What’s happening in the beverage industry with current drink trends?
Current beverage trends across America are “fluid.” Pun aside, what’s hot in beverages is constantly changing as U.S. consumer tastes change. Explore 2025 Beverage Trends for Restaurants & Pizzerias. Before we dive into what’s happening on a national scale in domestic beverage markets, let’s dive into the pizza industry specifically as our base.
In Pizza Today’s “2025 Pizza Industry Trends Report,” we surveyed pizzeria operators from across the country about key national beverage trends and what their pizzeria customers purchase with pizza orders. Here is what we found:
- Craft beer remains king as an accompaniment to pizza.
- Wine proves to be a good option for some pizza businesses. Focus on pairing suggestions.
- Specialty cocktails are trendy nationally, and pizzerias are finding moderate success with them. Assess a cocktail program that would work for your customer base.
- Pizzerias are not seeing the national sales spikes other businesses are seeing with specialty, craft and Italian sodas.
- The same is true for non-alcoholic cocktails and n/a beer.
- While energy drinks are spiking in consumption with Gen Z and Millennials, the demand is not as strong in the pizza sector.
Looking more closely at the report data, we analyzed the top ratings. Below is the percentage of responses that scored each beverage category at least an 8 out of 10 or higher on sales with pizza orders:
- Craft beer: 47%
- Wine: 28%
- Specialty cocktails: 20%
- Artisanal sodas and lemonades: 17%
- Non-alcoholic cocktails and beers (zero proof drinks): 12%
- Italian sodas: 11%
- Energy drinks: 9%
- Low- or zero-calorie drinks: 8.5%
- Sugar-free drinks: 6%
National Beverage Market Trends
Just as we can predict pizza trends as they emerge, the beverage industry is able to track what’s trending in the American beverage market. We’ve combed through national data to find key trends surfacing in 2025 for soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.
Soft Drink Trends
Carbonated soft drinks dominate not only the restaurant market but the U.S. market as well. The category’s growth is expected to continue. The U.S. soft drink market is expected to reach $467.18 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5 percent between 2024 and 2030, according to ResearchandMarkets.com.
While the largest carbonated beverage companies have command over the U.S. market, there has been recent movement in the top three spots. Last summer, Beverage Digest reported that Dr. Pepper has tied Pepsi for the No. 2 spot, with Coca-Cola maintaining its No. 1 seat.
Ready-to-drink teas are “estimated to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period, owing to shift of consumers towards sugar-free, naturally made beverages, and healthier drinks,” a ResearchandMarkets.com U.S. Soft Drinks Market Report release cites.
Dirty sodas popped up everywhere in 2024 with drive-thru restaurants leading the trend. A dirty soda is infused with syrup, fruit juices, cream (or a combination of those) and often served over ice. Popular flavors include vanilla syrup, heavy cream, coconut cream, lime juice, strawberry, orange, cherry and raspberry. Look for unique combinations.
Don’t dismiss the water segment. The water category, which includes premium and flavored water products, was valued at $428.3 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $744.9 billion in 2034, according to ResearchandMarkets.com.
Sober Curious Movement Ignites Non-alcoholic Market
Before we dive into the spirits industry, the non-alcoholic beverage market continues to grow. The trend extends beyond Dry January. There is “sober curious” movement that has been building since the 2010s, sparked by Millennials and adopted by Gen Z. These young consumers look to limit or eliminate alcohol consumption.
Beverage alcohol industry analyst IWSR reports that no- and low-alcohol drinks are forecast to expand by 4 percent between 2024 and 2028, with no-alcohol leading with a 7 percent CAGR. Major spirits brands have responded by developing non-alcoholic whiskey, bourbon, vodka, tequila, wine and beer lines. If you haven’t tested N/A beverages, now is the perfect time to feature them.
Duncan Alney, founder of Firebelly Marketing, which specializing in the food and beverage industry, recently conducted a Beverage Industry Trends Panel, where he shared insights and findings – including areas restaurants are missing. “The biggest (mistake) is to ignore the non-alcoholic opportunity,” he says. “There are a lot of people that are drinking less, whether it’s because of health reasons, whether it’s because of values, whether it’s because of cannabis.”
Examining alcoholic beverage insights also shows Americans are drinking less. A new survey from NCSolutions found that nearly half (49 percent) of Americans say they plan to drink less alcohol in 2025 compared to previous years, 41 percent in 2024 versus 34 percent in 2023.
Trends in the big three alcoholic beverage categories are:
Beer: Nationwide beer sales dropped 2 percent last year. Beer remains big business for many pizzerias. Styles and trends can shift regionally and locally, but above all else, they shift seasonally. Rotating taps as seasons change can enhance your beer program. Hops & Pie is a go-to spot in Denver, Colorado. Co-owner Drew Watson stays on top of the beer trends and styles on the horizon. During a recent interview with Pizza Today, Watson shared his 2025 beer predictions. “Italian pilsners, West Coast IPAs, hazy IPAs have been the thing for a few years,” he says. “They’re still up there, but they’re kind of falling to the back burner a bit, and the real beer geeks are really, really diving into those clean, hopped beers, like a West Coast IPA.” Watson also sees West Coast pilsners and Mexican-style lagers doing well as easy-drinking options. The Sober Curious Movement also has driven an increase in low-alcohol beers.
Wine: Much like other alcoholic beverages, wine sales have experienced a decline, according to IWSR. Amid the sales drop, low- and no-alcohol wines are growing. Organic and sustainable wines and sparkling wines also are seeing positive advances along with high-end wines.
Spirits: Though the spirits market saw declines in 2024, Escoffier School of Culinary Arts’ report, “2025 Alcohol and Beverage Trends” highlights several bright spots: Agave spirits such as tequila and mezcal are outperforming in the segment, which has seen a boom in ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages.
The report also notes a rise in premiumization in spirits. “Premiumization is definitely in full effect,” says Alney of Firebelly Marketing. “A lot of people in the market are willing to pay more for a premium brand or premium ingredients.”
While it’s always wise to get a better understand on a national scope, what’s happening locally matters most. Alney offers a great tip for local education. “Pizza owner-operators need to go to their local grocery stores because those are high-volume locations and look at what beverages people are buying,” he says. “Pay attention to what is moving on the shelves.”
Denise Greer is Executive Editor at Pizza Today.
