2026 Beverage Trends report - Member download

Turn your drink offerings into liquid gold

Beverage menus are powerful sales drivers. The National Restaurant Association’s just-released 2026 Beverage Trends report can help restaurant operators understand what guests want to drink now, where demand is headed, and how beverage innovation can support traffic, sales, and customer loyalty. 

Key takeaways: 

• Younger consumers are the most active and adventurous beverage customers 

• Gen Zs and millennials drive beverage-only occasions, especially mid-afternoon 

• Consumers want more choice across channels, particularly lemonades, juices, smoothies, teas, coffee drinks, craft sodas, and other flavor-forward nonalcohol options 

• Alcohol beverages are relevant, especially for fullservice operations, but success increasingly depends on discovery, local sourcing, tastings, pairings, events, and convenient takeout or delivery formats where legally permitted 

• Off-premises beverage service remains underdeveloped: many guests don’t regularly add beverages to takeout and delivery orders, but 83% of delivery customers say they’d order beverages more often if they were better packaged 

With the right strategies in place, restaurants will offer guests more reasons to visit, trade up, customize, and return. The report aligns drink offerings with today’s expectations and the consumer interest that could turn them into profitable beverage-menu offerings. 

Our findings can help guide menu innovation efforts and align beverage strategy across locations and brands; spot opportunities early; differentiate your concepts from your competition; and assist you in making better, more efficient beverage program decisions for your businesses. 

As a National Restaurant Asoociation Member, you can download the full report, executive summary and member-only checklist for free.