I have never been anywhere that alcohol was included in the price. It is usually extra, but it would not annoy me. If it did, I wouldn’t go there again.

I have never been anywhere that alcohol was included in the price. It is usually ex… oh… @chyna stole my exact answer.

For instance, I am going on a cruise soon, and if you go to one of the restaurants on the ship where you pay extra to eat, the $10 per person includes a glass of wine.

I’ve never been anywhere like that either. I don’t guess that I’d be upset in a situation like a cruise dinner, though, because I’d enjoy the glass of wine.

Another example, sometimes our racing events have beer or wine included with the meal they do doing the awards night. We all pay the same and we get one or two drink tickets.

@WillWorkForChocolate But, let’s say you don’t drink, or are on a medication you can’t drink with, or are pregnant or something? Do You mind paying the same $10 that the drinkers pay? You are answering from a drinkers point of view.

Hmmmmmm, I’m not sure. I’ve never paid attention to the “no alcohol with medication” thing, because one drink doesn’t usually affect me, even with meds. I also still had a glass of wine every so often when I was pregnant. And that was ok’d by my doctor the first time and my midwives the second time. I guess if I just didn’t drink at all, I would make my waiter aware of that, and ask that my meal price be lowered because of it. If they said no, I’d probably just accept it.

Seems like an awfully petty thing to worry about imho.

@WillWorkForChocolate There is never a lower price option in these situations usually what happens is us nondrinkers wind up giving away our drink or ticket to someone else, sometimes actually paying for a coke.

@digitalimpression Petty? So you don’t mind paying for things you don’t use, drink, or eat?

@JLeslie I’ve been married for 13 years now. 90% of what I pay for I don’t use, drink, or eat. =)

In such examples as you’ve mentioned, there certainly isn’t anyone forcing you to pay. The fact is that most people will enjoy such a perk.. which is why it exists in the first place.

As a non-drinker, I would get annoyed. My parents used to invite me to church socials at their parish, St Paddy’s day was corned beef, cabbage, and beer; cinco de mayo was enchiladas and beer. At least they had soft drinks but it felt like a rip off.

I went to a concert recently where for $15.00 more per ticket you could get VIP admission and seating, not have to be part of the cattle call on the main floor and get all you can drink. I don’t drink anymore either and how much water can you possibly drink for $15.00???

Meh. I don’t drink but I don’t feel like it’s worth getting my knickers in a twist over it. Life is too short for worrying about petty annoyances.

There have been a few times in my life when I went out and alcohol was included in the price and I wasn’t planning on drinking. The difference in price wasn’t that bad and I rarely go out anyway, so I didn’t mind paying the little extra. I just considered it part of the deal of going out for a good time.

I didn’t drink for a long time, and was occasionally in a situation like that (office parties or wedding receptions that included a couple of drink tickets). I wasn’t really paying for those events, it was just that the host had paid that much extra to comp a few drinks to everyone. Since most people do drink, I figured they were just trying to do what the majority of people would appreciate. In your case, where you’re directly paying for it, I might be a little annoyed, but not very.

I’d think of it this way:

The majority of the people I’m around would be much happier if they were comped a couple of drinks. If they’re happier, they’re more fun to be around. I benefit.

Kind of glass-half-full, but then I also order turkey sub, hold the turkey, when veggie subs aren’t on offer.

Where I work, the holiday parties are often “Pay one Price” and you get alcohol, wine and soda included for at least one hour. I don’t mind paying, even though I would only have one or two alcoholic drinks, tops. I figure that’s the price you pay to go out. It doesn’t bother me.

I noticed alcohol included in a brunch price recently, and I found myself annoyed. In fact, it made me cross that restaurant off my list so it was their loss.

@marinelife: I often see brunches include mimosas, which are just champagne and OJ. They make it like it’s something special, meanwhile, a cheap bottle of champagne can be had for only a few $$.

I put peach schnapps, OJ and Champagne in my mimosas, @jca. Still, not very expensive.

I’ve often see beverage of your choice included, but never only alcohol.

When I was enjoying drinking, I was happy to have non-drinkers pass it on to me when alcohol was included with the meal. Now that I no longer drink, I’m happy to pass it on to those who will enjoy it. This has been usually with a large group while traveling (China, Russia, Spain, for example.)

It wouldn’t bother me at all but I would resent having to pay for a glass of lemonade.

Have you asked for some sort of exemption?

@Dutchess_III: Usually, if the event has alcohol included, there’s one price level whether or not you are drinking. To have an exemption would mean more administrative costs, in that there would have to be some way to differentiate who paid for the alcohol and who did not, and how to prevent the non-alcohol drinkers from drinking for free. It’s easier to just make it “pay one price” and if you don’t drink, you either pay for something you’re not taking advantage of, or you don’t attend.

Ok. @jca. Some fair trade? (Although, $10 for an entire meal on a cruise ship, alcohol or not, seems like a pretty good deal!)

@Dutchess_III Actually, the cruise I went on had all meals paid for with the price of the cruise.

@Dutchess_III It’s a surcharge in two specific restaurants on board, otherwise all the food is free all you can eat. There is no obligation to eat in either of the two restaurants that do have a surcharge, you can just stick to the free ones. Plus, you cam get room service, I am pretty sure that is free also. On my ship the Italian one includes a glass of wine, and then there is a grill restaurant of some sort also. I assume the restauramts are more intimate than the main dining room, cafes, or buffets. There are something like 5 (more or less) different places to eat on board, some ships have more if they are very large. I know a girlfriend of mine on her recent cruise had a Japanese restaurant in board with a surcharge.

All food is free (except the restaurants I mentioned) but soft drinks and alcohol are not. I think coffee is included though. I don’t drink coffee so I don’t pay attention. I bought a drink card for cokes, but you can actually bring your own soda on board.

Sometimes in other situations, so I am not talking about the cruise now, I can get a soft drink for free, it depends. If the cokes are in cans or bottles then usually not, if it is fountain then yes.

Here in Memphis at bar/restaurant type places they often don’t charge me for cokes if most of my party is drinking alcohol, which is nice. I guess they figure I am the DD. But, that is not a situation where drinks are included anyway, but it just came to mind so I thought I would mention it.

It depends on how much it will affect me. $10 is not a lot of money for any meal, so even though I’m not a drinker, I’d be ok with it.