Consumers today are increasingly sophisticated about wine, and they expect more from wine programs—even at casual establishments. Bar and restaurants have responded by increasing the number of wines they offer by the glass since 2011, according to the OnTrac study by the Beverage Information and Insights Group, the research unit of Cheers’ parent company.
That is until last year, when the average number of wines offered by the glass fell from 18.2 to 15.0 among the operators surveyed across all types of outlets.
The exception is bars and taverns, which upped their wines by the glass from an average of 10.4 to 12.4.
Perhaps more diners prefer to buy a full bottle of a premium wine. Or, the continued rise of craft beer and whiskey may be cutting into sales of wine by the glass.