What's the cool way not to drink at a bar?

[Nareau]

I'm somewhat amazed nobody's mentioned this, but: Tip your bartenders! Especially if they're serving you sodas for free. Give 'em a dollar or two for their efforts. Being generous with the staff will mean they remember you as a good customer, and nothing says "cool" like being friends with the bartender.

Nareau

 

[GlassJaw]

Well I'll be experiencing this this coming weekend. I'm going to see a friend's band play on Sat night and then running in a 10k (6.2 m) road race the next day. No drinking for me!

I've actually been cutting back on alcohol consumption in general (not that I had any problems) since I started eating better, running, etc. It's just interesting to hear the responses when you say you don't want another beer or whatever. Not saying it bothers me, just interesting.

I will agree though that it is boring if you are in a setting where the only thing to do is drink and you aren't.

 

[tennyson]

I'll have a coke!

 

[billd91]

... and if it's a brewery, they often have an in house root beer; but any cola works if you want to buy something.

And they might even have their own cream soda and orange cream soda as well. At least one of the locals has those as well as their own root beer and they are excellent. Though, frankly, I'm usually drinking the beer...

 

[Switchblade]

Just order what you want as if it is the most natural thing in the world and don’t make a song and dance about it and most people won’t pay any attention or care. As for being cool and witty, easier to do when your mind ain’t pickled and everyone around you is making a concerted effort to lower their IQ.

If there is any pressure to drink and they are the sort of people who think you need to be drinking to be cool do you really want to be there? Most people grow out of that phase before they are 20 after a hangover or six.

 

[TracerBullet42]

I'll have a coke!

Funny man...

 

[Aurora]

Thanks everyone; I appreciate the ideas. It's really just a matter of not enjoying most forms of alcohol, but not wanting to be the one guy not drinking (the spoilsport) - or the one guy sticking it to the bar and waitstaff.

It took me a long time to find forms of alcohol that I enjoy. Even now though, I still don't drink much. I can go an entire evening at a bar and not finish 2 drinks. Most of the time I would rather have a Coke. So, often, that is what I say. "I think Coke tastes better." I echo the sentiments of pp's though that if your friends have a problem with your not drinking, then they are the ones with the problem.

 

[kirinke]

It's funny, but I really only like very sweet wines and liquores, but whenever I drink them, it's like an iron poker to the gut. And I don't care for the drier stuff. In fact, about the only liquor I've found that I can physically tolerate to a degree is tequila, and then I don't care to drink alot of that either. So I figure I'm screwed either way and make up for it by getting a buzz on caffiene, sugar and chocolate. Lol.

In any case, following the trend of the other posters, I'll add that most bars do have non-alchololic alternatives, especially to their mixed drinks.

 

[1 hp]

Whatever you do, you don't want to create the impression that drinking is 'beneath' you, like there's something wrong with people who drink.

Like Diaglo said, buying a round is a good idea.

Also, you might use the occasion to try a weird beer you've never tried before. You might like it.

Michelob made a beer I tried earlier this year and liked called Tuscan Orange Grapefruit. Unfortunately, it has already been discontinued.

Corona with lime is also good.

What, you don't like my favorite beer? What's wrong with you?

Kidding, ha ha.

 

[Merkuri]

Whatever you do, you don't want to create the impression that drinking is 'beneath' you, like there's something wrong with people who drink.

I said something similar earlier, but I really think this is the most important thing about not drinking. If you don't act like drinking is badwrongfun (yay, I used a buzzword! one point for me!) then most people will be okay with it. If you're out drinking with mature adults they should be fine with your decision not to drink if you don't come across like you're judging them because they drink.