Wine at the Restaurant: What the Data Says About How Americans Order Wine

How many people feel intimidated ordering wine at a restaurant?

Roughly one in three diners reports some form of wine-ordering anxiety. 30% of Americans say long wine lists frustrate or confuse them, 19% are intimidated by sommeliers, and among millennials, 34% feel awkward performing the taste-test ritual and 34% fear their selection will be judged.

Constellation Brands' Project Genome segmentation classified about 19% of wine consumers as “Overwhelmed” — and follow-up analysis found worry about making a mistake spans nearly every consumer segment except self-described experts (Constellation Project Genome, 2014 (n=3,677), via WMU).

Wine anxiety isn't a niche problem — outside of self-described experts, worry about “getting it wrong” shows up in every consumer segment researchers have measured.

What do diners actually do when they're unsure?

They default to the familiar. 46% of Americans will reorder a wine they already know rather than try something new, and familiarity is the single biggest factor in what people order — ahead of price, region, or a server's recommendation.

• 46%order a wine they've had before instead of branching out (OnePoll for Jordan Winery, 2018 (n=2,000))
• Uncertainty is the #1 purchase blocker for wine among 21–30-year-olds; 21% report feeling intimidated when picking a wine (Uncorked “How America Drinks” report, 2015)
• Academic modeling of 532 U.S. restaurant diners confirms perceived risk directly suppresses by-the-glass ordering — and that information (menus, staff guidance, pairing suggestions) is the primary moderator (Bruwer et al., Int. Journal of Hospitality Management (n=532))

How much will people pay for a glass of wine at a restaurant?

Not what restaurants are charging. Over 75% of U.S. wine drinkers say they won't pay more than $16 for a restaurant glass; only 15% will go above $18 and just 7% above $20 — while $24 glasses have become the reported norm in cities like San Francisco.

Are people ordering wine by the glass more often?

Yes — by-the-glass is where restaurant wine is growing. 54% of consumers across the U.S., U.K., and Australia order wine by the glass more often than two years ago, rising to 58% among Americans. Younger diners (25–44) are the most willing to spend $16–30+ on premium pours.

Source: Coravin Wine By-The-Glass Report, 2025 (n=1,500+).

Why do diners choose wine by the glass?

Exploration without commitment. The top motivations: trying premium wines without buying a full bottle (44%), exploring different wines (43%), and pairing different glasses with food across the meal (34%).

One in three by-the-glass orders is motivated by food pairing — pairing isn't sommelier theater, it's a mainstream ordering behavior.

What would make people order more wine when dining out?

Lower the risk. U.S. consumers say they'd order by the glass more often with the ability to sample before ordering (49%), a wider selection (44%), half-pours (35%), seasonal lists (34%), and guaranteed freshness (31%). Every item on that list reduces the fear of a bad $16 decision.

How does wine confidence differ by generation?

Younger drinkers report more wine fear, not less — millennials led every anxiety measure in Gallo's survey — and the average American doesn't hit their 'wine awakening' until age 29. Meanwhile Gen X now buys the most $100+ wine (34% of purchases), with millennials close behind (32%).

• Millennials reported the highest “wine fear” of any cohort (Gallo Consumer Wine Trends Survey, 2015 (n=1,000))
• Average “wine awakening” age: 29 (OnePoll for Jordan Winery, 2018 (n=2,000))
• $100+ bottle buyers: Gen X 34%, Millennials 32%, Boomers 18% — and 43% are women, up from 34% in the prior study (NIQ / Wine Market Council via Wine-Searcher, March 2026)
• Context: under-29 adults are drinking less wine overall than prior generations at the same age (SVB State of the US Wine Industry, 2026)

What does wine mean for a restaurant's bottom line?

Wine programs are a revenue lever most independents under-manage. Industry benchmarks put beverage at 40–50% of sales in restaurants with dedicated wine management versus a 25–30% baseline, with wine pour costs running 28–35% (30–38% by the glass, driven by spoilage).

• Beverage share of sales: 40–50% with dedicated wine management vs 25–30% baseline (GuildSomm operator benchmarks)
• Wine pour cost: 28–35%; by-the-glass 30–38%, spoilage-driven (GuildSomm)
• Half of consumers say they'd pay more for premium by-the-glass programs with guaranteed quality (Coravin Wine By-The-Glass Report, 2025 (n=1,500+))

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Sources & methodology

Compiled July 2026 from the studies below. Older studies are flagged with their dates; we update this page as new research is published.

• OnePoll for Jordan Winery, 2018 (n=2,000)
• Gallo Consumer Wine Trends Survey, 2015 (n=1,000)
• Constellation Project Genome, 2014 (n=3,677), via WMU
• Uncorked “How America Drinks” report, 2015
• Bruwer et al., Int. Journal of Hospitality Management (n=532)
• NIQ / Wine Market Council via Wine-Searcher, March 2026
• Coravin Wine By-The-Glass Report, 2025 (n=1,500+)
• SVB State of the US Wine Industry, 2026
• GuildSomm operator benchmarks (beverage program economics)