You're at a wedding. You're not drinking. What do you order? This might seem like a small question, but for brands in the non-alcoholic space, it's everything. The social occasion is the ultimate test of whether NA products actually work in real-world contexts, not just on Instagram or in health-food stores.
I wanted to understand how Canadians actually feel about non-alcoholic options in social settings. Not the aspirational version that brands love to portray, but the honest reality of what people order when they're at an event and everyone around them is drinking. I ran a study with six Canadian adults to find out, and the results were illuminating for anyone building in this space.
The Participants
I recruited six personas from Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia through Ditto. Ages ranged from 25 to 45, with incomes spanning from $25,000 to nearly $200,000 annually. Occupations included retail workers, project managers, real estate professionals, and hospitality staff. All attend social occasions where alcohol is present - weddings, holiday parties, work events, birthday celebrations.
What they had in common: they've all been in situations where they weren't drinking while others around them were, they've all navigated the social dynamics of ordering non-alcoholic options, and they've all formed opinions about what works and what doesn't in those contexts.
The Judgment Question
First question: when you see someone order a non-alcoholic beer or cocktail at a bar, what's your honest reaction? This gets at the social stigma that used to surround NA choices - the assumption that choosing not to drink meant something was wrong or that the person would be judged.
The answer was remarkably consistent: largely indifferent. Respondents attribute NA choices to practical reasons rather than personal deficiency. The common assumptions include designated driving responsibilities, early morning shifts the next day, medications that don't mix with alcohol, and parenting duties that require staying sharp.
One participant's response captured the sentiment:
"Honestly, I feel a bit relieved when someone orders non-alcoholic at an event because drunk driving freaks me out. I just assume they're being responsible about getting home safely. No judgment at all."
The key insight: the stigma has largely evaporated among Canadian consumers. When judgment exists, it tends to target venue pricing for NA options rather than the individual making the choice. People resent paying alcohol-level prices for drinks without alcohol, not the choice itself.
The Category Hierarchy
Second question: have you ever tried premium non-alcoholic beer, wine, or spirits? What was your honest reaction to each category? This reveals which NA products actually deliver on their promise and which fall short.
Clear winners and losers emerged from the research:
Non-alcoholic beer is broadly accepted when served cold, especially lagers and some IPA varieties. Participants described it as "good enough" for situational drinking - not identical to regular beer, but close enough that it satisfies the ritual without the alcohol. Quality perception drops noticeably as temperature rises, so cold serving is essential.
Non-alcoholic wine was consistently dismissed as "thin" and "juice-like" by participants. It lacks the body, finish, and complexity expected from wine. Not a single positive mention emerged across all six respondents. The category has the furthest to go in matching expectations.
Zero-proof spirits showed initial appeal from the aroma experience, but that promise fades quickly on the palate. They lack the body and warmth that comes from alcohol unless they're skillfully incorporated into balanced cocktails with complementary ingredients.
The Wedding Test
Third question: at a wedding or holiday party, if you're not drinking alcohol, would you choose pop or juice, sparkling water, or a premium non-alcoholic cocktail at equal price? This gets at the real competitive dynamics in social settings.
The winner: sparkling water, overwhelmingly. This surprised me initially, but the reasoning became clear across all participants.
Why sparkling water dominates at events:
Low calories with no sugar crash: Events often involve rich food, and adding sugary drinks compounds the problem.
Adult appearance in proper glassware: A wine glass with sparkling water and a citrus garnish looks sophisticated and reduces unwanted questions.
Perceived value fairness: You're not overpaying for something pretending to be alcoholic. The value proposition is honest.
Superior hydration for long events: Weddings and parties last for hours. Staying hydrated matters.
The critical insight: guests resent paying alcohol-equivalent prices for low-effort non-alcoholic options. Unless the mocktail demonstrates genuine complexity, balance, and craft, it feels like a rip-off compared to simple sparkling water that costs a fraction of the price.
The Price Sensitivity Factor
The pricing dynamics revealed important insights for NA brands and venues. When premium mocktails cost as much as alcoholic cocktails, consumers feel cheated unless they can see and taste the craftsmanship. The value equation breaks down when you're paying $14 for what feels like dressed-up juice.
One participant articulated the calculation perfectly:
"If I'm paying cocktail prices for something without alcohol, I need to see the bartender actually craft it. Multiple ingredients, proper technique, garnish that makes sense. Otherwise, just give me sparkling water with lime for a quarter of the price."
The acceptable price point for NA cocktails appears to be around 60-70% of alcoholic equivalents, unless the complexity and presentation justify parity pricing. Venues that charge full cocktail prices for simple NA options create resentment rather than repeat orders.
What This Means for NA Brands
If I were building a non-alcoholic beverage menu for events and venues, here's what I'd take away from this research:
Lead with NA beer and elevated sparkling water. Cold lager plus a hop-forward option covers most preferences.
Deprioritize NA wine entirely. Consider only a very-cold sparkling variant if anything. The category disappoints.
Price NA cocktails at 60-70% of alcoholic equivalents. Or demonstrate visible complexity that justifies higher pricing.
Serve everything ice-cold in proper glassware. Build balanced drinks with acid, bitter, and salt components.
Don't assume premium pricing works. NA wine quality drags down overall category perception.
The Bigger Picture
The non-alcoholic category has evolved past the stigma problem. Canadian consumers don't judge people for ordering NA options - they assume practical reasons and move on. The social barrier that once held back the category has largely dissolved.
Now the challenge is delivering experiences that justify the price point. Sparkling water with a citrus garnish in a wine glass is beating most premium mocktails on the value equation - not because it's better, but because it's honest about what it is and priced accordingly.
For NA brands to win in social settings, they need to either compete on value with simple options or genuinely deliver complexity that justifies premium pricing. The middle ground - charging cocktail prices for dressed-up juice - creates resentment rather than loyalty. Get the value equation right, and the stigma-free environment creates real opportunity for category growth.
What the Research Revealed
We asked real consumers to share their thoughts. Here's what they told us:
You are at a wedding or holiday party not drinking alcohol. The host offers you either: (a) pop/juice, (b) sparkling water, or (c) a premium non-alcoholic cocktail that costs the same as a real drink.
Hannah I. Martin, 31, Administrative Assistant, Terrebonne, QC, Canada:
I’d pick sparkling water with lots of lime. It feels grown-up, I can sip it slow, and no sugar crash. I don’t want to be difficult, but a premium NA cocktail at the same price as booze bugs me… it’s usually juice and ice in a fancy glass. Maybe I’d try one if it has real bitters or herbs and not syrup, but I’m not chasing that. If I want a treat, I’ll do a ginger ale in a rocks glass so no one bugs me. Pop or straight juice is fine for one, then I feel sticky. Sparkling keeps me clear for the drive home and tomorrow’s shift.
Megan Kim, 32, Customer Success Manager, Windsor, ON, Canada:
(b) Sparkling water. Easy call.
Pop/juice is a sugar bomb. I don’t need sticky teeth and a crash.
Paying real-drink pricing for pretend booze? Hard pass. Congrats on your margins, not my problem.
Bubbles cut through heavy wedding food and keep me sharp to drive or survive small talk.
Throw it in a flute with a lime and people stop asking why I’m not drinking. Time saved.
Edge case: if it’s open bar and the NA cocktail is actually balanced - acid, bitter, salt - I might try one for curiosity, then back to sparkling.
It’s cool and damp out, I want clean and crisp, not syrup. Inflation brain says stop rewarding fancy juice pricing.
Sophie Gagnon, 44, Project Manager, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada:
(b) Sparkling water, easy. Pop or juice is too sweet and makes me feel like a kid with a sugar crash. Paying the same as a real drink for a “premium” mocktail that tastes like fancy juice bugs me unless it’s properly bitter and tart - if it looks legit, I might have one to be festive, then back to bubbles. Sparkling with lime feels clean, keeps my head clear, and I don’t feel ripped off. And on a slushy night like this, I’ll probably finish with a coffee or hot tea anyway.
Ryan MacDonald, 39, Maintenance Technician, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada:
Sparkling water, no question. I don’t want a sugar bomb with dinner, and I’m not paying real-drink money for a mocktail that usually tastes like pricey seltzer with zero warmth. Toss a lime in and I’m set - clean, no crash, good for the drive. If it’s truly open bar and the bartender’s got something balanced, I might try one, but nine times out of ten it’s bubbles.
Have you ever tried a premium non-alcoholic beer, wine, or spirit? If yes, what was your honest reaction to the taste? If no, why not?
Caleb Lee, 28, Commercial Real Estate Broker, Richmond, BC, Canada:
Yeah. I’ve tried a few “premium” NA beers, one NA red, and two NA “gin” style bottles.
NA beer: Lagers are fine cold and fresh. Clean, a bit thin, but close enough. Most NA IPAs taste sweet and bready with fake bitterness. Call it 6-7/10. Works on a rainy weeknight when I’ve got a run in the morning.
NA wine: Misses the point. Thin, cooked fruit, no finish. 2/10. I stopped buying after one bottle.
NA spirits: Basically botanical water. In tonic it’s passable, neat it’s boring. 4/10. The bottle price is silly for what you get.
Bottom line: NA beer is the only one I repeat. At retail it’s acceptable. At bar markups it isn’t. If I’m not drinking, I usually just order soda water with lime and keep the tab and calories tight.
Ryan MacDonald, 39, Maintenance Technician, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada:
Yeah, I’ve tried a few of the fancy ones. The premium NA IPAs had a good hop nose and decent bite, but the body felt thin and the finish went a bit sweet. Still fine with wings if I’m driving. An NA stout at Christmas looked the part and had roasted notes, but no weight, like someone turned the volume down. NA wine at a family thing was rough - basically grape juice with perfume, no backbone, I left half the glass. A premium gin-style mocktail in town smelled nice, lots of botanicals, but drank like pricey seltzer with zero warmth. Overall, beer can be pretty good now; wine and “spirits” are hit-and-miss, and the prices make me roll my eyes.
Megan Kim, 32, Customer Success Manager, Windsor, ON, Canada:
Yes. Tried across categories. Mixed bag leaning toward meh.
NA beer: The best of the bunch. Crisp lagers are fine if they’re ice cold. Hoppy ones swing sweet or thin but still drinkable with spicy food. I’ll grab one if I’m DD or I’ve got Muay Thai early. Zero drama.
NA wine: Mostly a miss. Reds taste like grape skin tea. Whites are watery with random sweetness. Sparkling is the only lane that sometimes works - bubbles hide the weirdness if it’s freezing cold.
NA spirits: Smell is there, bite is not. Straight up, it drinks like botanical water. In a proper cocktail with acid, bitter, and salt, it can fake it. Otherwise, skip.
Price: If it’s priced like a real cocktail, hard eye roll. I’ll pay for effort, not for fancy juice in a coupe.
Net: I’ll happily do an NA beer. I avoid NA wine unless it’s sparkling and brutal-chilled. “Premium” spirit alternatives only pass when a good bartender builds a real drink around them. If I just want something clean and cheap, soda-lime still wins.
Sophie Gagnon, 44, Project Manager, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada:
Yes, I’ve tried a few “premium” NA beers, wines, and a couple zero-proof spirits. Honest take:
Beer: Usually the best of the bunch. Cold and hoppy, it scratches the itch, though the body is thinner and the finish can get a bit sweet. I’ll actually buy this again when I’m driving or up early with the kids.
Wine: Red tastes like grape juice with a tea bag. Sparkling is closer if it’s ice cold, but still weirdly sweet for the price. I skip it and do club soda with lime.
Spirits: Nice nose, flat mouthfeel. In a tonic or spritz it’s passable, but the mixer does all the work. Fun once, not a staple.
Bottom line: beer is the only one that feels like a real drink. If you slap “premium” on it, it better deliver - most of the wine and spirits don’t. And on a slushy night like this, a big mug of tea beats all of it.
When you see someone order a non-alcoholic beer or cocktail at a bar or party, what is your honest first reaction? Do you think anything of it?
Ryan MacDonald, 39, Maintenance Technician, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada:
Honestly, I mostly shrug. If they want a drink without the buzz, good on them. Half the time they’re driving or up early, and I’ve done the same when roads are greasy or I’m on 5:30s. Some NA stuff tastes decent now, some still tastes like wet cardboard. What bugs me is when a bar charges full freight for a glass of sugar. Anyone chirping them to “just have a real one” is being a knob.
Caleb Lee, 28, Commercial Real Estate Broker, Richmond, BC, Canada:
Honestly, I barely notice. My brain tags it as: driving, training tomorrow, or just not in the mood. Zero issue. What I do clock is price. Paying $12 for a syrup bomb is a waste. If I skip alcohol, I pick an NA beer or soda water with lime and keep the tab under control. Sleep and the next-morning run beat a buzz, especially on a rainy weeknight.
Hannah I. Martin, 31, Administrative Assistant, Terrebonne, QC, Canada:
Honestly, I don’t think much of it. I usually figure they’re driving or up early, or they just don’t want a headache. On a wet night like this, it feels smart. I also feel a bit relieved, because drunk driving freaks me out. I get a little protective if someone teases them. I don’t want to be difficult, but the “come on, just one” thing is tired. Let people drink what they want. I order NA pretty often myself on weeknights. Sometimes a ginger ale in a rocks glass so no one bugs me. Some NA beers taste fine now, some taste like bread water. The only thing I side-eye is a $12 mocktail that is mostly juice and ice. Otherwise, not my business and honestly, good for them.
Megan Kim, 32, Customer Success Manager, Windsor, ON, Canada:
Gut check? I mostly don’t care and get on with my night. Order what you want - I’m not your parole officer.
If it’s low-key, I clock it as driving, early workout, or just not wanting to feel gross tomorrow. Fine.
If it comes with a five-minute sobriety TED Talk, hard eye roll. Congrats on your journey, but I did not ask.
If the bar charges $14 for fancy juice in a coupe, I judge the bar, not the person. Inflation is already clowning us.
House party with decent NA options? Great. Better than flat cola from 2019.
Me personally: half the time I’m DD or I’ve got Muay Thai early, so I’ll grab soda-lime or an NA beer and move on. If I’m crossing back over the bridge, obviously no booze.
Net: I only think anything if there’s a speech or a stupid price. Otherwise it barely pings my radar.
