The percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, a recent Gallup poll found, which is the lowest by one percentage point in Gallup’s nearly 90-year history. Some survey respondents said moderate alcohol consumption doesn’t fit their lifestyle.

Research found that from 1997 to 2023, at least 60% of Americans reported drinking alcohol. The figure fell to 62% in 2023 and to 58% in 2024, before reaching 54% in 2025.

“Prior to the most recent poll, the rate has been under 60% fewer than 10 times, including 58% in the initial 1939 poll and a one-time low of 55% recorded in 1958. The highs of 68% to 71% were all recorded between 1974 and 1981,” Gallup said.

For the first time in Gallup’s tracking of alcohol consumption, it found that a majority of Americans (53%) said drinking in moderation, or “one or two drinks a day,” is bad for one’s health. Just 6% say it’s good for one’s health, while 37% believe it makes no difference.

“Among Americans who do drink, consumption patterns are shifting. A record-low 24% of drinkers say they had a drink in the past 24 hours, while 40% say it has been more than a week since they last consumed alcohol, the highest percentage since 2000,” Gallup wrote.

Per the report, factoring in all drinkers, including those who did not drink in the past week, the average number of drinks consumed over the past seven days is 2.8, the lowest figure Gallup has recorded since 1996. This is down from 3.8 drinks a year ago and closer to 4.0 drinks over the seven years prior to that. The highest average number was 5.1 drinks per week, recorded in 2003.

Meanwhile, U.S. drinkers continue to cite beer as the alcoholic beverage they consume most often, “exceeding the 30% who name liquor and 29% who name wine. This is broadly consistent with the patterns seen over the past six years, when liquor has roughly matched wine as people's drink of choice.”

Interested in learning about merchandising alcohol? At the 2025 NACS Show in Chicago October 14-17, the education session “What’s Really in the Can? – Selling Alcohol-Infused Products,” will discuss how c-stores can attract new customers and grow category sales.