But the picture changes considerably when examining alcohol consumption by type of occasion. For example, wine consumption jumps to 37 percent when the occasion is a business meal. Special events, such as a romantic meal or other planned special occasions, are also much more likely to include wine.

The research also examines adult beverage occasions by venues and various consumer demographics, including age, ethnicity, and party composition. For example, the survey found that a quarter of all on-premise adult beverage occasions were informal family meals, representing the largest share of all on-premise occasions. This finding is particularly interesting for casual dining operators, many of which have struggled to build alcohol sales and have concentrated instead on facilitating their off-premise business through take-out sales.

These and other findings were presented to participating clients in Project CO-PILOT, a syndicated research program that provides key metrics related to on-premise adult beverage consumption. By monitoring changes in purchase behavior among consumers, as well as changes in attitudes and loyalty, sponsors gain key insights regarding trends and industry dynamics.