Rising costs and a growing focus on personal health are driving some young adults to rethink their relationship with alcohol. As some young adults cut back on booze without abandoning social outings entirely, local venue owners are adapting how they approach nightlife.
While social media trends often suggest young adults are giving up alcohol altogether, official data presents a more nuanced picture.
Statistics Canada alcohol sales volume report, released in March, found alcohol sales by volume fell three per cent to 2,898 million litres in 2024/2025, while standard drinks sold per week per person of legal drinking age dropped from 8.7 to eight.
For 24-year-old Calgarian Julio Yee, going out no longer revolves around spending money on expensive bar drinks.
“Late nights out in relation to drinking don’t deliver the same ecstatic experience when compared to previous years,” Yee said.
With the rising cost of drinks, Yee said he prefers prioritizing food over alcohol when dining out.
“Definitely, it seems to be customary to drink even when eating out for a meal,” Yee said. “Often I’d rather get a few more appetizers or large entree by opting out of a drink.”
To avoid higher bar costs, Yee said he and his friends sometimes drink at home before heading out.
“With drinks being priced very steeply I often find myself and friends drinking way before going out to both enjoy a better environment and level of intoxication in contrast to drinking while going out,” Yee added. “Often without the shame of seeing bank statements, which was not reflective of the previous night’s experience.”
The shift towards health and moderation has led some local venues to expand zero proof options.
Some local hospitality businesses are also responding to changing drinking habits. At Lutador, an alcohol-free Brazilian fusion restaurant set to open later this month, non-alcoholic and zero-proof beverages are central to the business model.
“We’ve noticed a huge shift towards mocktails,” said Raham Siddique, owner and spokesperson for Lutador. “I think only a few of our premium mocktails are sitting at $14 the rest are averaging around $12.50.”
Siddique said premium zero-proof spirits can cost venue operators as much as traditional liquor because of the processes used to remove alcohol.
“Some of the drinks that we have are like triple distilled because basically we are ensuring zero proof,” Siddique said.
For some young adults, rising costs, health concerns and changing priorities are reshaping what a night out looks like, making it less defined by what is in the glass.