Dry January feels bigger this year. Not louder, not preachier, just… more normal. It’s no longer a niche challenge for the ultra-disciplined or a box-ticking exercise we endure before going back to old habits. It’s become part of a wider shift in how people think about drinking, socialising, health and choice. And that matters far beyond January.
For hospitality brands, this isn’t about jumping on a seasonal trend. It’s about understanding what’s actually changing underneath, and adapting in a way that protects experience, value and long-term loyalty.
This isn’t about giving things up. It’s about gaining options.
A big driver behind the growth of no and low alcohol is visibility. Fitness tracking, wellness culture and smarter tech mean people now see the impact alcohol has on their sleep, energy and mood. That feedback loop is hard to ignore.
At the same time, the category itself has grown up. No and low drinks no longer feel like punishment. Smart packaging, interesting flavour profiles and better storytelling have made them accessible, attractive and, crucially, enjoyable.
Small changes matter here. Swapping one drink, pacing a night out differently, or having a genuinely nice alternative at the end of the day feels achievable. That’s why this shift sticks. It’s not all or nothing.
And as those behaviours become more culturally acceptable, they stop being framed as temporary. That’s when Dry January becomes a mindset, not a moment.
The on-trade challenge: don’t make people feel like they’re settling
From an on-trade perspective, this shift exposes a long-standing gap.
Most of us have been there. You’re not drinking, for whatever reason, and your options are a soda water and lime, a lemonade, or something buried at the back of the menu next to the children’s drinks. Meanwhile everyone else is choosing from beautifully described cocktails and carefully curated serves.
That’s not a product problem. It’s an experience problem.
People don’t want a substitute. They want something that feels considered, special and worth choosing. When no and low drinks are treated as an afterthought, guests feel like one too.
There’s also a genuine tension around price. When a non-alcoholic drink costs nearly the same as a cocktail, it raises questions. Are people paying for alcohol content, or for flavour, craft and occasion?
The answer depends entirely on how the drink is positioned.
If it’s framed as a compromise, the price feels unfair. If it’s framed as a treat, with a clear story and purpose, people are far more open to it. That’s where brands win or lose.
Why no and low can actually increase dwell time
One of the most overlooked opportunities in this space is dwell time.
When people aren’t rushing through a few drinks and heading home, they stay longer. They pace themselves. They order again. They enjoy the environment. That’s good for atmosphere, good for spend, and good for repeat visits.
But that only happens if the drinks are genuinely repeat-order worthy.
Flavour matters. Ritual matters. The way a drink looks, smells and arrives at the table matters. We put huge effort into food for exactly this reason. Drinks deserve the same thinking.
This is where hospitality brands need to shift their mindset. No and low isn’t there to protect revenue by plugging a gap. It’s there to unlock longer, more inclusive, more flexible occasions.
Common mistakes brands keep making
The biggest mistake I see is relegation.
No and low drinks pushed to the back of menus. Poorly named sections. Zero storytelling. No visual cues. No confidence.
The second mistake is trying to make them behave like something else. Just like bad meat replacements don’t win over anyone, no and low drinks shouldn’t try to impersonate alcohol. They should own what they are.
If wellness is part of the appeal, lean into it properly. If flavour is the hero, shout about it. If the ritual is the point, design around that. Half-measures are what make the category feel awkward.
Don’t market Dry January. Market choice.
There’s also a temptation to over-index on Dry January itself. Big campaigns, heavy messaging, a sudden flurry of alternatives that disappear by February.
That’s missing the point.
People don’t go to pubs and restaurants just to drink alcohol. They go to watch sport, meet friends, eat, play games, celebrate, unwind. Alcohol is part of that, but it’s not the only reason.
Position no and low as a permanent, confident option and you don’t alienate anyone. Regular drinkers still drink. Others feel welcome. Everyone wins.
It shouldn’t matter what month it is, or why someone isn’t drinking. The experience should still feel complete.
Product vs occasion: it’s never one or the other
Great no and low brands understand this instinctively.
Beautiful design catches the eye. But storytelling makes the product stick. Tone of voice, language and visual identity all signal that this is something to look forward to, not something you’ve settled for.
The best examples don’t shout about abstinence. They talk about self-care, flavour, ritual and small moments of indulgence. They make a Tuesday night feel special. They travel easily from home to social occasions. They’re shareable without explanation.
That’s where the category really opens up.
What agencies should actually be doing here
This is where Consult. Craft. Connect. becomes more than a framework.
Consult means understanding the real role no and low plays in people’s lives. Not assumptions. Not trends in isolation. Actual behaviour, motivations and friction points.
Craft is about elevating the offer. Menus, naming, design, storytelling, tone. Turning a functional alternative into something people actively choose.
Connect is where most brands fall down. The experience has to be consistent across menu, bar, social, POS and brand partnerships. When the story fragments, confidence disappears.
Agencies shouldn’t just be launching drinks or running January campaigns. They should be helping hospitality brands reframe occasions, remove stigma and design experiences that work for everyone, all year round.
Dry January isn’t the story. Behaviour change is.
No and low alcohol isn’t a threat to hospitality. It’s a signal.
A signal that people want more flexibility, better experiences and fewer rules about how they socialise. Brands that respond with confidence, creativity and joined-up thinking will build loyalty that lasts far longer than January.
And the ones that don’t risk being left behind, stuck serving soda water and lime while the rest of the market moves on.
