“Gen Z isn’t drinking like previous generations” has been a headline for years now. And depending on who’s telling the story, the reasoning changes. Gen Z is opting out of alcohol to focus on their wellness instead. They’re prioritizing daytime drinking over late-night bar crawls. The pandemic caused Gen Z’s social and drinking behaviors to change. And none of those stories even touch on the explosion of non-alcoholic options—hello, mocktails, matcha lattes, CBD-infused drinks, and dirty sodas!—that give off the vibe of going out without the alcohol. But if you’ve been following YPulse research, you know it’s basically impossible to reduce Gen Z’s drinking behavior to just one narrative. For years, YPulse has said that young people’s “sober curiosity” isn’t about cutting alcohol out completely—it’s about redefining how, when, and why they drink. YPulse has been surveying 21-39-year-olds about their drinking habits and nightlife behaviors for almost a decade. Our data shows that while fewer young adults (21-29-year-olds) in the U.S. drink alcohol compared to six years ago,...
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