It's really good for the staff': how restaurants adapt to customers drinking less

"We're embracing damp drinking (less volume overall), zebra striping (subbing in non-alcoholic drinks every other round) and being 99% sober (a mostly dry lifestyle with the occasional exception). Australia is not the only country with changing habits. In the US, a Gallup poll found alcohol consumption had reached a 90-year low. The LA Times reports dry bars have become popular with the gen Z crowd, who cringe at the idea of being caught drunk on camera."

"According to the Australian government's Agency for Clinical Innovation, the average serving of 150ml of red wine in a restaurant is 1.6 standard drinks, while a 150ml glass of white wine is 1.4. Add a pre-entree martini, which is 1.5 to two standard drinks per serve, and you're already over the healthy limit by at least one and a half drinks."

Australian drinking habits are shifting toward lower overall consumption and increased preference for low‑and‑no alcohol options. New terms describe behavior changes: damp drinking (less volume), zebra striping (alternating alcoholic and non‑alcoholic drinks) and being 99% sober (mostly dry with occasional exceptions). Similar trends appear internationally, including a US Gallup finding of a 90‑year low in alcohol use and rising popularity of dry bars among Gen Z. Health guidelines recommend no more than 10 standard drinks per week and a maximum of four per day. Typical restaurant servings of wine and cocktails can quickly exceed those limits, and cost pressures influence consumer choices and venue pricing.

Read at www.theguardian.com