Print
Close
Diners ditching bottles of wine for the table as healthy living and rising costs reshape restaurant habits
By Teresa Mull
Published May 16, 2026
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 U.K.-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.
WINE SALES SLIPPING IN US AS MORE AMERICANS LEAVE ALCOHOL BEHIND
The U.S. 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.
Consumers are increasingly opting to order wine by the glass rather than by the bottle, industry experts report. (iStock)
"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.
WHAT HAPPENS TO OPENED WINE — AND HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT'S GONE BAD
"These aren't the soda-and-lime mocktails of 10 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.
"Two glasses at $14 to $18 each feels manageable. An $80 bottle feels like a commitment."
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."
EATING OUT GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE AS AMERICANS HIT 'MENU PRICE FATIGUE' NATIONWIDE
Monika Elling, CEO and founder of New York-based zero-sugar Prosecco company Lo Secco Prosecco, told Fox News Digital that restaurants "have priced drinks to no longer align with long-accepted, aggressive markups."
Elling relayed an eye-watering bill she and a colleague received when they recently went out for drinks.
Restaurants are catering to a new crowd of consumers who prefers non-alcoholic drinks, such as mocktails. (iStock)
"She had an $18 mocktail, and I had a $27 martini," Elling said. "The total with tax was $49, plus tip. We did not eat, yet we paid over $60 for two drinks."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Rather than going big on a bottle at a restaurant, Elling said that "people are opting to drink at home, pregame. [They'll] drink one glass during dinner — no longer two drinks or a bottle of wine."
"I feel that more bottles would actually be sold if people weren't intimidated talking to sommeliers."
"Two glasses at $14 to $18 each feels manageable," Divel said.
"An $80 bottle feels like a commitment. The bottle used to be the default for a table of four. Now it's the exception. Throw in the fact that guests can pull up the retail price on their phone and see your markup in real time, and the bottle is getting a much harder look than it used to."
Restaurant-goers increasingly seek to try a variety of options, rather than committing to an entire bottle of wine. (iStock)
Vinny Catalano, the "vinfluencer" behind the California-based "Vines with Vinny" Instagram account, said he's begun to see non-alcohol bubbles being offered "at prices comparable to alcoholic beverages."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
Asked about the wine-drinking experience by the glass compared with a bottle, Catalano said, "If the wine has been opened that day and served the same day, then there's little difference in the taste of the wine."
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
What is lost, though, Catalano told Fox News Digital, "is the romance of the experience of popping a bottle table-side."
He added, "I feel that more bottles would actually be sold if people weren't intimidated about talking to sommeliers."
An influencer told Fox News Digital that people are missing out on "the romance of the experience of popping a bottle table-side." (iStock)
"I always engage the sommelier, talk about what we're planning to eat, wine regions I like — and give a price cap of what I'm willing to spend. I have always gotten a great result, especially at places with big wine lists."
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Another option for people looking to keep the wine-bottle tradition alive while cutting costs is to bring their own bottle and pay for corkage, Catalano suggested.
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/diners-ditching-bottles-wine-table-healthy-living-rising-costs-reshape-restaurant-habits