Warm afternoons change what people order, moving spritz-style drinks to the top of cocktail menus. As patios fill and earlier occasions account for more beverage sales, bars and restaurants have more reason to feature a cocktail that is quick to serve and easy to carry across warm-weather dining. For spring drink offerings that need flexibility without extra strain on service, spritz-style drinks are a natural fit.
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OpenTable reports that 55% of Americans prefer to dine outdoors when the weather is nice, giving spring patio service more influence over beverage planning. That shift favors spritz-style drinks, which fit longer afternoons and heavier early-evening traffic.
Aperitif growth gives spritzes more menu space
Restaurants have broader business reasons to keep spritzes in rotation this season. The National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot 2025 Culinary Forecast ranked creative spritzes No. 2 among beverage alcohol items, behind hyperlocal beer and wine.
The category also benefits from growth in the bottles used in many spritzes. International Wine and Spirits Record said volumes of premium-priced bitters and spirit aperitifs in the United States grew at an 18% compound annual rate from 2018 to 2023 and expects 19% growth from 2023 to 2028. The report also noted that premium-plus light aperitifs suit low-key, spontaneous early-evening occasions, with typical alcohol levels of 15%-22% and simple serves over ice or in a spritz.
Patio traffic and happy hour favor the format
Toast found that 41% of guests prefer a patio for summer cocktails, while 63% of consumers said they would be more likely to visit a bar if happy hour included discounted cocktails and food. Those preferences give spritz-style drinks a clear opening in spring, especially for outdoor occasions and the after-work window before dinner.
Brunch adds another useful lane, with OpenTable reporting that guests who brunch outside stay about 5% longer and spend about 6% more. For bars and restaurants, this allows spritzes to carry from late morning into early evening without requiring a separate cocktail program for each part of the day.
Lighter ordering broadens the audience
Ordering habits also support cocktails that are easier to pace over the course of a meal. Half of respondents in a Toast survey typically order just one to two cocktails when dining out, which gives low-alcohol formats a stronger place on restaurant drink lists.
IWSR reported that moderation remained steady between September 2024 and March 2025. In the same March 2025 research, 41% of consumers across its top 15 markets said they had abstained from alcohol for a period during the previous six months, and the share of light drinkers in North America rose to 44% from 39% a year earlier.
Spritzes make sense in that setting because the same format can cover full-strength, low-ABV and no-alcohol versions with only small changes. IWSR forecasts that the U.S. no-alcohol market will grow at an 18% compound annual rate from 2024 to 2028, with no-alcohol spirits expected to rise at the same rate.
Easy builds work for bars and hosts
Execution matters as much as flavor during busy patio months. Restaurant Dive reported that summer cocktails need to be served quickly and consistently, a standard that favors drinks with short ingredient lists and repeatable builds. Spritzes meet that need: one aperitif base, one sparkling topper, soda and a simple garnish can produce several menu options without slowing the bar.
Bars can batch the noncarbonated portion before service and finish each drink to order, while hosts can do the same in a pitcher or carafe. Citrus swaps, herb garnishes and zero-proof bases allow the format to accommodate a wide range of guests without requiring a full backbar or heavy prep.
Spritzes carry spring drink menus
Spring beverage planning favors drinks that can cover several occasions without creating extra work, as bars and restaurants get more out of formats that can move from brunch to happy hour and still work for mixed groups. Spritzes meet that standard, giving them lasting value on spring menus.
Zuzana Paar is the visionary behind five inspiring websites: Amazing Travel Life, Low Carb No Carb, Best Clean Eating, Tiny Batch Cooking and Sustainable Life Ideas. As a content creator, recipe developer, blogger and photographer, Zuzana shares her diverse skills through breathtaking travel adventures, healthy recipes and eco-friendly living tips. Her work inspires readers to live their best, healthiest and most sustainable lives.