This year’s lackluster Labor Day was not exclusive to the off-premise, according to the latest report from CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NIQ.
Sales velocity at bars and restaurants declined 10% on Labor Day (Monday, September 1) compared to the holiday in 2024 (Monday, September 2). Average check value was down 7% year-over-year (YoY), while traffic declined 4%.
However, celebrators may have been drinking beverages more than last year. Drink-led on-premise venues recorded a 1% increase in sales velocity, led by 4% growth at neighborhood bars.
Some food-led establishments also recorded notable gains, including casual dining outlets (+10%) YoY. Ticket counts at those venues were up an average of 14% compared to 2024.
While YoY comps weren’t up to snuff, the holiday still provided a needed boost to on-premise venues compared to a typical Monday. Labor Day sales velocity was up 24% compared to an average Monday in 2025, led by a 29% increase in traffic. The boost made Labor Day the second most valuable Monday of the year.
In the two weeks encapsulating Labor Day Weekend (weeks-ending August 30 and September 6), the on-premise recorded single-digit week-over-week (WoW) declines in sales velocity – -6% and -2%, respectively – suggesting consumers took a step back from the on-premise over the holiday weekend compared to their usual habits this summer.
However, on a YoY basis, the latest week recorded a 3% boost in sales velocity, with a 4% increase in average ticket counts outweighing a 1% decline in check value. Over the last 12 weeks, on-premise sales velocity is up 12% compared to the same period in 2024.
Among the five key states observed by CGA, Illinois recorded the largest YoY increase in sales velocity in the latest week (+9%), followed by New York (+6%), California (+5%), Texas (+5%) and Florida (-1%).
Florida also recorded the largest sales velocity decline WoW (-13%), followed by Illinois (-6%). New York (+7%) and California (+4%) both recorded WoW growth, while Texas was flat.
In a recent consumer survey, 77% of respondents said they have gone out to eat in the past month, consistent with responses from CGA’s August survey. Half of respondents said they have been out for a drink, down 2 percentage points from August.
Three-quarters of respondents said they plan to go out to eat in the next month, while 49% said they plan to go out for a drink in the period. Both responses were down two percentage points compared to CGA’s August survey.
The majority of respondents (40%) said they visit the on-premise once or twice a week, followed by once or twice a month (31%), three to five times a week (22%) and everyday or almost everyday (6%).
More than half of respondents (57%) said they plan to visit the on-premise as frequently next month as they did this month, while 31% plan to visit more often (17% more, 13% much more) and 12% plan to visit less (10% less, 1% much less).
Beer remains the No. 1 bev-alc purchase of choice, with 45% of respondents purchasing within the category in the past month, followed by cocktails (29%), vodka (25%), table wine (24%), whiskey (24%), and tequila (20%).
Notably, 17% of respondents said they did not drink bev-alc when visiting the on-premise. Among non-alcoholic (NA) alternatives of adult beverages, beer and cocktails were tied at 8% of respondents, followed by NA wine (6%) and NA spirits (5%).