Honey Deuce Cocktail Prices at U.S. Open: A Case Study in Inflation, Popularity, and Event-Driven Pricing

The Honey Deuce: A U.S. Open Icon

Tennis continues to attract fans and players to courts worldwide, particularly as spectators at the U.S. Open. For those who attended the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center over the past two weeks, the iconic Honey Deuce cocktail cost them $23—a dollar more than last year. In 2023, 452,599 Honey Deuce cocktails were sold at $22 each, generating nearly $10 million in revenue. As one Twitter user noted, that’s enough to cover the tournament’s prize winnings for both the male and female champions. 
 
All the online chatter about the price increases of the Honey Deuce cocktail had us curious if this might follow along with increases in ingredients, labor, or inflation. 

What’s Driving the Price Increases?

The Honey Deuce is served in a souvenir glass and features a refreshing mix of vodka, lemonade, and raspberry liqueur, garnished with three honeydew melon balls. Attendees can’t seem to get enough—sales increased by 12% last year, rising from approximately 405,000 in 2022, as the Open doubled the number of stands selling the signature drink to four. 

The price of the Honey Deuce has increased by 57.14% over the past 11 years. From 2012 to 2023, the cumulative inflation rate in the U.S. was approximately 29-33%, based on Consumer Price Index data. If the price of the Honey Deuce had only increased in line with inflation, it would have been priced at around $18.62 in 2023. However, it was priced at $22, about 18% higher than the inflation-adjusted price. This additional 18% likely reflects increases in ingredients and labor costs. In 2024, the $23 price reflects a smaller increase, in line with recent inflation trends. However, the long-term trend indicates that pricing for this cocktail is driven by more than just inflation—it is capitalizing on its unique role in the U.S. Open experience. 

Inflation vs. Experience: How the Honey Deuce Stays Ahead

While our initial hypothesis about the Honey Deuce’s pricing and popularity at the US Open wasn’t fully supported by the data, this exercise proved to be an enlightening journey into the world of event-specific product analysis. It demonstrates the value of following our curiosities and exploring data, even when the results don’t align with our expectations. Such explorations often lead to unexpected insights and new avenues for investigation. 

From Curiosity to Insight with Ready Signal’s Data

This experience underscores the importance of having access to diverse, high-quality data sources when testing theories about business impacts. This is where Ready Signal’s extensive library of external data sources becomes invaluable. Whether you’re analyzing event-specific trends, exploring market dynamics, or investigating economic indicators, Ready Signal provides a wealth of continuously updated, reliable data. Our platform allows you to seamlessly integrate these external data sources with your internal data, enabling you to test hypotheses, uncover hidden correlations, and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing your business. By leveraging Ready Signal’s resources, you can turn your curiosities into actionable insights, ensuring that your business decisions are always informed by the most current and relevant data available. 

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