Craft beer and spirits are taking wine to the cleaners when it comes to growth on the menus of causal restaurant chains such as Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesday's, Outback Steakhouse, and their brethren. Wine selections have dropped by 17 percent among eight of the top ten chains in an eight-month time frame ending in March of this year.
And a company that tracks beer and wine sales in the on-premise (as in, the alcohol is consumed at the place it was purchased) world, Winemetrics has some bad news. Founder and CEO Charles Gill explains, "The real challenge for wine suppliers on-premise may not be expanding distribution but holding on to the placements they currently have.”
Are you more likely to order wine, beer, or spirits at a chain restaurant? Why? And what wine pairs best with a Bloomin' Onion?
