Crafting a Non-Alcoholic Mocktail Menu for Your Restaurant

It's been a hundred years since the era of flappers and speakeasies, but the 1920s and the 2020s share something in common: no-alcohol and low-alcohol drinks are all the rage.

This time around, however, Prohibition isn't why zero-proof cocktails have become a mainstay on menus. Rather, restaurants are catering to a generation of sober-curious guests who have come to believe that the costs of alcohol consumption — both in terms of their health and their bank accounts — just aren't worth it.

Given that alcoholic beverages represent some of the simplest and highest markups and some of the most lucrative profit margins, where does this leave restaurants?

Simply put, it puts them in the prime position of providing more innovative and inclusive drink offerings through a well-crafted mocktail menu, with a selection that looks and tastes just as great as their traditional cocktails.

There's no one reason why consumers are drinking less alcohol. Some of your guests may be designated drivers for their groups. Some may be on their personal path to sobriety. Some may be on medications, or they may be pregnant.

Regardless of why people aren't drinking alcohol, they still deserve to have a fun night out on the town and savor a sophisticated, beautifully designed beverage without having to order from a second-rate section of the menu down by the soft drinks. Diversity and inclusivity are crucial for the modern menu.

For Gen Z guests, common reasons for abstaining from alcohol are to avoid getting intoxicated, suffering hangovers the day after, and to save money. This is a demographic that may order a boozy drink in a social situation but has little affinity for alcohol in and of itself — and is 31% more likely than the average customer to be interested in low- and no-AVB beverages. In fact, a quarter of these lifestyle-focused consumers report that they never drink alcohol at all.

They're representative of a broader social and cultural trend. Research by DoorDash reveals that 29% of consumers reported ordering low- or no-ABV drinks at some point in 2024 — that's nearly a third of all restaurant patrons. And data from NIQ shows that non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits saw sales surpass $565M in 2023, a 35% rise over the previous year.

“It's not just about abstinence from alcohol. This movement is also about people who just don’t want to drink as much. They want to enjoy some of the same flavors from alcoholic beverages, but without the hangover or other negative side effects.”

Joshua James, Owner, Ocean Beach Cafe

As previously mentioned, many restaurants have relegated mocktails to a forgotten corner of the menu, creating the impression that they are an afterthought.

Or perhaps they're not on the menu at all, which puts guests in the awkward position of asking their servers about available non-alcoholic options. This forces bartenders to "whip something up" that likely consists of some juice, some bubbles, and a little paper umbrella.

That's a huge missed opportunity for restaurants. Low- and no-ABV beverages can boast the same complex flavors, premium ingredients, and elegant presentations as anything else on the drinks menu, and restaurateurs can engineer or redesign menus to feature them.

Of all the factors influencing customers when choosing a new restaurant, nothing is more important than a menu with a satisfying selection. This ranks as the most significant consideration for 55% of consumers surveyed, proving to be more compelling than both menu pricing and recommendations from friends and family.

Low- and no-alcohol beverages are an increasingly vital part of this selection. So how can you showcase this inclusive variety? Here are three ideas.

1. Don't patronize the patrons

First and foremost, mocktail menu items should be featured near or next to their alcohol-infused counterparts. Restaurateurs can integrate them among them with a subtle and practical "non-alcoholic" label, much the same way you may feature vegetarian or vegan offerings among your signature dishes rather than segregate them into a subcategory.

This brings a dual benefit: you can price them more in line with your traditional cocktails than your canned drinks, juices, and teas. And your non-drinking guests aren't made to feel like they're ordering from a subpar class of items.

On a similar note, list your non-alcoholic wine on your wine list, and place your non-alcoholic beers along with the traditional beers you offer by the bottle or on tap.

2. Double down on aesthetics

Prove that your mocktails deserve the same conceptualization as your cocktails by investing time and care in their presentation.

Get creative with the signature glassware and the garnishes that accentuate them. Make sure their colors are as interesting and nuanced as their flavors.

Then, photograph the heck out of them! Data from DoorDash shows that menus with good pictures receive up to 44% more monthly sales. And according to DoorDash's latest consumer trends survey, the quality of a restaurant's photography is a deciding factor for 38% of respondents before trying out a new place — representing an 11% increase from the year before.

3. Work wonders with words

If you want customers to perceive your zero-proof mocktails as equivalent to your cocktails, then don't name them like cheap knockoffs. If you simply put the word "virgin" before "mojito", it just looks like you're saying, "it's a mojito, but tamer and blander". Why not call it a "nojito" instead?

With these sorts of derivative names, you can be cute, cheeky, and clever while still making it clear that the mocktail is imitating a classic cocktail. Mocktails can have their singular character and should be titled with the same thought and care as any of your other signature cocktails.

Moreover, they should be narrated with care too. Their intriguing, individual flavor profiles take guests on an adventure, and so provide menu descriptions that set the scene and tell a compelling tale.

Of course, there are many popular mocktail recipes for restaurants out there. And if you want to empower your bar team to devise new non-alcoholic drink ideas for the restaurant, you're going to need the right ingredients.

The good news is that you probably already have them. Today's elevated low- and no-ABV mixed drinks can be built from fundamentals that many restaurants stock in the fridge and behind the counter. Here are some standouts that are guaranteed to help construct enticing mocktails that can be classy and novel, or classic and familiar.

Simple syrup: A basic one-to-one ratio of sugar and boiled water, this liquid sweetener is a cocktail staple. A two-to-one ratio of sugar can also yield a thicker, sweeter solution depending on the flavor and texture you're aiming for.
Flavored syrup: There are many types of flavored bar syrup, such as orgeat and grenadine. It goes without saying that you should get syrups made with real ingredients rather than the commercial substitutes widely available today.
Fruit: What makes so many bar syrups so tasty? The fruits and berries they contain. Stock them at the bar fresh so they can be muddled, or dried to serve as garnishes. And of course, keep a wide selection of juices on hand, too.
Citrus: The slightly acidic, acerbic taste of cocktails is part of what makes them so enjoyable; it encourages sipping, not slurping. For zero-proof drinks, citrus juices such as lemons, limes, and grapefruit help fulfill this essential function.
Herbs: There's nothing better than a garnish that makes a mocktail both look, smell, and taste great. That's the power of adding some fresh herbs and botanicals, from a flourish of buoyant mint leaves to a sprig of aromatic rosemary.
Ginger: This zesty root provides a kick that can help non-alcoholic beverages compete with more traditional mixed drinks. Ginger juice, ginger ale, ginger beer, and ginger syrup all have their own versatile and valuable qualities.
Tea: Oversteeping different varieties can supply a vibrant store of strong, rich ingredients that can add sweetness, tartness, bitterness, smokiness, or other intense flavors to mocktails.
Salt: Is there any taste that can't be amplified by a satisfying hint of salinity? Salt is a must-have for mocktail creation — make a 20% solution of 20 grams salt in 80 grams of water so you can sprinkle a couple drops in your drinks.
Vinegar: Just as there are many types of syrups behind the bar, there are likely many varieties of vinegar in the kitchen — balsamic, apple cider, and fruit, to name a few. Consider adding them into the mix for your mixologists.
Soda and tonic: For a mocktail with memorable mouthfeel, bring on the bubbles. There are several ways to do this, and they'll alter the flavors of drinks in different ways, from mild club soda to slightly bitter tonic water.
Kombucha: Another option for fizzing a mocktail while adding some serious flavor is kombucha. Just bear in mind that as a fermented beverage, there is technically some alcohol, though it's an extremely low concentration.
Verjus: Along with syrups and bubbles, your bar may already be stocked with verjus — a concoction made from wine grapes before they ripen and ferment. Part sweet and part sour, it strikes a beautiful balance for a zero-proof creation.
Shrubs: Another mixology must-have that contains no liquor? Shrubs, which consist of fruit, vinegar, and sugar. This is an excellent way to enhance the tanginess of your mocktails without having to add even a hint of alcohol.
Non-alcoholic spirits and bitters: In recent years, there has been a growing market for non-alcoholic substitutes for spirits and bitters. These newcomers go above and beyond being imitations or alternatives — introducing unique, unconventional, and genuinely delightful flavors for restaurants to have fun with.

Did you know that restaurant social media accounts are the primary motivator for 19% of people looking to try a new restaurant? That's nearly one in five customers.

Make the most of your photos of non-alcoholic menu items by sharing them on your social channels, website, and online menu to appeal to a more diverse customer base — one that includes those who do drink and those who don't. Note that for Gen Z customers, TikTok has a slight advantage over Instagram — 30% prefer it when searching for restaurant content on social media, compared to the 29% whose go-to is Instagram.

An initiative like this can quickly multiply its impact, because younger generations are not only more active on social media, they're also the ones leading the charge on the no- and low-ABV movement. Researchers cite lifestyle trends, as well as the growing prevalence of mental health-related content, as helping to drive the sober-curious movement among young adults. And they cite recent Gallup statistics that show alcohol consumption has decreased by 10% over the last ten years among US adults aged 18 to 34.

Here's one more mocktail trend that you should be aware of

Along with the surge in customers opting for low- and no-alcohol cocktails and beverages, there's another interesting trend that business owners should take note of — the increasing number of individuals who are interested in ordering mocktails (and cocktails) for delivery. DoorDash's 2024 trends survey shows that 41% of customers have placed online beverage orders more frequently over the past year, with 52% saying that their main reason is simply to treat themselves while 39% do so for parties or celebrations.

With DoorDash as a third-party delivery partner, you can expand the reach of your cocktails and mocktails beyond your dining room. You can also capitalize on tools for marketing and promoting your delivery menu, as well as best practices to drive your business forward.