Icebreaker #8 | What’s your standard drink order?

This is the eighth installment of my Icebreaker series. I’m getting thirsty.

What’s your standard drink order?

Here’s one situation. You are at a sit-down restaurant. The waiter comes over and asks if you would like anything to drink. What do you say?

My wife is the healthy one who always orders water. Or maybe it isn’t a health thing for her. She’s an accountant, so maybe she just hates spending money on overpriced drinks (which includes every drink that is not water).

I have no such compulsions (either for health or financial reasons). I always order cola. In fact, I use the actual word “cola”.

Why?

Because I am not a person who notices things. I don’t often see whether a restaurant serves Coke or Pepsi. So I just use the word that they share in common. That way, the waiter doesn’t have to feel like they disappointed me if I ask for something they don’t serve. (Also, the waiter can’t look down on me for not paying attention to the obvious indicators right there in the menu in black and white that they serve Coke instead of Pepsi.)

If I do actually look at the menu though, I look to see if they carry the beverage that beats all other beverages and I order it without hesitation. Long live Dr. Pepper!

Here’s the other situation. You are at a bar. There is a designated driver who already has your keys. The barkeep asks you what you are having. What do you say?

I’m a late bloomer when it comes to alcoholic beverages, and I have no taste for hard liquors (though I suspect that only a portion of the reason to drink hard liquor is the taste). But I have come to appreciate a good beer, and my latest favorite is Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) from Founder’s Brewing Co. I was fortunate enough to imbibe at the John Dickson event that Baker Book House put on at Founder’s, and oh man. It was good.

What is your standard drink order?