Fintech’s Ground Signal tracks which brands and cocktails operators are featuring and how that has shifted year over year when compiling its California menu insights for independent accounts. This edition covers 7.8K independent California accounts with cocktail menus, representing 120K cocktails, in Q3 2026. Menu share reflects what operators place on menus, not what consumers order.

How California Menu Insights Are Measured

Ground Signal captures online menus at more than 120,000 venues nationwide and uses AI tools to pull out the brands and cocktails each one features. For California’s independent accounts, the Q3 2026 snapshot includes:

  • 8.3K accounts with a menu
  • 7.8K accounts with a cocktail menu
  • 120K cocktails tracked
  • $14.69 average cocktail price

Tequila and Vodka cocktails each appear on 76% of these cocktail menus, followed by Cordials (71%), Whiskey (64%), and Rum (59%). The Margarita is the most widely featured cocktail overall, on 53% of menus.

What Menu Share Means

Menu share for a brand is the number of menus featuring a cocktail with that brand, divided by the number of menus with at least one cocktail in that category. For example, Patrón’s 11% Tequila menu share means 11% of menus with a Tequila cocktail feature Patrón.

Growth figures are relative changes. A brand that grew 10% went from, say, 10% menu share to 11%, not from 10% to 20%. Brand trends are limited to brands with at least 1% menu share in California.

Vesper Martini Leads Cocktail Growth Across Vodka, Gin and Cordials

Vesper Martini menu share grew 214% among Vodka cocktail menus, 216% among Gin and 251% among Cordials. It still sits at just 2.5%, 3.9% and 2.3% respectively, so it is an emerging placement rather than an established one.

The Vesper shows up in three categories because the classic recipe calls for gin, vodka, and Lillet. It was the fastest-growing cocktail in each of those categories year over year.

Other cocktails are gaining across several categories at once:

  • Long Island Iced Tea: menu share up between 30% and 99% across Tequila, Vodka, Rum, Gin and Cordials menus
  • Appletini: up 92% among Vodka menus and 98% among Cordials menus
  • Espresso Martini: the top Vodka cocktail at 33% menu share, up 15%

Código 1530 Climbs Seven Spots in California’s Tequila Rankings

Código 1530 rose to #14 as its menu share grew 52% to 2.7%, the largest gain among the 31 Tequila brands tracked. Patrón (11%) and Don Julio (8.2%) still hold the top two positions.

Several other Tequila brands moved up the rankings:

  • Lalo: up five spots to #9, with menu share up 29% to 3.2%
  • Espolòn: up four spots to #7 at 3.5%
  • Volcán de Mi Tierra: up 51% to 1.5%

Some established brands lost ground. Milagro fell five spots to #13 (down 24%), 1800 dropped three spots to #10 (down 20%) and Don Julio’s menu share slipped 7.8% while holding #2.

On the cocktail side, the Margarita appears on 67% of menus with a Tequila cocktail. Fruit-flavored Margaritas doubled their menu share (up 100%) to 4.1%.

Planteray Moves Into the Top Five Rum Brands

Planteray gained two ranks to #5, with menu share up 38% to 4.7% of Rum cocktail menus. Bacardí (18%) and Malibu (14%) continue to lead the category.

Mount Gay matched Planteray’s 38% growth at a smaller 1.4% share, and Diplomático rose two spots to #9 (up 31%). Sailor Jerry posted the steepest decline among Rum brands, down 26%.

The Mojito remains the top Rum cocktail at 27% menu share, followed by the Mai Tai at 20%. The Daiquiri fell 30% to 6.4%.

More Brand Movers in California Menu Insights

Gin: Aviation

Aviation nearly doubled its menu share, up 97% to 3.4%, and climbed six spots to #9. That is the largest gain among the 17 Gin brands tracked. Hendrick’s still leads at 12%.

Whiskey: Michter’s

Michter’s grew 24% to 3.2% and rose three spots to #14. Bulleit holds the top Whiskey position at 13%.

Cognac: Hennessy

Hennessy is the only one of the seven tracked Cognac brands gaining menu share, up 22% to 29%. Rémy Martin, at #2, fell 21%.

Key Takeaways

  • The Vesper Martini more than tripled its menu share across Vodka, Gin and Cordials, though it remains under 4% in each.
  • Código 1530, Planteray and Aviation posted the biggest rank gains in Tequila, Rum and Gin.
  • Category leaders like Patrón, Bacardí and Hendrick’s still hold the top spots.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Menu Share?

Menu share is the percentage of menus with at least one cocktail in a spirits category that feature a specific brand or cocktail. It measures what operators place on menus, not what consumers order.

How Many Independent California Accounts Does This Report Cover?

The Q3 2026 California menu insights cover 7.8K independent accounts with cocktail menus, representing 120K cocktails.

Which Tequila Brand Is Growing Fastest on California Menus?

Código 1530 posted the largest gain among the 31 Tequila brands tracked, with menu share up 52% to 2.7%.

What Is the Most Popular Cocktail in Independent California Accounts?

The Margarita, which appears on 53% of independent California cocktail menus.