While there seems to be a new video every day of maskless youth blithely partying outside (and inside) bars, many people have actually been drinking less during the pandemic. Half of Americans say they aren’t excited at all about heading back to their favorite watering hole — or any bar for that matter.
Indeed, fear of enclosed spaces and sloppy, less-than-socially distanced crowds may change drinking culture for a long time to come. It’s already threatening the future of your friendly bartender.
Countertop cocktail makers have been available for years. Larger-scale commercial options have been mixing drinks and entertainment, using robotic arms to whirl and shake cocktails in clubs from Europe to Dubai and aboard cruise ships. But the pandemic may have opened the door to a bigger stage.