What would you like to order?

Did you know that almost two-thirds of Americans enjoy drinking alcohol? Whether it’s beer, wine, or spirits, a recent survey by Gallup revealed that 62% of respondents said they have occasion to use alcoholic beverages. This number is close to the average of 63% since 1939 when Gallup first started asking this question.

Interestingly, the percentage of Americans who reported consuming alcohol was lowest in 1958 at 55%, and highest between 1976 and 1978 at 71%. In the recent survey, of those who reported drinking alcohol, 69% said they had consumed at least one alcoholic drink in the past seven days. 32% said they had a drink within 24 hours of the survey, and 37% mentioned having their most recent adult beverage within the past two to seven days. On average, the respondents reported having four drinks in the past seven days.

When looking at the demographic groups, middle-aged individuals between 35-54 years old, those with household incomes of $100,000 or more, college-educated individuals, and those who reported attending religious services less frequently than once a week were more likely to report drinking alcohol.

For those who reported abstaining from alcohol, popular reasons included not having the desire or simply not wanting to, disliking alcoholic beverages, concerns about its effects on health or existing health conditions, bad experiences or fear of consequences, or due to religious beliefs.

When it comes to the preferred choice of alcohol, beer remains the most consumed drink with 37% of respondents saying they drink it most often. Following that, 31% prefer liquor and 29% opt for wine. Demographic differences play a role here as well, with men being more likely to choose beer while women tend to prefer wine.

Interestingly, Gallup noted that beer’s dominance as a drink choice has decreased since the early 2000s, while liquor has become increasingly popular. Thirty-one percent of respondents said that liquor was their favorite alcoholic drink, which is the highest percentage recorded by Gallup.

So, what’s your order? Whether it’s beer, wine, or spirits, it seems that Americans have a wide variety of preferences when it comes to alcoholic beverages. Cheers to enjoying our favorite drinks!