Beverage Menus Over The Years

Most cafes and bars tend to revamp their menus every year or so to ensure they offer their customers the trendiest, most popular beverages. Since today’s beverage drinkers are particularly interested in specialty drinks and signature drinks, restaurants, cafés, coffee shops, pubs, and bars are now updating their beverage menu options to include one or more of this year’s most asked-for beverages.

In order for any establishment to stand out from its competition, it must understand the importance of modifying their beverage menu to appeal to today’s top beverage consumers – Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Zs – as these generational groups are specifically looking for authentic, healthy and often times non-alcoholic beverages.

The beverage customer scene is one that not only continues to expand, it is evolving.

Beverage Menus

Beverage menus are created in a way that addresses the specific tastes of a certain demographic. Anytime a beverage menu is updated, it takes a lot of planning to ensure the right beverages make it to the menu. Creating a beverage menu that appeals to an establishment’s customer base is definitely going to help it stand out from its competition, necessary for today’s highly competitive beverage market.

• 1950s – Cocktails
• 1960s – Soda
• 1970s – Juice
• 1980s – Cappuccino
• 1990s – Craft Beer
• 2000s – Kombucha
• 2010s – Cider & Seltzers
• 2020s – Fermented drinks, CBD infused and Healthy drinks

Old vs New – How Drinks Have Changed

When it comes to classic cocktail drinks, Manhattans, martinis, old-fashioneds, grasshoppers, screwdrivers, whisky sours, and margaritas were quite popular. Classic coffee drinks often included alcohol, with top beverages being black Russians, comfort eggnogs, white mustaches, and open house punch. Establishments of old that served these classic drinks added both bitters and sugars to create the perfect cocktail.

Today’s establishments have more of a focus on creating healthy and/or unique drinks for their customers. For example, the espresso martini is a very popular drink of today, which is made using a mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso. Another popular drink is the chagaccino, a health-based beverage created using chaga mushrooms, almond milk, honey, and spices, i.e. cinnamon, cocoa powder.

As more and more beverage consumers are choosing to purchase health-based drinks, more and more establishments are creating their own versions of old drinks that have a healthy twist. Specific examples include adding honey instead of sugar, using fresh fruit instead of flavored syrups, and incorporating more nutritious ingredients like ginger and lemon.

Top Drink Trends For 2023

Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are still popular beverage choices in 2023. The main difference between drinks of old and drinks of today? The overall quality of the ingredients. Today’s establishments are not only focusing on using the best ingredients available, they are also choosing to use the healthiest ingredients in order to satisfy their customers.

Today’s beverage drinkers have a lot of options when it comes to finding unique beverage options due to new and improved beverage options.

Top Specialty Drinks, Signature Drinks of 2023:

• CBD-infused relaxation drinks
• Bubble tea
• Fermented drinks
• Canned cocktails
• Spiked soda
• Alcohol-free beer
• Retro cocktails

Why Specialty Drinks, Signature Drinks Are Super Popular Right Now

Since today’s beverage customers are looking for unique options, many establishments are choosing to create at least one specialty drink and/or signature drink to appease their customer base. When an establishment hits a home run by creating a unique specialty or a signature drink, they get to reap the benefits of customer loyalty. Every establishment wants their customers to remain loyal to their brand, which they can easily achieve by giving their customers exactly what they want.

• Specialty Drinks: When you see specialty drinks on an establishment’s menu, it means that the beverage was created by the establishment. Since specialty drinks are unique, it speaks about the creativity of the people behind these drinks. Successful specialty drink creations are definitely a goal for every establishment, as this drink will be exclusive only to that business.

• Signature Drinks: Signature drinks are also unique to a certain establishment. Signature drinks are especially important to focus on because an establishment can become quite famous when creating the perfect signature drink for its customers. The fact that there are so many different options when it comes to creating signature drinks means one or more specialty drink creations offer the perfect opportunity for any establishment to show its unique style.

Bottom Line

Because both specialty drinks and signature drinks are extremely popular nowadays, any establishment can easily create its own specialty drink and/or signature drink and add it to its menu. Most of today’s beverage drinkers are looking for the perfect beverage, and once they find it that establishment will surely have their business for many years to come.

Selling Nitro Infused Craft Beverages

Ready to introduce innovative beverage products that appeal to your customers? Selling nitro infused beverages is going to give you the edge you need to beat your competition. The nitro beverage market continues to grow, making it essential for you to claim your space now.

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