With the meteoric rise in Gen Z non-drinkers, a varied alcohol-free offering is non-negotiable.
While previously, customers seeking zero percent alcohol options had to be content with a soft drink or a glass of water, such limitations won’t fly with today’s diners. Now, they’re on the hunt for the same great taste of their favourite alcoholic drink, but without the perceived health negatives. And with an enormous range of low and no-alcohol beers, wines, and spirits now available in supermarkets, diners expect restaurants to follow suit and improve their selection.
Not only does expanding your non-alcoholic range of drinks make your menu more inclusive and potentially introduce you to a broader variety of diners, but a strong alcohol-free lineup can boost your revenue, as those shunning the booze won’t simply stick to tap water or a cheap soft drink.
Here’s everything you need to know about creating a delicious and exciting non-alcoholic drinks menu in your restaurant.
Why your restaurant needs great alcohol-free options
Every year, more people participate in Dry January, where they commit to ditching alcohol for the entire month. According to Alcohol Change UK, 8 million British people took part in 2025, attempting to go 31 days off alcohol, with a further 8.8 million cutting down over the month. Interestingly, previous research shows that 70% of those who participate in Dry January are still drinking less alcohol six months later.
But many diners aren’t shunning alcohol just for Dry January. More people than ever before are living tee-total or sober-curious lifestyles for a variety of reasons. Firstly, there’s an increased awareness of the physical and mental health side effects that can come with drinking booze, with some people cutting down to improve their overall wellbeing.
Secondly, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has forced people to rethink their spending habits and budgets more carefully. The average price of a pint in the UK has risen to £5.17, up from £3.70 pre-COVID pandemic, and customers’ tightening budgets are less accommodating for unnecessary spending on increasingly pricy alcoholic drinks. However, due to costs associated with the brewing process, the time it takes to brew, and the growing popularity of these drinks, some alcohol-free beers are now almost as expensive as their alcoholic counterparts.
But the biggest factor? Gen Z are leading the way in reducing their alcohol consumption. Nearly half of the UK’s young adults do not drink, and this generation is increasingly prioritising social situations and hobbies that aren’t centred around alcohol consumption.
Whether diners are completely tee-total, designated drivers, or simply don’t want to drink alcohol sometimes, you need to have delicious booze-free options to cater to everyone.
Every restaurant will have its own approach to crafting its low or zero-percent drink offering based on its cuisine, customer base, and ethos, but we’ll run through some options that will help point you in the right direction.
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Low and no alcohol beers, wines, and spirits
The simplest, and perhaps most obvious, way to bulk up your non-alcoholic drinks menu is by investing in a selection of high-quality low alcohol and no-alcohol beers, wines, and spirits. This way, diners can enjoy the comforts of a familiar drink with an alternative tee-total twist.
This market has grown rapidly in recent years, so you’ll have a huge variety to choose from, at a range of prices. Where possible, look for local or independent suppliers so you can offer diners something they can’t buy at the supermarket. Of course, it’s always good to include a couple of alcohol-free versions of big-name favourites like Heineken or Tanqueray for customers who aren’t feeling as adventurous.
From gin to cider, there’s a tasty non-alcoholic alternative to almost every single drink out there, so narrow it down to the drinks you know your diners are most likely to order. You could also include a hand-picked selection of unique botanical aperitifs or functional CBD drinks for customers who want to try something completely different.
Making irresistible mocktails
Mocktails have long been a staple of bar and restaurant menus, but gone are the days when your only option was a Shirley Temple.
As diners’ taste buds have evolved over the years, so has their desire for new and interesting flavour combinations. So while it’s good to offer zero-proof versions of classic cocktails like an espresso martini or mojito, you can also come up with one-off mocktail recipes to tempt customers who’d usually opt for alcohol.
You can use one (or more!) of the many zero-proof spirits available on the market as your base, before adding other sweet, sour, spicy, or herbal flavours to deepen the taste. The great thing about using these drinks in your mocktail recipes is that diners know they’re getting more for their money with the addition of a zero-proof spirit, so you can price these drinks slightly higher to boost your profits.
Alternatively, you could create your own infused sugar syrups to use as the basis for tasty but easy mocktails, using fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices. Fermented drinks like kombucha can also add a unique taste to your mocktails, as well as bonus gut health-boosting properties.
Offering a booze-free alternative to a wine pairing
If your restaurant offers a set menu, an optional wine pairing is a lucrative source of additional revenue. But if you’re not offering a non-alcoholic alternative to a food and wine pairing, you’re missing a major trick.
When diners opt for a wine pairing, they’re opting into a special, one-of-a-kind experience they know you’ve put time and thought behind. So, make sure you can offer an equally memorable experience for customers who don’t want to drink alcohol.
This could be as straightforward as pairing a different low or no-alcohol wine with each course based on its notes and flavour profile, specially selected by your bar team or sommelier to enhance the dining experience.
Or, if you want to get creative, you can come up with a selection of mocktails featuring ingredients that complement each dish. For example, you could offer a tangy virgin Bloody Mary alongside a salad starter, an elderflower spritz with fish, or a coffee-flavoured mocktail with a rich chocolate dessert.
Whichever non-alcoholic drinks you add to your menu, display them clearly so customers don’t feel awkward asking their server for your selection. You could even include low-alcohol and no-alcohol beers and wines among the main beer and wine lists to make your menu extra inclusive.
Adding a diverse alcohol-free menu to your restaurant’s offerings is a brilliant way to entice new diners, increase revenue, and showcase your creativity and versatility.
Find out how you can get your menu in front of even more diners when you sign up to TheFork by chatting with our team today.
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