National Restaurant Association finds beverages can drive growth

The Association’s 2026 Restaurant Beverage Trends report reveals that consumers are seeking drink-centric experiences and restaurants are working to meet the demand. Beverage innovation has moved front and center at restaurants, as the demand for new flavors, expanded menus, and beverage-centric experiences continues to rise. And that innovation is becoming a growth driver for restaurants.

That’s according to the "2026 Restaurant Beverage Trends" report released by the National Restaurant Association and sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. An overwhelming majority (87%) of full-service operators and 80% of limited-service operators say beverages can be an important driver of restaurant traffic, while majorities in both segments say offering a larger variety of drinks is more important than it used to be.

“Beverages are more than just a drink for today's consumers — they’re looking for something that feels personal, memorable, and worth going out for,” Michelle Korsmo, president & CEO of the National Restaurant Association, said in a statement. “Our Restaurant Beverage Trends report shows a real opportunity for restaurant operators. Beverages can help restaurants stand out, deliver more value to guests, and drive growth through an elevated experience, unique flavors, and customizable options.”

The rise of beverage-focused concepts like Swig, HTeaO, and even coffee chains such as Ziggi’s and Scooter’s has ratcheted up the competition for inventive drink menus. Chain restaurants are trying to keep pace, expanding their beverage lineups way beyond branded sodas and iced tea to house-crafted drinks that change seasonally.

The report claims that younger consumers — Gen Z and millennials — are powering the trend, with 71% saying their favorite restaurant beverages provide flavor experiences that cannot easily be replicated at home, and roughly seven in 10 younger adults want more beverage options on menus. That said, 72% percent of all consumers surveyed say restaurants are a good place to learn about beverages they have never tried before, while 54% say they enjoy being adventurous when selecting a beverage.

Beverage-only purchases are emerging as a major growth opportunity for restaurants in today’s value-driven landscape, particularly among younger consumers. Thirty-seven percent of consumers make beverage-only purchases at least weekly, including 50% of Gen Z adults and 47% of millennials.

The afternoon is the most popular time of day for beverage-only purchases, creating new opportunities for restaurants to drive traffic beyond traditional meal occasions. But the survey data suggest that beverages are serving as more than thirst-quenchers or a means of refreshment.

There’s an increased demand for functional and wellness-focused beverages, as well as customized drinks that provide novelty and memorable experiences. Rather than simply expanding the beverage selection, operators need to create a “smarter” menu mix, according to the report. The survey respondents seem to be going in that direction.

Limited-service operators are focused on growth categories such as coffee (46%), tea (31%), smoothies (29%), lemonades (27%), energy drinks (26%), and wellness beverages (24%), while full-service operators are expanding both traditional and emerging alcohol offerings, including mixed cocktails (55%), alcohol-free cocktails (49%), beer (45%), wine (42%) and alcohol-free beer (39%). There are also opportunities in delivery, but beverage packaging hasn’t kept up with demand. Eighty-three percent of delivery customers say they would include drinks in their orders more often if improved packaging allowed restaurants to offer more beverage options.

Among Gen Z and millennial consumers, that figure rises to 89%. Additionally, two-thirds of restaurant operators say they would increase beverage promotion for delivery if packaging improvements made transportation easier.

The National Restaurant Association’s "2026 Restaurant Beverage Trends" report is based on surveys of operators and consumers conducted by association economists.