By Julie Gregg, Contributor

Do Kansans care more about wheat, the Chiefs, or whiskey?The correct answer is…all of the above. 

Kansas is known as our nation’s “bread basket,” and the Chiefs — based in the border city of Kansas City, MO — are the reigning Super Bowl champions. They’re also off to a strong start this season with some added attention thanks to Taylor Swift.

Meanwhile Toast data (1) reveals a surprising passion among the state’s restaurant and bar diners: a whiskey cocktail with their meal. The Sunflower State’s diners order more whiskey per Toast restaurant location with their lunch or dinners than folks from any other state, including Kentucky, the commonwealth known worldwide for its bourbon and rye. 

Kansans’ preference for whiskey is just one of the intriguing pieces of information from Toast’s new Q2 2023 Restaurant Trends Report (1). The study’s geographical statistics can help individual eateries and chain managers get their bars and restaurants ready for the thirsty, football enthusiasts coming through their doors for the next four-and-a-half months.

From tequila and vodka to hard seltzer and beer, this Q2 data has fresh consumer insights for sports-themed restaurant and bar operators.

Despite Growing Competition, Beer Still Reigns Supreme

overhead close-up shot of beer bottles in ice next to a football

Beer has been losing ground in some markets in recent years to other alcohol options such as vodka, tequila, and hard seltzer. For package-store retail, per a 2022 study by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, liquor sales amounted to 43% of the alcohol market share, and beer accounted for 41%, marking the first year beer appeared in second place.Restaurant sales are performing differently, though, according to the Toast report, which found beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage among on-premise diners at Toast restaurants we looked at in all 50 states. Beer has also long been a staple for the football-viewing experience, signaling that restaurant and sports bar operators might consider continuing to keep their taps clean and kegs flowing, especially from Thursday to Monday when games are on TV.Digging into the regional Q2 Toast data, we found having a beer with a meal is more popular in some locales than others. Minnesotans stood out as beer enthusiasts more than any other state, consuming 53% more beer per Toast restaurant location than the national average. Kansas and Pennsylvania followed closely as the No. 2 and No. 3 states in this category during Q2 2023.

Vodka is the #1 Restaurant Spirit—Except in the South and West

Four vodka shots on a wooden serving board on top of a rustic wooden table top

There’s been a vodka boom in the U.S. in recent years, led by the ascendant brands like Tito’s Homemade Vodka and trendy, vodka-based drinks such as the espresso martini. And Toast’s Q2 research found vodka is the most-ordered spirit in Toast eateries. Restaurant and sports bar operators might think about stocking up on vodka this fall because football fans have been known to quickly drain establishments of their supply of this spirit. 

Other regions differed when it came to spirits in our Q2 restaurant data, which revealed that tequila surpasses vodka’s popularity at Toast restaurants in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.

Meanwhile, whiskey led as the preferred spirit in West Virginia, Wyoming, Indiana, Kansas, and Kentucky among the restaurants we surveyed.Tequila and whiskey brands have distilleries in the south and west — Texas tequila Pure Vida and Kentucky whiskey Woodford Reserve are examples. So, regional loyalty may help explain why such liquors outsell vodka in some states.

Hard Hits and Hard Seltzer

Variety of hard seltzer options on the current market

Football is a spartan game with bone-jarring tackles, so it’s appropriate that the sport’s fans prefer their seltzer with a potent kick. This will be true in Ohio more than other places, as the Buckeye State holds the title of “Hard Seltzer Capital,” per Toast’s Q2 2023 report.

On average, Ohio’s Toast restaurants and bars sold 160% more hard seltzer in Q2 per establishment compared to Toast restaurants in other states. Notably, Massachusetts and Illinois have also developed a fondness for this bubbly beverage, coming in second and third, respectively. Wyoming, meanwhile, stands at the opposite end of the spectrum, with the lowest consumption of hard seltzer at Toast restaurants. In fact, Toast restaurants in the other 49 states, on average, sold 66% more hard seltzer than Wyoming.

Hard seltzer’s popularity tends to peak during the summer months, but it has proven to have staying power across the calendar — the drink’s sales have increased by double-digit percentage points in recent years. Therefore, if restaurants and bars have yet to stock up on this beverage’s popular brands such as White Claw, High Noon and Truly (2) they likely should this football season — no matter where they operate in the U.S.

Extra Point: Don’t Forget About Mocktails and Non-alcoholic Beverages

A fruity pink mocktail against a dark background

While our data was focused on alcohol, restaurants should also keep in mind designated drivers and those who have joined the nonalcoholic (N/A) beverages movement. More people than ever are adopting a sober lifestyle, so keep them in mind by having mocktails and N/A beers ready to be served to provide the on-premise experience those guests deserve as they root for their favorite football team.

Lastly, we learned every region has its nuances with alcohol, and every restaurant may have its own preference among its crowd of regulars. While some bars may be famous for its pickleback shots, others may attract a crowd that prefers a well-crafted cocktail. As restaurants adopt more technology, data insights about their guests’ preferences/demands will flow like beer taps on game day.

Julie Gregg, Director of Market Insights and Competitive Intelligence at ToastAbout the Author
Julie Gregg is the Director of Market Insights and Competitive Intelligence at Toast. With more than 16 years of industry experience, Julie is a passionate & strategic market researcher with a proven track record of delivering business impact, elevating insights and uncovering human truths to drive go-to-market strategy. 

About the Restaurant Trends Report
The Restaurant Trends Report, powered by Toast, uncovers key trends across the restaurant industry through aggregated sales data from a selection of cohorts of restaurants on the Toast platform, which has approximately 93,000 locations as of June 30, 2023.