Explain mocktail bars to me

[Anonymous]

There are several new mocktail bars opening up in my general vicinity, and I don't understand their business model. Bars are successful because alcohol is expensive and also addictive; often once someone has a drink they want another, and then another, etc. So people spend a long time in a bar, but they also spend a lot of money.

Mocktails are less expensive and they don't have the same effect on people. No one drinks a smoothie or a glass of juice, and then is like, "ooh, I want at least one or two more." Mocktails are basically fancy, pretty, glasses of juice or smoothies. But no one lingers in a smoothie shop or juice bar, as they are small and uncongenial to hanging around, but these mocktail bars are presented as comfortable places to spend a while--basically regular bar substitutes. I don't understand how a place that sells each customer one or two moderately priced items but encourages hanging out is going to survive. Is there something I'm not seeing?

[Anonymous]

why do you need anything explained? it's obvious. A lot of us choose not to drink. Why are you crowdsourcing here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:why do you need anything explained? it's obvious. A lot of us choose not to drink. Why are you crowdsourcing here?

My question is not "why mocktail bars" but rather "how?" PP, do you think non-drinkers will visit mocktail bars frequently enough and spend enough that they can stay open? The ones about to open near me are in good locations, they look large and elegant. The rent can't be cheap. I hope they will succeed, I just don't see how.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't be into either a mocktail bar or regular bar, but juice bars and smoothie bars and coffeehouses and frozen yogurt places exist, so why not?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a new real estate and investment scam. The people behind this crap get rich off fake hype and the "new" buzzy thing and it quickly implodes after all the early investors cash out -- because it was an obvious scam the entire time.

[Anonymous]

Seems about as sustainable as the average vegetarian or vegan restaurant, nearly all of which seem to quickly go out of business.

[Anonymous]

Hip Flask, the rooftop bar at the new Marriott in Bethesda, was the first Marriott bar to really have some mocktails on the list. They are $14-15.. about the same price as most alcohol cocktails on their menu:
https://www.hipflaskrooftop.com/our-menus

Depending on the mocktail, their product cost can be lower (because liquor is expensive), unless they use lots of fresh fruits that are pricey. Then I assume they will offer food as food gets people to stay for at least 2 drinks usually.

Also, mocktail bars can offer to-go drinks while regular bars generally cannot (liquor license restriction).

So.. if you instead compare it to the economics of a coffee shop, it can make more sense financially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hip Flask, the rooftop bar at the new Marriott in Bethesda, was the first Marriott bar to really have some mocktails on the list. They are $14-15.. about the same price as most alcohol cocktails on their menu:
https://www.hipflaskrooftop.com/our-menus

Depending on the mocktail, their product cost can be lower (because liquor is expensive), unless they use lots of fresh fruits that are pricey. Then I assume they will offer food as food gets people to stay for at least 2 drinks usually.

Also, mocktail bars can offer to-go drinks while regular bars generally cannot (liquor license restriction).

So.. if you instead compare it to the economics of a coffee shop, it can make more sense financially.

How are these not just restaurants with no liquor license?

[Anonymous]

I agree OP. I enjoy a mocktail every now and then and I like that more restaurants and bars are having fun ones on their menus. But I can't imagine a bar will be successful long term basing their entire business off them.