Gen Z drinks like they’ve got plans tomorrow.
It’s no secret that young adults are drinking less than previous generations, and they’re doing it deliberately. Rather than swearing off alcohol entirely, many Gen Z consumers are “zebra striping” — alternating their alcoholic drinks with nonalcoholic, functional, or THC-infused beverage options — to stay social without the next-day hangover.
“People still want to feel something,” Jon Kreidler, cofounder of Tattersall Distilling Company, told Business Insider. “They still want to partake and have something adult and feel something different to help them relax, help them calm down. But a lot of people, especially younger consumers, are just fed up with the hangovers and the negative effects, and so they’re shifting away from alcohol.”
Laurel Tiedeman, a 28-year-old from San Diego, told Business Insider she has a ritual on nights she drinks to stave off hangovers. First, she downs a “big glass of salty electrolytes” and has a snack — usually a sandwich or eggs on toast.
When she does drink, Tiedeman said she prioritizes quality alcohol, like quadruple-distilled vodkas or high-end whiskeys. Then, she likes to zebra stripe.
“I’ll have an alcoholic drink, and then a Diet Coke, another alcoholic drink, and then a water, repeat,” Tiedeman said. “I love the caffeine boost from the Diet Coke, and it still feels like a fun drink to have while out.”
Once home, she has more electrolytes, then another snack, calling the process her “golden ticket” to hangover prevention, and a key part of how she plans ahead to make her night out feel celebratory and indulgent, without risking any ill effects the next day.
Ashleigh Ewald, a 23-year-old from Georgia, has a similar process, alternating sips of water from her Owala bottle for every sip of alcohol she takes during a night out, as part of a conscious effort to prevent getting drunk. In her friend group, she told Business Insider that avoiding hangovers reflects their values, being goal-oriented, and a mindset shift “where fun doesn’t have to come with a hangover.”
“A lot of us would rather pace ourselves, zebra stripe, or skip alcohol entirely than lose a whole day recovering,” Ewald said, adding that “not wanting a hangover isn’t about being boring — it’s about wanting energy for your life the next day.”
For many young adults, a hangover isn’t just unpleasant. It’s financially draining, as alcoholic drinks increasingly cost upward of $15 a piece, and nursing a headache after a big night out simultaneously eats into work, side hustles, or already-limited free time.
Search and social media momentum for “zebra striping” is up 30% year-over-year, and “no hangover Gen Z” is up over 101% in the same timeframe, according to data from Tastewise, a consumer intelligence platform for food brands. The shift reflects broader changes in how Gen Z approaches nightlife, wellness, and control, fueling the rise of mindful bars, mocktail menus, and drinks marketed for benefits beyond a buzz.
The rise of THC, CBD, and ashwagandha
It’s Gen Z’s preferences around alcohol that prompted Tattersall Distilling Company, a high-end craft distillery, to start experimenting with THC and CBD drinks, Kreidler told Business Insider.
“Younger drinkers are just not drinking as much alcohol, and we’ve definitely felt it,” Kreidler said. “It wasn’t until the bottled THC beverages started popping up, and people started asking us to bottle them, that we really started to dig in. And then when we started, it was just kind of shocking, the shift.”
Kreidler added that older consumers are also starting to pivot toward THC beverages. He said that other adaptogens, which are plants and mushrooms that proponents argue support overall well-being and help the body respond to stress — such as ashwagandha, ginseng, and reishi — are also gaining popularity as consumers seek mood-altering effects without the use of alcohol.
Major alcohol companies, such as Heineken and AB InBev, have expanded their alcohol-free offerings in recent years, which have bolstered sales. Search interest for “alcohol alternatives,” “THC drinks,” and “ashwagandha drink” has steadily increased over the last five years.
“I think that’s where the next wave is: drinking things that, maybe, will help your gut, or your mind in general — calm you down, relax you,” Kreidler said. “We’re adding these things to foods and drinks that people just didn’t even think were possible before.”
There’s money to be made in the burgeoning better-for-you market. In May, PepsiCo acquired prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion. A similar trend is emerging in the protein snack market, as brands rush to establish themselves as the next big name by serving up smaller portions of healthier foods.
The shift isn’t solely about seeking out more functional ingredients. Gen Z’s broader approach to risk-taking, both independently and in their relationships, also influences how — and how much — they drink.
Laura Fenton, a research associate at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, who studies youth drinking behavior, said that Gen Z is “on the whole, more risk-averse than previous generations, and we see the decline in youth drinking as kind of a reflection of that kind of risk aversion.”
Gen Z talks openly about avoiding drinking and driving, even when alcohol consumption is minimal. Fenton said that many young adults view social responsibility and avoiding risky behavior as a core part of their identity — a stark contrast to the individualistic norms of earlier generations.
“They’re also more aware of the effects of things on their bodies, on their health, and so they’re just a much more conscious consumer, which I think is one of the drivers of their drinking less,” IWSR president Marten Lodewijks told Business Insider. IWSR is a global provider of drinks data and insights.
“It’s not that they just don’t want to drink,” Lodewiks said. “They enjoy it, and they enjoy it as much as other generations. It’s just that they’re conscious that it’s not good for them, and so they don’t do it as frequently.”
In many Gen Z communities, avoiding excess isn’t seen as restrictive — it’s seen as responsible, self-aware, and even aspirational.
“It’s about self-accountability,” 23-year-old Ewald said. “In my social circle, we don’t have to worry about hangovers because we wouldn’t let ourselves get to a place to experience that. Some of my friends have experienced them; they’ve drunk a lot or partied hard, but they want to make sure they learn from their mistakes.”
Do you have a story to share about generational trends related to drinking or sobriety? Contact this reporter at ktl@businessinsider.com.
