"It seems to have annoyed a few of the people that come in for a few drinks after work. They don't seem to be appearing as much and they're not really too interested in coming in for a juice or a soft drink."
One Hamilton hospitality veteran said there had been a big uptake in low-alcohol beverages across his 15 bars and restaurants in the city, and a drop-off in the after-work drinks culture.
The Lawrenson Group chief executive John Lawrenson said the group had already changed its wine and beer lists to highlight low-alcohol drinks.
"People are very nervous. They don't want the fine, they don't want the demerit points so they're playing it very safe."
Mr Lawrenson doubted the law would prevent fatal drink-drive crashes.
"People don't feel it's going to make any difference to the road toll. The people that were driving drunk were two or three times over the limit, recidivist drink-drivers."
Instead it would affect weekday businesses catering to the after-5pm crowd, he said.
"It's the after-work drinking bars that are definitely going to feel it. I would suggest it will be substantial."
Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Bruce Robertson said he was receiving similar feedback from industry members.
"Those businesses which cater to an after-work crowd where people are in cars, we think are likely to take the biggest hit," Mr Robertson said.
To counter the laws new measures were being put in place by bar owners.
"They're looking to provide a greater range of non-alcoholic and low-alcoholic drinks," he said.
In rural areas some pubs were now providing courtesy vehicles.
Police believe the new law is already deterring drink-drivers.
In Hamilton a week before the law came into effect, a police blitz in the CBD caught 16 drink-drivers, warned another 43 they would have been over the new limit, and educated hundreds more.
Two weeks later, after the new law was introduced, similar checkpoints found no drink-drivers.
Waikato road policing manager Inspector Freda Grace said motorists had generally been accepting of the new law and some had even praised police for their efforts.
"There's been some negative commentary around it but for us the message is really simple. If you're going to drink, you shouldn't drive, and if you're going to drive, you shouldn't drink."
In Auckland a 24-hour police blitz in the city on Wednesday nabbed six drink-drivers.
Your views: Have you been affected by the new drink-drive law?
Brooke Murphy, 20, hospitality worker
"Yep definitely. I'd say we're all a lot more careful about drink-driving. A lot of people are saying no to a second beer just because of the new laws. We always get a sober driver now. Previously we drove. "
Matt Dorn, 28, hospitality worker
"Everyone's a lot more aware now. I work in a craft beer bar and people are asking what percentage the beer is and what pour sizes there are and often can they have it in a smaller glass. I guess all the promotion around the law is that it's just so close to zero tolerance that people now go, well it's just not even worth it. "
Janet Brown, 72, retired
"We've always been responsible when we go out. We always know that usually it's me that will be driving and I knock off after a couple of wines. Before Christmas I went out for a few drinks and after two wines I thought 'I've gotta stop'. I'm definitely more cautious. Before I might have thought 'oh, another wine wouldn't hurt'."
Alan Brown, 78, retired
"I'm more conscious of it but I'm fortunate that if we go out socially we are more careful that one of us in particular doesn't drink too much. I go to a golf club which is about three minutes drive down the road and we've all consciously cut down. We're all more conscious of getting something to eat."
Jayson Stringer, 45, business development manager
"It has definitely changed the way you think about having a drink before you drive. You're way more conscious of it now. Instead of firing back an extra couple you'll just cut a track. I've definitely changed my habits. I would only have three [beers] now. I don't agree with the law. ... reducing the limit won't reduce the people who drink a ****load of piss and still drive."
