One of my colleagues asked me out to beer and I accepted the offer. I don’t drink but have gotten away with it so far in social settings. Not sure how to avoid consuming alcohol without offending my colleague.
Any safe drink options/excuses appreciated.
| +50 | SpaceX IPO - what are your thoughts | 12 | 1h |
| +28 | Should I use Claude or chatgpt? | 15 | 1d |
| +21 | Funny Things to Say to Interns | 7 | 1d |
| +18 | London's future as a financial centre | 18 | 2d |
| +17 | How did you meet your significant other/partner? | 13 | 1d |
| The Great Debate | 9 | 1d | |
| +7 | E ink/electronic notepads | 4 | 1d |
| +6 | Stay Sharp All Day With Best Modvigil 200 MG Tablet | 0 | 1d |
| +6 | Test post will be deleted automatically. | 11 | 1d |
| +5 | get a model before you model | 3 | 2d |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
Just get a diet coke or something. Coworkers aren't going to get on your back for not drinking, I would just be sipping on something N/A.
Would be my go to but this guy told me to meet him at a somewhat fancy place and it’s just me and him. Diet coke still works?
Get a non-alcoholic beer - feel like most restaurants have them at this point. Call ahead and ask if you’re concerned about it.
I went sober for a year as a personal challenge and found a sparkling water with lime worked excellently. I also lived in London for 4 months where it was the social norm and always got by with it. No one noticed but when someone would ask about it, they always respected it
Order something N/A. If they bring it up just say you aren’t drinking that night. If they pry any further, that’s honestly a little weird on their part. I’ve worked with multiple people who don’t drink, it’s never been a big deal and no one’s thought any differently of them for it.
Yeah I usually get sparkling water with lime
You can easily avoid drinking without making it awkward. Just order something like sparkling water with lime or a non-alcoholic beer—it’s simple and looks similar to a regular drink. If they ask, you can say you’re taking a break from drinking or just not in the mood tonight. Most people won’t mind or push it. Keep it casual, and don’t feel like you have to explain too much. Just be confident in your choice, and they’ll respect it.
Another option would be a mocktail. I feel like every fancier place has at least one on their drinks menu now. Can you look at the menu online in advance? That should let you know what your options are.
Tonic water.
Say you don’t drink, people will be curious so be honest with them. The only way it goes south is if you don’t answer why you don’t. Some people will speculate as to why you don’t. If you had previous issues or legal reasons just mention the flavor bothers you.
I had a coworker that didn’t drink. I figured it was due to his beliefs, but he just said ‘tastes disgusting to me.’ That was all anyone needed to hear. Never thought too much about it. I would give him some crap, ‘you go psycho don’t you?’ But it was overtly tongue in cheek and he’d laugh and shake his head. Frankly, I viewed it as a positive. He still would go out to happy hours and would have soda or mock-tails. Reality is with coworkers you likely won’t be getting trashed in most circumstances. Generally speaking, people at work gauge you on your personality in the office and how they perceive your performance. If lack of booze consumption becomes a negative then find a new shop.
This is a middle school problem, not a problem for adults. Just say you don’t drink. What are you afraid of, exactly?
If you feel like you need to get a drink, order a beer (specifically one with a dark bottle). Then, you can “sip” it the entire time without actually drinking much and no one will know. You’ll look like you are drinking while not actually.
Honestly, I think the only person whos' most aware of how much you drink or not drink is you. I just never had a taste for alcohol and not once has anyone had anything more than a "huh, okay then" comment about it. They sometimes follow up asking if it's a religious thing, but really, not a single person has cared - I just opt for a N/A beer or some sparkling water. I've done that so much, it's become "my drink" in social settings and a few colleagues joke about it.
Really, going out for drinks is just an excuse to chat, talk about random stuff going on, how hobbies are going, any big plans, dating scene (or lack thereof) and the usual bashing of work and bs that goes on. If someone or a group of folks really do give you a hard time about not drinking, that's honestly a red flag about the culture of the firm and a good signal to passively recruit elsewhere.
This thread is not about "How to avoid drinking." It is about how to explain to coworkers that you don't drink...............................
Nihil magni laudantium illum est nesciunt qui quis. Dicta consectetur et adipisci harum itaque est. Corrupti maiores dolores nam ad eum recusandae. Rem totam culpa quia quod dicta. Harum et dolor aliquam quia quo.
Aut fugit nobis esse unde deleniti at. Earum omnis qui harum est ullam velit sunt.
Ex perferendis in fugit fuga doloremque molestiae recusandae odit. Iure voluptatibus iure et perferendis fugit nulla. Expedita qui ullam accusantium accusantium amet tempore sapiente. Aut corrupti voluptatem est reiciendis officiis veritatis omnis.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...