The Busiest Months for Texas Bars (and the Slowest)
March is the busiest month for Texas bars, averaging $950.4 million in alcohol sales, 11% above a typical month. January is the slowest, 14% below average. These are averages for 2023 through 2025.
Every month, ranked
| Rank | Month | Average sales | vs a typical month | Beer share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March | $950.4 million | +11.1% | 27% |
| 2 | May | $922.9 million | +7.9% | 27% |
| 3 | December | $914.2 million | +6.8% | 25% |
| 4 | October | $894.0 million | +4.5% | 28% |
| 5 | April | $892.7 million | +4.3% | 27% |
| 6 | June | $848.9 million | -0.8% | 27% |
| 7 | September | $843.0 million | -1.5% | 28% |
| 8 | August | $836.2 million | -2.3% | 28% |
| 9 | November | $832.5 million | -2.7% | 27% |
| 10 | July | $801.6 million | -6.3% | 28% |
| 11 | February | $795.9 million | -7.0% | 26% |
| 12 | January | $735.3 million | -14.1% | 27% |
What drives the calendar
- March and May lead the year. Spring break, festivals and patio season lift spring, and holiday parties lift the end of the year.
- January trails every other month, the usual post-holiday slowdown.
- Beer peaks in September, when it makes up 28% of sales.
- Months with five weekends, or five Fridays and Saturdays, tend to run higher than the averages here suggest.
Using this
Owners can staff and order against the yearly pattern instead of last month's numbers. Sales reps can time pitches before the busy months, when bars are planning inventory. Buyers comparing a bar's sales should compare the same months year over year, not one month to the next.
See any bar's own month-by-month sales and compare it to others. Search Bar Sales IQ
Source: Texas Comptroller Mixed Beverage Gross Receipts reports, via the Texas Open Data Portal. Figures are alcohol sales only (liquor, wine, beer and cover charges) reported by places with a Mixed Beverage or private club permit, not food or total revenue. Beer-and-wine-only places don't report. The newest month is left out until most businesses have filed. Numbers update automatically as the State publishes new reports.
Questions
What is the busiest month for bars in Texas?
March, averaging $950.4 million in alcohol sales statewide for 2023 through 2025, followed by May.
What is the slowest month for Texas bars?
January, about 14% below a typical month.