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Beverage & Cuisine Pairing
MAY 2025
Elevating the experience with the perfect beverage pairing.
Beverage Pairings Matter
When it comes to crafting the ideal experience in Foodservice, the right beverage can take a meal from good to unforgettable.
Guests are 14 times more likely to pair food with a drink than to order food alone,¹ and 85% of visits include both food and a beverage.²
Whatever the restaurant, understanding the consumer thought process behind what drinks are ordered—and knowing peoples’ tastes—is key to keeping them coming back for more.
A chart illustrated to look like a fountain soda cup illustrating how Beverages Influence Trips: 51% of consumers say food is more important, 9% say beverage is more important, and 40% say food and beverage are equally important.
The Benefits of a Beverage
The future of Foodservice is bright and projected to grow, and beverages can help to fuel this positive momentum through 2026. However, not all subchannels will grow at the same pace—Fast Casual is expected to have the most growth at 3.6%. The overall projection of growth for beverages will elevate all of Foodservice.
A bar chart highlighting Forecasted Industry Performance from 2022-2027 by CAGR. Total Foodservice is expected to see 2.0%, Total Restaurant 1.7%, Quick-Service Restaurants 1.7%, Fast Casual 3.6%, and Full Service 0.9%.
Expectations vs Reality
What people expect to pair with their food doesn’t always align with what people actually order with food—based on a survey in 2022, most guests walk into a location expecting to purchase water as their drink. However, a more recent study highlighted that packaged water is only 8% of what consumers purchase with their meal. 34% of guests drink sparkling soft drinks (SSD), with 40% of that being regular cola. This highlights the opportunity within beverages for growth, even when it may not be what consumers are expecting to sip.
Two charts showing the expectations of what beverages guests say go well with their food vs what beverages consumers actually purchase with food. The bar chart displaying the Top 6 Types of Beverages Guests Say Go Well with Food: 40% Diet/Zero SSD, 56% Lemonade, 65% Iced Tea, 73% Juices, 75% SSD, and 82% Base Water. The next pie chart reflects What Consumers Purchase with Food: 34% All SSD, 12% Coffee, 10% Tea, 8% Packaged Water, 7% 100% Juice or Juice Drink Ade, 5% Other, 2% Dairy, 1% Sports Drink.
Most Popular Picks
How are people drinking?
Bottles are a top choice with takeout, pick-up & delivery, while Fountain is still the go-to for At Location and Drive-Thru. With such an interest in bottled beverages, it suggests the ability to offer more bottled choices.
What are the most popular drinks?
Depending on the meal, there’s a wide variety of SSDs guests like to choose from. However, colas and lemon-lime sodas tend to be at the top of most lists.⁷
Top Beverage Pairings*
Selecting the right soda to accompany a meal can enhance the dining experience. Colas, with their deep caramel notes, pair well with rich dishes like burgers and fries, cutting through intense flavors and balancing the palette. Lemon-lime sodas complement lighter cuisines such as tacos and chicken-based dishes, enhancing fresh ingredients or spicy elements. Diet sodas, being less sweet and more carbonated, suit a variety of meals, from grilled proteins to salads, providing a refreshing option without overpowering delicate flavors. Understanding these pairings can create a more enjoyable experience, encouraging customers to return for their favorite combos.
A table of Top Beverage Pairings. Drinks pairings are subjective, and while the recommendations enhance certain flavors, personal taste preferences may vary. Regular Cola can go well with burgers, fries, tacos, chicken tenders/nuggets/strips, chicken sandwiches, popcorn/chips/savory snacks, other sweet snacks, pizza, and cookies. Diet/Zero Cola can go well with burgers, fries, tacos, chicken tenders/nuggets/strips, chicken sandwiches, health-conscious meals, popcorn/chips/savory snacks , pizza, and cookies. Lemon-lime SSD can go well with fries, tacos, chicken tenders/nuggets/strips, chicken sandwiches, popcorn/chips/savory snacks, pizza, and cookies. Orange SSD can go well with burgers, tacos, chicken tenders/nuggets/strips, chicken sandwiches, and pizza. Lemonade can go well with burgers, fries, and popcorn/chips/savory snacks. Dairy can go well with burgers, breakfast entrees, other sweet snacks, pizza, and cookies. Tea can go well with burgers, fries, tacos, chicken tenders/nuggets/strips, chicken sandwiches, and health-conscious meals. Lastly, coffee can go well with breakfast entrees, other sweet snacks, and cookies.
Coca‑Cola conducted a study about beverage & cuisine pairing at the beginning of 2025 that studied multiple beverage categories and cuisine types. The study covered everything from generational preferences to how competitors stack up against the Coca‑Cola portfolio.
Want to leverage these findings for your business? Contact your Coca-Cola representative for the full report and expert recommendations.
Source: 1) Dine360 12MMT June 2024. 2) Beverage sourced either in-outlet of elsewhere 3) DINE360, Total U.S., Total restaurants excluding QSR coffee & snack), 12MMT June 2024. 4) Technomic “Long-term Forecast Program – Forecasted Industry Performance - 2022- 2027 CAGR. 5) Human8, Beverage and Cuisine Pairing Study, May 2022. 6) DINE360, Total U.S., Total Restaurants, Beverage Transactions filtered by Food & Bev Occasions, 12 MMT June 2024. 7) Beverage & Cuisine Pairing Study, Strength of Coca‑Cola Portfolio vs. Competitors, Material+, 2025. *Drink pairings are subjective, and while these recommendations enhance certain flavors, personal taste preferences may vary. Based on results from Beverage & Cuisine Pairing Study, Strength of Coca‑Cola Portfolio vs. Competitors, Material+, 2025
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