Beer boys solve a big mystery: Why is the on-premise so resilient?

For more than a year, alcohol sales in the on-premise (restaurants, bars, stadiums, and hotels) have outperformed sales in the off-premise (grocery, convenience, and liquor stores). On the surface, this trend contradicts many of our explanations for the industry's struggles. If people are broke, why are they spending money in the channel where alcohol costs the most? If people are spending more time alone, why are they drinking in venues driven by socialization? A mystery this big requires more intellectual firepower than RaboResearch alone can provide. So we invited two PhDs and an economist on the show to help us figure it out.

Our guests:

Bart Watson, President & CEO, Brewers Association Andrew Heritage, Chief Economist, Beer Institute Lester Jones, Chief Economist, National Beer Wholesalers Association Relevant time stamps:

Why are on-premise sales outperforming off-premise sales?

Round 1:

7:42 – The K-shaped economy is widening the gap between on-premise and off-premise sales: Middle/lower-income consumers feel squeezed and cut back more during at-home (off-premise) occasions, while protecting meaningful social occasions (on-premise). Higher-income consumers continue spending, widening the gap. 16:04 – Rising wealth is leading to an overall increase in on-premise spending: The US is getting richer over time; historically that drives more spending "away from home." As incomes rise, consumers shift toward experiences like bars/restaurants. 24:01 – Post-Covid socialization is normalizing: People want to reconnect after Covid. Younger consumers especially over-index in out-of-home alcohol spend, supporting on-premise demand through social experiences. 32:54 – Health and wellness trends are driving people to cut back on banal, at-home occasions: Consumers drink less overall, especially at home, but keep social drinking occasions. Alcohol becomes more "occasion-based," benefiting on-premise while hurting off-premise volumes. 42:02 – Inflation in the on-premise is massively outpacing off-premise: On-premise prices are rising faster than off-premise. Even if behavior doesn't change much, higher pricing inflates on-premise performance in dollar terms. Round 2:

45:18 – Travel and experiences are rebounding: Increased travel drives on-premise consumption (restaurants, bars, concessions). Social and vacation contexts strengthen on-premise relative to at-home drinking. 47:24 – The on-premise has more innovation, driving increases in productivity: Restauran