While the top 10 most-popular mixed drinks don’t change much year to year, looking at every five years typically indicates a shift in trends and consumer preferences. The Beverage Information Group (the research unit of Cheers’ parent company) has been tracking such trends for the past 15 years with the annual OnTrac survey.
The charts below show the top 10 cocktails for 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. Looking at the data, Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers have fallen out of favor since 1999, while standbys like the Gin & Tonic and Vodka & Cranberry are still showing strength.
The Margarita had been the number-one cocktail since the first OnTrac study, but its share has dropped from 21.6% in 1999 to 9.4% this year. The tequila drink was knocked out of the top spot this year by Jack Daniel’s & Coke, which had been in the number-three position for the past three years. The increasing strength in the whiskey category may be renewing interest in the Jack & Coke.
The Martini has held the number-two position since 2001, but it fell to number four this year, though its share slipped only slightly from 10.4% for 2013 to 9.9% for 2014.
OnTrac surveys more than 2,000 on-premise accounts. Participants include fine dining restaurants, casual-themed eateries, hotels, bars and taverns in 30 major metropolitan markets. The full report is available in the just-released 2014 On-Premise Barometer Handbook. Visit www.BevInfoStore.com for more information.
1999
| Drink | Share |
|---|---|
| Margarita | 21.6% |
| Vodka & Tonic | 9.5% |
| Rum & Coke | 7.0% |
| Long Island Iced Tea | 4.2% |
| Martini | 3.4% |
| Gin & Tonic | 3.3% |
| Screwdriver | 3.2% |
| Jack Daniel's & Coke | 2.1% |
| Bloody Mary | 1.9% |
| Vodka & Cranberry | 1.9% |
| Bourbon & Coke | 1.6% |
2004
| Drink | Share |
|---|---|
| Margarita | 17.7% |
| Martini | 11.8% |
| Rum & Coke | 10.6% |
| Vodka & Tonic | 7.7% |
| Long Island Iced Tea | 4.8% |
| Cosmopolitan | 4.6% |
| Captain Morgan & Coke | 4.0% |
| Jack Daniel's & Coke | 3.3% |
| Gin & Tonic | 3.1% |
| Vodka & Cranberry | 2.7% |
2009
| Drink | Share |
|---|---|
| Margarita | 19.3% |
| Martini | 16.0% |
| Rum & Coke | 5.5% |
| Mojito | 5.0% |
| Vodka & Tonic | 4.9% |
| Long Island Iced Tea | 4.3% |
| Jack Daniel's & Coke | 4.2% |
| Cosmopolitan | 4.1% |
| Vodka & Cranberry | 3.2% |
| Gin & Tonic | 2.2% |
2014
| Drink | Share |
|---|---|
| Jack Daniel's & Coke | 10.1% |
| Margarita | 9.4% |
| Rum & Coke | 9.4% |
| Martini | 9.1% |
| Long Island Iced Tea | 7.6% |
| Mojito | 5.7% |
| Cosmopolitan | 4.6% |
| Vodka & Cranberry | 3.9% |
| Gin & Tonic | 3.5% |
| Vodka & Tonic | 2.7% |
