The news of declining alcohol sales made headlines recently — and signals a broader trend related to a rise in nonalcoholic offerings at bars and restaurants. To find out what that means for bar design, restaurant development + design asked readers.
52% of readers said their bar designs are evolving to include a greater focus on nonalcoholic offerings.
11% went so far as to say that bar size is shrinking to reflect the declining popularity of alcoholic beverages, yet 23% said that bar size is stable on their projects.
About one quarter of respondents elaborated on the state of bars, noting that “alcohol sales profit margins are too high to ignore.” Other acknowledged that as consumer habits evolve, and bars must adapt, too. This may mean fewer beer taps or offering more cocktails on tap but ultimately designing for high flexibility in part to make more mocktails. Multiple respondents noted they believe the decline is overstated.
14% said they did not have any projects with bars on the books at the time of the survey.
Still, an attractive bar can entice people to drink pre- or post-dinner or can entice them to come for entirely different occasions. Find more in "Raising the Bar."
rd+d regularly surveys subscribers on the state of restaurant development and design. This survey was fielded in February 2025. Subscribe to The Pulse to get rd+d’s surveys and results delivered to your inbox six times a year.
