Thanksgiving Cheers: How MilCarb Keeps the Holiday (and Drinksgiving) Flowing

The Bros are home! This Drinksgivng Sponsored by: Too Much Cologne & Opinions Nobody Asked For.

Thanksgiving isn't just turkey, football, and family. In the beverage world, it's also the Super Bowl of mid-week drinking.

Drinksgiving. Drunksgiving. Blackout Wednesday. Thanksgiving Eve.

Whatever you call it, the night before Thanksgiving has become one of the biggest bar nights of the year in the United States. With college students, hometown heroes, and families back in town, people of all ages flock to their favorite watering hole for a pre-holiday drink. Or several.

And for bars, breweries, and restaurants, that means one thing... your beverage system better be ready.

The Numbers Don't Lie! Drinksgiving Is Massive!

Lightspeed Restaurant analyzed data from thousands of businesses across North America (bars, fast casual spots, casual dining, upscale restaurants and fine dining) to compare sales on Drinksgiving Wednesday and Thanksgiving Thursday to average weekdays.

The results? Drinksgiving isn't just busy... it blows a regular Wednesday out of the water.

So which region parties the hardest?

• The Midwest (home of MilCarb) takes the crown with an 864% increase in tequila sales. Nothing mid about that.

• The West Coast also loves a good margarita but only saw a 246% tequila bump.

• Meanwhile, the Northeast and the South put aside their differences for their shared love of vodka (+427% and +139% respectively)

No matter what the region prefers, one thing is clear. Drinksgiving is a high volume night and your gas system can't afford to fall behind.

According to Upserve, which pulled sales data directly from 2,800 restaurants across the U.S. in 2016 restaurants saw a 23% surge in overall sales on Black Wednesday compare to the previous Wednesday and beer sales surged by 270% over the same period.

Why Beverage Gas Matters on the Busiest Drinking Night of the Year.

Thanksgiving week hits operators with back to back rushes:

• Drinksgiving Wednesday - the biggest bar night of the year

• Thanksgiving Thursday - Holiday dining, cocktails and to go orders.

• Black Friday & Small Business Saturday Weekend - brunch crowds, shoppers and families

During these peak days, every pour has to be consistent, smooth and fast.

Thankful for Beverage Pros Everywhere

As the holiday rush kicks in, MilCarb is especially grateful for

• bartenders shaking at lightning speed

• breweries releasing holiday seasonals

• servers and managers on the front lines

• beverage directors and operators planning for the rush

• distributors, delivery drivers, and techs keeping everything stocked

Your work powers the moments people look forward to all year.

From the Midwest Home of MilCarb to the Entire Industry - Happy Thanksgiving

We're proud to be rooted in the Midwest, a region that clearly knows how to celebrate and even prouder to support beverage programs nationwide.

Here's to a safe, successful and very well carbonated Thanksgiving week. Cheers from all of us at MilCarb!