Unnecessary price hike would burden families and small businesses already facing rising costs
Raleigh, NC (July 24, 2026) — By a margin of more than four-to-one, North Carolina voters oppose a proposed increase in the price of alcohol sold at restaurants, bars, and liquor stores, according to a new statewide survey of registered voters. Fifty-five percent of voters oppose the proposal, while just 12% support it.
Opposition is broad and bipartisan. Among voters who supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election, 58% oppose the proposed price increase, while 52% of voters who supported Vice President Kamala Harris oppose it as well.
The unnecessary price hike on alcohol comes at a time when families and small businesses are already stretched by the rising cost of groceries, rent, insurance, and other everyday expenses. The last thing consumers and hospitality businesses need is another government-mandated increase that raises costs across the state.
The NC ABC Commission, which controls the sale of all liquor in North Carolina through the state’s monopoly system, is seeking to implement a “minimum baseline pricing” policy for spirits. The proposal would create government-mandated minimum prices for vodka, whiskey, gin, and other distilled spirits, with the largest impact falling on value brands and the most affordable options currently available to consumers, including many well drinks served at restaurants and bars.
“North Carolinians are telling us clearly that increasing the price of alcohol is unnecessary, unwanted, and puts additional costs onto consumers at a time when household budgets are already stretched thin,” said Allen Thomas, President & CEO of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association. “The Commission says the price hike is to fight overconsumption, but liquor consumption is down across the board in North Carolina and has been trending down every year since 2019.”
The poll of 803 registered voters aged 21 and over, conducted July 14–20, 2026, carries a margin of error of +/- 3.5%. It was commissioned by the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association and conducted by Embold Research. Key findings include:
1. A price increase would hit NC restaurants and bars directly. Nearly half (49%) of voters say they’d go out less often if liquor prices increased by 25% or more.
2. Price increase would also push spending across state lines. Currently, only about 1 in 10 drinkers buy alcohol in a neighboring state. Under a proposed price increase, that rises to roughly 1 in 3, sending NC sales and tax revenue to South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. North Carolina already has one of the highest excise taxes in the country of $18.23 per gallon, compared to South Carolina’s rate of $5.42 per gallon.
According to the website, the NC ABC is currently conducting a study to “examine the health and safety impact, the impact on the alcohol market in North Carolina, the Commission’s authority to act, and a potential implementation plan” for minimum baseline pricing.
Members of the public may submit comments on the proposal by emailing contact@abc.nc.gov prior to July 29, 2026.
