At some point in your sober-curious journey, you’ll probably want to go out for a drink of some kind, maybe with dinner. Or maybe your Dry January is the beginning of long-term sobriety. Maybe you’re just the designated driver for the evening. Whatever the case, you’ll probably get thirsty and you might want something other than water or soda.
What to do?
For starters, if you have any say in where you’re going, maybe don’t choose the dive bar on the corner that literally only serves pitchers of beer and shots. Otherwise, I’ve found that most places, in my area at least, do offer mocktails, house-made lemonade or sodas, or zero-proof beers or hop water. So first, have a look at the menu. You might be surprised.
If you aren’t finding anything that tickles your fancy, there are always the standard options — the Arnold Palmer, which is half iced tea, half lemonade; or maybe club soda or sparkling water with a lemon or lime. And let’s not forget what my grandparents always called “kiddie cocktails” — the Shirley Temple, which is 7Up or ginger ale with grenadine, or the Roy Rogers, which is Coke (or another cola) with grenadine.
Depending on the situation, you could read through the menu, have a look around, and come up with your own combination. If fruit juice is available, mix it with club soda or iced tea. Or ask for a wedge of fruit with a soda, like ginger ale with lemon or lime, or Coke with lemon or orange.
If all else fails, just ask! Your server or bartender will be able to tell you about any options they have, or they might even be able to come up with something just for you based on what you like. Just be sure to be polite and tip well, please. I spent too much time working in restaurants to not throw that in there.
As with boozy beverages, once you find a few you like, they’ll just become your go-to choices. Don’t overthink it. While it may feel weird at first to not be ordering alcohol, especially if you normally would be, it’s really not that big of a deal. Just relax and have a good time! That’s the whole point, right?
