USA: Beer as a top drink for lunch and cocktails

Beer rules at lunch, cocktails while wine dominate at dinner. So says the newest survey by consumer research firm the NPD Group, which tracked Americans' drinking habits when they eat out according to the Knight Rider report of March 21 .

Of the 54,000 consumers surveyed between October 2004 and September 2005, 55 %of their "drinking" lunches included beer. And while designer cocktails might be all the rage, beer also was the drink of choice at happy hour — 58 % chose it, compared with 34 % who drank cocktails.

Among the survey's other findings:
- Nearly 40 percent of Americans (ages 21 and older, of course) include alcohol with their dinner when they're eating out over the weekend. During the week, that figure dips to 34 percent.
- The most popular day to have a drink? No surprise — it's Saturday.