Destigmatization

I remember many years ago, Giuseppe Gonzalez remarking (I paraphrase) that the end game for nonalcoholic drinks is for them to be fully integrated into the drinks menu, with parity, not ghettoized under a separate section at the back, and not referred to as “mocktails”.

Obviously, if non-alcoholic drinks are to be mixed in with alcoholic ones, there still needs to be an easy way to identify them. That would be easy and efficiently accomplished if the alcohol was clearly identified along with the price.

Recently (for “Dry January”), Sunken Harbor Club was touting their non-alcoholic menu on social media. They do so justifiably:

The “On Dry Land” portion of our menu is crafted with the same level of dedication and innovation as our spirit-forward cocktails.

Our Jubilee is the perfect example: a new-age spin on the Cherry Phosphate, a classic soda fountain staple which was popular in the early 20th century. The base for this drink is a housemade wild cherry bark tea, layered with gentian root, juniper, lime, seltzer and @ritualzeroproof. We serve it over crushed ice for a luxurious, refreshing glass that feels simultaneously nostalgic and new all at once.

However, the SHC menu is organized into sections, by ascending alcoholic strength: In the Shallows (lighter drinks), The Twilight Zone (regular strength drinks), and The Abyss (strong drink). The non-alcoholic section, On Dry Land, is at the end, following The Abyss, not at the beginning where it would make logical sense in the progression.

Why are the non-alcoholic drinks at the end—at the back of the menu—and not at the beginning?

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You have to assume that the average guest will look at the top of the menu first, and they will be confused if the first thing they see is N/A (as most folks stepping into a bar are there for alcohol). Or more of a potential situation if they order it (it was the first thing they see) not knowing it’s N/A (trust me, it happens at my current spot with our N/A cocktail section) and then get incensed. At my current bar, we have our N/A beer mixed in, and folks will order it without reading that it’s N/A and others will ask if we have one since it’s not separated out and they don’t want to scan our dozen+ offerings.

At the bar that I worked at in 2015-17, we had a “low octane” section first of aperitifs and approximately 1/2 strength cocktails, but it was soon followed by regular strength section, and folks figured it out.

There’s no easy solution. While you want to extend hospitality to your non-boozing guests and make them feel welcome, they’re not the only guests in the establishment. As a vegetarian, I’d rather have a special section at the end or things clearly labeled with symbols than have to ask the waiter if there’s any hidden meat in there.

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My favorite was the old ChezChez menu in SF, which was split into about 6 sections and each section had one NA drink (labelled as such) at the end. I think a lot of it depends on the organization of the menu - if organized by base spirit, NA doesn’t fit in with the rest. But fair point, if the menu is listed from light to boozy then NA is the lightest and rightfully should go first.

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I disagree that putting drinks in different sections on a menu “ghettoizes” any of them, any more than having sections for “shaken” and “stirred” does. It’s just organization and clarification. Integrating non-alcoholic drinks in with the rest will just create confusion and make ordering drinks a slower process.

I also have no problem with NA drinks being the last section of most lists. Like it or not, most people go to bars to drink alcohol. You put your top-sellers up top. Also, NA drinks are late to the cocktail-bar party; they can wait their turn for prime placement on the menu.

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Personally, I feel that NA drinks should be placed on the menu equally alongside alcoholic ones. The same as on most menus where the dishes have designations of GF, VEG, VN, etc… Descriptors of the ingredients is key, however. It lets the customer know what to expect and lends credence to the skills used in crafting bespoke ingredients.

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As an importer of low ABV shochu and often pitching cocktails, I prefer it when the menu is clear on ABV. Nothing hurts brand movement more than buyer’s remorse on a cocktail, even if by accidental selection.

Putting non-alc or low ABV at the top menu seems a little risky to me and assumes that every customer will take the time to read the details.

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