It’s always a nice touch when bars and restaurants take the time to create mocktails for their cocktail programs. There are multiple reasons a person might not be drinking and allowing them to still order a drink that seems more interesting than sparkling water is a good look.

Sometimes, even if you are drinking, your eyes might wander to the mocktail part of the menu, and the flavors in the drink could strike your fancy. While it’s fine to ask if alcohol can be added to the drink, it’s important to recognize a few things before you do. One, adding alcohol is going to make the drink more expensive. Don’t think you will be able to add booze to a mocktail and still pay the mocktail price. Two, mocktails are created to taste delicious in their current sans-alcohol form. Adding alcohol to the drink could alter the flavor, so be sure to ask your server or bartender if the drink will taste as good with the addition of alcohol. And three, if you choose to add alcohol to a mocktail, don’t send it back if you don’t like it once you try it. You’re the one who altered the drink, so buyer beware.

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