported whites (14%), imported rosés (13%) and half-bottles (11%).
- Among wines consumers would order but don’t typically see on menus are organic, champagne and sparkling wine, imported white wines and sake.
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