Despite rising prices, a recovery is seen in retail trade.

Alcohol sales volumes at on-premise locations in the United States have finally reached 93% of pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, according to the latest On-Premise Measurement (OPM) report by CGA by NIQ.

CGA by NIQ is a data and research consultancy specializing in the on-premise and retail food and beverage market. It provides market measurement, consumer research, and location planning, utilizing supply, demand, and consumer data to provide a snapshot of the industry.

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The OPM tool tracks trends in U.S. bars and restaurants and measures sales over the past 12 months. The report, in addition to observing the recovery in spirits sales, reveals that average menu prices have increased by 25% since 2019.

However, beer and wine have not recovered as strongly as spirits, as these categories are at 83% and 66%, respectively, of pre-Covid pandemic levels.

While whiskey played a leading role in markets such as Mexico and Colombia, in the United States the category was driven by tequila. The RTD category also impressed as the fastest-growing segment in the on-trade sector, adding 0.4 percentage points to its share of sales value in the 12 months to the end of March. This increase has been enough to attract new entrants into the sector, such as Cutty Sark whisky, as we mentioned in an early entrance. NIQ’s CGA said RTD growth was influenced by consumers’ desire for convenience and portability, particularly in nightclubs and bars, where its share increased by 0.7 and 0.5 percentage points.

Alcohol sales volumes at on-premise locations in the United States have finally reached 93% of pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, according to the latest On-Premise Measurement (OPM) report by CGA by NIQ.

CGA by NIQ is a data and research consultancy specializing in the on-premise and retail food and beverage market. It provides market measurement, consumer research, and location planning, utilizing supply, demand, and consumer data to provide a snapshot of the industry.

Infographic from CGA by NIQ: https://cgastrategy.com/services/market-measurement/

The OPM tool tracks trends in U.S. bars and restaurants and measures sales over the past 12 months. The report, in addition to observing the recovery in spirits sales, reveals that average menu prices increased 25% since 2019.

However, beer and wine have not recovered as strongly as spirits, as these categories are at 83% and 66%, respectively, compared to pre-COVID levels.

While whiskey played a leading role in markets such as Mexico and Colombia, in the United States the category was driven by tequila. The RTD category also impressed as the fastest-growing segment in the on-trade sector, adding 0.4 percentage points to its share of sales value in the 12 months to the end of March. This increase has been enough to attract new entrants into the sector, such as Cutty Sark whisky, as we mentioned in the May 5, 2025 news. CGA by NIQ said that RTD growth was influenced by consumers’ desire for convenience and portability, particularly in nightclubs and bars, where its share increased by 0.7 and 0.5 percentage points.

Matthew Crompton, vice president, Americas, CGA by NIQ (on-premise), said:

“This fascinating snapshot of trends in on-premise consumption shows that while total spirits volumes are still a long way from pre-Covid levels, trends in the premium segments give cause for optimism for the remainder of 2025 and beyond.”

More changes are sure to come, and amidst so much economic uncertainty, all suppliers and operators must stay abreast of the latest news and trends to seize opportunities and overcome obstacles with a view to increasing their sales and market share.

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