Bars, restaurants and venues in the City of Houston sold $1.04 billion in alcoholic beverages in the first eight months of this year, nearly the exact same amount sold in the comparable period a year earlier, according to data from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Alcoholic beverage sales—including wine, beer and spirits—are just one barometer of spending trends and general consumer sentiment. Higher sales mean busier restaurants and nightlife and suggest consumers are willing to go out and spend on non-essentials.
As of August, there were more than 2,400 venues across the city selling mixed beverages, the largest number among the state’s top cities. Dallas had more than 1,500 venues, Austin 1,300, about the same number as San Antonio, and Fort Worth just 680. That Houston has the largest number of sellers makes sense given the city’s position as the largest in the state by both population and geography.
In the month of August alone, Houston businesses served $129.8 million in wine, beer and spirits. That’s up 5% from August 2023. Importantly, these figures cover alcohol served directly to consumers in bars and restaurants, not sold in liquor stores or other retail businesses.
Other cities in the region among the top 20 municipalities for alcohol sales so far this year are Katy ($62.6 million), The Woodlands ($55.2 million), Galveston ($50 million) and Spring (49.5 million).
Written by A.J. Mistretta