Turns Out There’s Actually A Reason Why Cocktails And Mocktails Are The Same Price, And It’s Fascinating
by Kelley Greene · BuzzFeedRecently, while scrolling Twitter, I came across this tweet calling out the pricing of mocktails.
Also why are mocktails the same price as cocktails????
— A Thick Legend 🇺🇸 (@IAmShannonAli) August 20, 2024
A lot of folks seemed to agree — they weren't sure why a cocktail without alcohol should cost the same as one that contains alcohol.
Now this is what should be talked about! https://t.co/olv2ZlpVL1
— Clarine (@BIGPIKLIZ) August 20, 2024
Some people felt the alcohol, which is typically the most expensive part of a cocktail, should dictate the price.
Many were really interested in understanding the pricing structure.
And some felt like choosing a mocktail meant they weren't getting enough bang for their buck.
The topic was hotly debated, which piqued my interest. To get more information about cocktail vs. mocktail pricing, I spoke with Abby Ehmann, owner of Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge and Lucky in New York City.
Hekate is a sober bar that serves only alcohol-free cocktails.
First, Ehmann told BuzzFeed that "referring to NA [non-alcoholic] cocktails as a 'mocktail' or 'virgin' is somewhat frowned upon in the 'NA space' due to the association with drinks for children, such as the Shirley Temple. So we call them alcohol-free cocktails, which is more accurate."
When asked why cocktails and alcohol-free cocktails are priced similarly, Ehmann said that it is "because the cost of NA spirits is closer to that of 'call' liquor. When you go to a regular bar and don't request a specific brand name or 'call' liquor, you are getting 'well' booze, which is comparatively inexpensive."
Ehmann explained that non-alcoholic spirits "are generally as expensive as middle-to-top-shelf alcohol. So far, no one is making 'well,' or less expensive, versions of NA spirits."
To follow up on Ehmann's point, I looked into the pricing of drinks at a few randomly selected bars across the US that serve both regular and alcohol-free cocktails.
This is a portion of the menu of Donna, a cocktail bar in New York City. Their cocktails range in price from $17 to $19, and their alcohol-free cocktails are $17.
Their selection of alcohol-free cocktails includes non-alcoholic spirits.
This is a section of the menu of Arbella, a cocktail bar in Chicago. Cocktails here range in price from $17 to $30, while alcohol-free cocktails are all $15.
Some of their alcohol-free cocktails contain non-alcoholic liquor, but not all of them.
And this pricing is from the menu of The Rendition Room, a cocktail bar in Los Angeles. Their non-alcoholic cocktails are priced at $12, while their regular cocktails range from $16 to $18.
Their alcohol-free cocktails do not contain any non-alcoholic liquor.
Ehmann also added that she felt the pricing of alcohol-free cocktails isn't "a problem for people who choose to avoid alcohol, but it certainly does seem to irk those who drink booze."
"They are quick to ridicule us (and other sober bars) as 'juice bars'...they seem particularly bent out of shape over what they believe to be too-high prices of alcohol-free cocktails."
Finally, since Hekate is a sober bar, I was curious to learn if their best-sellers included alcohol-free versions of classic cocktails.
Ehmann said, "Our most popular cocktail, The Healer, is not an alcohol-free version of a familiar drink. It is a whole new concoction. But I believe it's popular because it looks great on Instagram. Our other best-sellers are The Draper, which approximates a Manhattan; The Amalfi Spritz, which tastes exactly like an Aperol Spritz; and our assortment of margaritas. I do think it is easier for people to understand an alcoholic beverage equivalent, but for some, that may be a trigger, so a preference for something completely different is understandable."