# Why alcohol-free cocktails cost the same > Craft bartenders spend just as much time, labor, and money making nonalcoholic drinks as they do spirited ones. - Title: Why alcohol-free cocktails cost the same · Bon Appétit - Summary: Craft bartenders spend just as much time, labor, and money making nonalcoholic drinks as they do spirited ones. Nonalcoholic cocktails cost nearly as much as… - Keywords: nonalcoholic cocktails, craft cocktail bars, bartending, drink pricing, zero-proof spirits, bar economics, flavor extraction, labor costs, ingredient costs, bar culture, food, lifestyle - Source: Bon Appétit — https://bonappetit.com/story/how-nonalcoholic-cocktails-became-so-expensive - Author: Esther Tseng - Published: 2026-09-21T15:39:06.471+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: nonalcoholic cocktails, craft cocktail bars, bartending, drink pricing, zero-proof spirits, bar economics, flavor extraction, labor costs, ingredient costs, bar culture, food, lifestyle ## The outdated alcohol premium People expect nonalcoholic cocktails to cost less because alcohol was once forbidden and expensive. That logic no longer applies to modern craft bars. ## Craft NA drinks aren't simple Nonalcoholic cocktails at craft bars are sophisticated creations developed for refined palates, not just juice and soda water. > We wouldn't serve the nonalcoholic drinks we make to a kid; they're developed for a sophisticated palate. ## No playbook for NA drinks Traditional cocktails have time-tested recipes, but nonalcoholic versions are a new category requiring bartenders to invent from scratch. ## Alcohol does heavy lifting Alcohol naturally carries flavor and adds viscosity. Without it, bartenders must use double or triple the raw ingredients to achieve the same taste and texture. > When you're extracting flavor with water, and you don't have alcohol, you have to use double or triple the amount of raw ingredients to get that flavor across. ## Labor intensive processes A nonalcoholic milk punch might take two days of sous vide cooking, clarifying, and foaming. A Negroni takes minutes. > We have an NA milk punch that takes a long time. We sous vide the spices, clarify it, and top it off with pandan foam. That takes us two days. ## Premium ingredients add up Specialty tea from Japan, nonalcoholic vermouth, and nonalcoholic spirit alternatives cost as much as their alcoholic counterparts, shrinking profit margins. ## Zero-proof spirits aren't cheap Bottles of Seedlip, Optimist Botanicals, and The Pathfinder Spirit cost thirty to forty dollars, matching mid-tier whiskey and gin prices. ## Spirit swaps don't work Zero-proof spirits taste different and are weaker in flavor than alcoholic ones, so bartenders can't simply substitute them one-to-one in recipes. > If every cocktail has a de-alcoholized spirit or spirit replacement, then that's probably a bad sign. ## Functional alternatives cost more Adaptogenic drinks with mushrooms, ashwagandha, and CBD, plus kava-infused spirits, cost as much or more than high-end whiskey. ## Bars aren't trying to cheat you Restaurants and bars have the same fixed costs regardless of what you order: rent, payroll, utilities, licensing, and maintenance. > Nine times out of 10, a bar or restaurant is not trying to rip anyone off, they're just trying to make enough money to pay their staff. ## Bars are community spaces Bars serve as gathering places for people to connect, not just venues to consume drinks. Pricing reflects the full value of that experience. > Bars and restaurants are gathering spaces. They're not just places to drink. ## Key takeaway Nonalcoholic cocktails cost nearly as much as alcoholic ones because they require more ingredients, more labor, and expensive flavor alternatives to replace what alcohol naturally provides.