As the waiter distributes the drinks we had ordered, my dad receives an Old-Fashioned, my mom a glass of white wine, and my brother a cucumber and lime martini. I have a coke. Now I love a Coca-Cola, especially served in a glass filled to the brim with ice, but it’s still just a coke. A beverage I’ve consumed a million other times. Now that I have reached the ripe age of 18, I find myself flipping to the backside of every cocktail menu, hoping for a small section of non-alcoholic drinks, in search of something slightly more sophisticated than a soda or iced tea. Although the majority of diners are well satisfied with the regular drinks menu, including a non-alcoholic selection not only enhances the dining experience for the underage or people who simply choose not to consume alcohol but also can make the restaurant itself quite a bit of money.
Makes the Non Alcohol Drinkers Feel Appreciated
Just because you do not consume alcohol, does not mean that your dining experience should be any different. Pairing a drink with a meal can elevate the whole dining experience. A glass of red wine enhances the rich and savory flavors of a steak or roasted pork and a martini matches perfectly with the sweet and briny flavors of fresh seafood such as oysters. By including a selection of mocktails, non-alcohol drinkers can also share the experience of having a beverage that perfectly complements their meal. For example on a recent visit to Safta in Denver, Colorado, I ordered their Pomegranate Blossom mocktail. In contrast to the rich, fall of the bone lamb shank we had ordered, the refreshing and tart drink worked as a palette cleanser between bites. The drink also complimented the variety of creamy and spiced dips-Lutenitsa, Labneh, and Baba Ganoush-we had received.
via Matching Food and Wine
Having some non-alcoholic beverage options has a significant effect in improving a diner’s entire meal, as well as, ensures that no one feels left out from their group simply because they do not drink.
Lots of Money in Mocktails
In addition to being beneficial for the customer, offering mocktails is equally beneficial for the restaurant. Considering that a virgin drink includes the same core ingredients as a regular cocktail, just without the alcohol, restaurants do not need to spend extra money on ingredients they do not already have in house. For example, a drink commonly made virgin is a classic mojito. A mojito usually consists of mint, lime, simple syrup, club soda, and white rum which approximately costs $0.87 to make. To make this drink non-alcoholic, simply remove the rum, lowering your cost to about $0.45 per drink. Even by pricing the non-alcoholic mojito at $4.00, slightly more expensive than a standard soda, the restaurant is still selling the beverage for about 8.9 times what it cost to make. Although a virgin mojito is likely to be on the higher end of profit margins because of its simplicity, by culminating a list of 3 to 4 non-alcoholic beverages each with at least a 300% price markup, the restaurant will be able to bring a substantial amount of profit nightly from selling to non-alcohol drinkers.
via The Mindful Mocktail
Final Thoughts
As I browse the Mocktails section of the drinks menu, I appreciate the restaurant for valuing their underage and non-alcohol drinkers. After ordering a beverage consisting of blackberry, honey, and basil, I am excited to try this flavor combination, even knowing that the restaurant is making a substantial profit on this sale, a fact I am very much okay with. In my eyes, offering a non-alcoholic drinks menu establishes a more inclusive brand image, and as silly as it may seem makes me feel a bit more like an adult.
If you enjoyed this post, go check out my previous Food Opinion article on The Chopped Cheese Sandwich, a New York Cultural Icon.
