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The rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs could be changing more than what Americans put on their plates, as restaurants increasingly look to wellness drinks and other alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages.
The National Restaurant Association’s new 2026 Restaurant Beverage Trends report found growing interest in a wider range of drink choices, particularly among younger consumers, as restaurants experiment with everything from wellness and energy drinks to smoothies, lemonades and alcohol-free cocktails.
Chad Moutray, chief economist at the Washington, D.C.-based National Restaurant Association, told Fox News Digital that the growing use of GLP-1 medications is one of several health trends restaurant operators are watching.
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The report, which was conducted by the National Restaurant Association and is based on surveys of consumers and restaurant operators across the country, found that health is already influencing some Americans’ decisions about alcohol.
Among adults surveyed who said they don’t drink alcohol, 25% cited health reasons. That figure climbed to 34% among Gen Z nondrinkers.
Among adults who said they don’t drink alcohol, 25% cited health reasons, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2026 Restaurant Beverage Trend report. (iStock)
Several trends are converging as younger consumers become more health-conscious and GLP-1 medications become more widely used, Moutray said.
“I think you’re seeing a lot younger folks who are, in general, wanting to be healthier. You have the Make America Healthy Again movement, which is also driving some of this trend,” he said.
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“You have people drinking energy drinks and health drinks and all those things. And then you add to that the GLP-1 notion, where if you’re taking one of those drugs and your appetite is more suppressed, you’re not going to drink as much alcohol.”
Restaurants are already preparing to broaden their drink selections.
Restaurant consumers are turning to a variety of beverages in 2026. (iStock)
Among limited-service restaurant operators, 24% said they planned to add new wellness drinks in 2026, while 26% planned to add energy drinks, 29% smoothies and 27% lemonades.
Just under half, 46%, planned to add new coffee offerings.
“I think as GLP-1s become less expensive as this year goes on and as we move into 2027, you’re going to see restaurant operators continuing to look for alternatives that can be good menu options for consumers that might be taking those drugs,” Moutray said.
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Derek Brown, a hospitality consultant and founder of Drink Company, said he’s also seeing GLP-1s contribute to a broader shift toward moderation.
“Yeah, there’s no doubt that GLP-1s are having an effect on the way that people consume,” Brown told Fox News Digital. “And it’s part of a basket of things that’s contributing to people moderating more often.”
The drugs can affect people’s appetites for both food and drinks, Brown said, potentially leading some customers to consume less alcohol or choose nonalcoholic alternatives.
Restaurant operators continue to look for beverage menu alternatives, a restaurant economist told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“I think that’s clearly part of this entire moderation trend that we’re seeing that’s just a part of it, but it’s significant enough, so I think that’s certainly a real thing,” Brown said. “And I definitely think that bars and restaurants are starting to feel that.”
The changing beverage landscape, however, doesn’t necessarily mean younger Americans are abandoning alcohol.
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Per the report, 71% of Gen Z adults and 74% of millennials surveyed said they drink alcohol either at home or at restaurants. Sixty percent of Gen Z adults and 68% of millennials said they drink alcohol at restaurants.
Younger consumers aren’t abandoning alcohol, but they’re choosing from a broader portfolio of drinks. (iStock)
Moutray believes younger consumers are instead choosing from a broader portfolio of drinks.
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That broader selection could be increasingly important for restaurants. The report found that 87% of full-service operators and 80% of limited-service operators said beverages can be an important driver of customer traffic.
“It’s driving traffic, it’s getting people excited and it’s, hopefully, also helping to improve overall profit margins,” Moutray said.
