Ordering a non-alcoholic drink at a restaurant no longer has to mean settling for soda, water, or a simple mocktail.
Outback Steakhouse has partnered with Ritual Zero Proof to introduce two new alcohol-free cocktails at 580 restaurants across the United States. The launch represents the steakhouse chain’s largest scaled on-menu zero-proof program to date.
The drinks are now permanent additions to Outback’s Booze-Free Bevvies menu. The No Worries ‘Rita reimagines the restaurant’s signature Outback Classic Margarita using Ritual Agave Spirit Alternative. It is available in mango, watermelon, blackberry, and strawberry flavors.
Tropic Like It’s Hot combines Ritual Rum Alternative with mango, pineapple, and lemonade before being shaken and finished with a Tajín rim.
Outback is already known for playful cocktails that make ordering a drink feel like part of the dining experience. Its seasonal beverages have included holiday cocktails served with collectible koalas and the viral Aussie JAWSsie, which returned for Shark Week with a keepsake shark that poured grenadine into the drink. Outback also created a non-alcoholic Sharky Temple featuring the same shark-themed presentation.
Offering a mocktail counterpart is still relatively unusual among large casual-dining chains, particularly when the non-alcoholic version retains the presentation that made the original drink popular.
I tried Outback’s two new Ritual cocktails at the chain’s Brooklyn location. Both tasted closer to traditional cocktails than dressed-up fruit juice. They delivered the familiar sweetness, acidity, and presentation of a mixed drink, essentially scratching the cocktail itch without producing an actual buzz.
The partnership arrives as more Americans reconsider when and how frequently they consume alcohol. A 2025 Gallup survey, found that 54 percent of American adults said they drink alcohol, the lowest percentage Gallup has recorded in nearly 90 years of tracking the behavior.
However, the shift does not necessarily mean consumers are giving up alcohol completely. Approximately 46 percent of restaurant and bar guests consume both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, according to data shared by the brands.
That flexible approach has helped popularize “zebra striping,” the practice of alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks during the same outing. Someone might begin dinner with a traditional margarita, order a zero-proof drink next, and then return to an alcoholic cocktail later.
“We are seeing more guests take a flexible approach to their beverage choices,” Outback’s beverage team told me. “Rather than identifying as either a cocktail drinker or a non-alcoholic drinker, many guests are making decisions based on the occasion, the day, or even where they are within their dining experience.”
At Outback, that could mean starting with a tequila-based Gold Coast ‘Rita and ending the meal with a No Worries ‘Rita, making the name especially fitting for anyone hoping to enjoy the night without regretting it the next morning. Ritual’s spirit alternatives also allow the restaurant to prepare alcohol-free variations of cocktails beyond the two currently listed on its menu.
The collaboration reflects a larger shift in what diners expect from restaurants. Seventy percent of consumers now want beverage options beyond soda and water, according to data provided by the brands. The National Restaurant Association also reports that 56 percent of non-alcoholic drinks are ordered alongside meals, while another 33 percent are enjoyed between meals.
For Outback, the goal was to create drinks that feel like part of its existing cocktail experience instead of a separate, lesser category.
“Every guest deserves a beverage that feels special and thoughtfully crafted,” the company said. “We looked to evoke that feeling of treating yourself, not settling.”
Ritual’s Agave and Rum Alternatives were selected to recreate two familiar cocktail styles rather than introduce drinks customers might not recognize.
“The beauty of Ritual Zero Proof is that it’s designed as a one-to-one replacement for traditional spirits,” Megan Hurtuk, head of marketing for non-alcoholic beverages at Diageo North America, told me. “The goal was to make these drinks feel instantly recognizable, not like a separate or compromised experience.”
The nationwide rollout also suggests that elevated non-alcoholic drinks are becoming more than a temporary Dry January promotion. Although independent cocktail bars and upscale restaurants helped popularize the category, Outback is bringing zero-proof spirits into a widely accessible casual-dining setting.
Both the No Worries ‘Rita and Tropic Like It’s Hot are available now at participating Outback Steakhouse locations nationwide.
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Sep 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dining and Cooking