Sales Overview
Consumers kicked off celebrations early, as Total US On Premise velocity sales increased by +11% on Thursday July 3rd versus the week before, and +2% compared to the average Thursday of the year so far. Ticket count rose by +8%, a sign of consumers making the most of the long weekend at the earliest opportunity.
Compared to the equivalent day of 2025 so far, velocity lagged behind on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th, falling by -31% and -29. Traffic was the key driver of decline, down by -24% on Friday and -22% on Saturday. Average check value was also down by -9% on Friday and -8% on Saturday.
Drinking outlets showed bright spots of uplift, particularly on the Thursday 3rd, when velocity was up +10% velocity, traffic was up by +3%, and the average check value was up by +7%.
Compared to last year’s performance, drinking outlets saw the biggest spike of +29% in velocity on Thursday 3rd, driven by a +36% increase in traffic.
Channels
Sports bars led performance with a +48% uplift compared to the day before Independence Day last year. Casual dining venues rose by +12%, and neighborhood bars remained in line with last year’s sales but saw increased momentum into the weekend when velocity uplifted +6% on the 4th (ticket count up +14%), followed by +8% growth on Saturday July 5th.
Neighborhood bars also stood in comparison to average sales trends of 2025 so far. Velocity on Thursday outpaced the average Thursday by +45%, +12% on Friday and +1% on Saturday. In fact, Thursday July 3rd is now the most valuable Thursday of 2025 to date for neighborhood bars.
Consumer Behavior
Interestingly, Independence Day 2025 saw a clear upswing in planned visitation, with 38% of consumers surveyed in June saying they’d celebrate in the On Premise (+7pp versus 2024).
By age group, over half (53%) of 21–34-year-olds showed the greatest enthusiasm for going out to celebrate, followed by half (50%) of 55–54-year-olds.
In terms of what they spent their money on, beer commanded 41% of planned orders, whiskey and vodka a quarter (25%), and tequila almost a quarter (23%).
Early evening was the peak daypart for almost half (46%) of revelers, followed by a third (33%) visiting the On Premise during late evening, and almost a third (30%) around lunch, with Happy Hours or other promotions playing a deciding role for almost a third (30%) of consumers.
Summary
Ultimately, the research reveals the big winners during the Fourth of July celebrations were:
- Neighborhood bars and sports bars as preferred channels
- Thursday trading as a critical window for activation
- Beverage mix tailored to beer and key spirit domination
Matthew Crompton, VP On Premise – Americas said: “Despite the common perception the Fourth of July is celebrated primarily Off Premise with friends and family, these latest findings reveal a substantial uplift in On Premise activities around the occasion, re-emphasizing the value of national celebrations for venues and suppliers. This year’s results highlight the value of smart planning, agile activations, and channel specific strategies for suppliers, distributers and operators.”
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*Value Velocity is the average total outlet sales over the specified time period in dollars.
