The bartender is looking at you, and the person behind you is already leaning in. If you are not drinking, the five safest orders are soda water with lime, tonic with lime, ginger beer, cranberry and soda, and a virgin mojito. Almost any bar can make them fast, and in the right glass they look like any other drink.
The venue table and word-for-word scripts below cover the trickier rooms.
The short list: drinks almost every bar can make
The most reliable non-alcoholic drinks to order at a bar use what is already behind it. Served in a proper glass with ice and lime, each one looks like a drink rather than a statement.
- Soda water with lime. Every bar has it, it is usually among the cheapest drinks, and it looks like a vodka soda.
- Tonic with lime. The bitterness slows you down, and it looks exactly like a gin and tonic.
- Ginger beer with lime. Spicy and dry enough to taste grown-up. Some bars also stock an alcoholic version, so say "non-alcoholic ginger beer."
- Cranberry and soda, or any juice and soda. Less sweet than juice alone, and served in the same glass as half the cocktails on the menu.
- A virgin mojito. Lime, mint, sugar and soda water. Any bar with fresh mint can make one, and it looks like the real cocktail.
- Iced tea, or half iced tea and half lemonade. Good when you want something still rather than fizzy. The half-and-half mix is sometimes called an Arnold Palmer.
- Non-alcoholic beer, if it is right for you. The least noticeable order in a pub; read the label first (see below).
For the bottles themselves, from alcohol-free wine to zero-proof spirits, see our complete guide to non-alcoholic drinks.
What to order, venue by venue
Order from what the venue keeps behind the counter: a pub without fresh mint cannot make a virgin mojito.
| Venue | Usually available | Ask for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pub or sports bar | Soft drinks, juice, soda water, tonic; often a non-alcoholic beer | Soda water with lime in a pint glass; a non-alcoholic beer after checking the label | Shandy and radler (beer mixed with a soft drink); "low alcohol" beer; alcoholic ginger beer or cider next to the soft drinks |
| Cocktail bar | Fresh citrus, mint, syrups, soda water, tonic, ginger beer; often a mocktail list | A mocktail from the list, or one built to a flavor you describe | Low-alcohol drinks listed beside the alcohol-free ones; the usual spirit added on autopilot |
| Restaurant | Still and sparkling water, soft drinks, juice, iced tea; sometimes non-alcoholic beer or wine | Sparkling water with lime in a wine glass; anything on the non-alcoholic list | Wine poured for the whole table; desserts and sauces made with alcohol |
| Dive bar or busy club | Cola, lemon-lime soda, soda water, tonic, mixer juices, energy drinks, bottled water | Soda water with lime, or cranberry and soda | A vodka soda handed to you by mistake; your glass left alone on the bar |
| Wedding, office party or open bar | Soft drinks, juice, water; sometimes a signature mocktail | Sparkling water or juice in a flute for the toast; the mocktail, if there is one | Trays of pre-poured wine; punch bowls; glasses refilled without asking |
| Coffee shop or late-night cafe | Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, soft drinks; sometimes kombucha | Tea, decaf coffee, hot chocolate or an iced tea | Kombucha (see the label section below); coffee drinks made with liqueur |
Pub or sports bar. A pint of soda water with lime lasts as long as everyone else's, which helps when rounds move at the pace of the fastest drinker.
Cocktail bar. The easiest room for a non-drinker: everything a good mocktail needs is already there. If the menu has nothing alcohol-free, describe a flavor instead.
Restaurant. Non-alcoholic drinks at a restaurant sometimes sit on a separate list, so ask for it before the wine list arrives. For sauces and desserts, see whether alcohol cooks off.
Dive bar or busy club. Keep the order short enough to hear over the music, and keep your glass in your hand: soda water and a vodka soda look identical.
Wedding, office party or open bar. Get your toast drink early, before the trays go round. At an open bar, a fresh soda water every half hour costs you nothing.
Coffee shop or late-night cafe. The simplest place to meet without alcohol in the picture. If kombucha is on the menu, read the label section first.
Exactly what to say to the bartender
A clear order gets a clear drink, and short sentences carry over the noise.
Ordering a mocktail by flavor: "Could you make me something sour and fizzy, no alcohol? Not too sweet." A flavor gives the bartender something to build on when there is no mocktail menu. Swap in bitter, spicy or fruity.
Asking about non-alcoholic beer: "Do you have a non-alcoholic beer? Can I see the bottle?" The label shows the alcohol content, and reading it beats guessing from the brand name.
Keeping a virgin cocktail virgin: "A virgin mojito. No alcohol at all, please, I don't drink." The second sentence tells the bartender this is a rule, not a request to go easy on the rum.
When a round is being bought: "Count me in. I'll have a tonic with lime." Say it before anyone guesses, and buy your round like anyone else.
Being offered a drink you did not order: "Thanks, but I'm happy with this one." Holding a drink already makes this easy. If the bartender sets down the wrong glass: "This isn't mine. I ordered the soda water with lime." Never taste a drink to find out what is in it.
At an open bar: "What do you have without alcohol? Could I get sparkling water in a flute for the toast?" Asking sometimes turns up a mocktail that was never on the sign.
"Non-alcoholic" is not always zero
A "non-alcoholic" label does not always mean zero alcohol, and label words differ by country (ABV is alcohol by volume).
| Label | Where | What it allows |
|---|---|---|
| "Non-alcoholic" (beer) | US | Less than 0.5% ABV, stated on the label |
| "Alcohol free" (beer) | US | No alcohol |
| "Alcohol free" | UK | Alcohol removed, no more than 0.05% ABV |
| "De-alcoholised" | UK | Alcohol removed, no more than 0.5% ABV |
| "Low alcohol" | UK | 1.2% ABV or less |
The US rules for beer are in 27 CFR 7.65; the UK figures come from the government's low alcohol descriptors guidance. Elsewhere, go by the label in front of you.
Kombucha needs its own warning: it usually sits with the soft drinks. The US alcohol regulator notes that some kombucha products contain 0.5% or more alcohol by volume, and fermentation can continue in the bottle.
If you avoid alcohol completely, or if the taste of beer pulls you toward the real thing, order drinks that never contained alcohol. Whether a trace matters is your decision, not the bar's. Our articles on non-alcoholic beer pros and cons and the cross-addiction trap look at when a substitute helps and when it keeps an old habit warm.
When someone asks why you're not drinking
You do not owe anyone a reason. "I don't drink" is a complete answer, and asking "What are you having?" back usually moves things on. For pushier moments, see the social drinking situations survival guide and our answers to "why aren't you drinking?".
Frequently asked questions
What can I order at a bar if I don't drink?
Soda water with lime, tonic with lime, ginger beer, cranberry and soda, or a virgin mojito; almost every bar can make these quickly.
What is the most common non-alcoholic drink at a bar?
In practice, soda water or tonic with lime. Every bar has both, they take seconds to pour, and they look like a vodka soda or a gin and tonic.
Is non-alcoholic beer completely alcohol-free?
Not always. In the US, beer labeled "non-alcoholic" contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume and only "alcohol free" means none; in the UK, "alcohol free" allows up to 0.05%. If you avoid all alcohol, choose a drink that never contained any.
How do I make sure my mocktail has no alcohol?
Say it plainly: "No alcohol at all, please, I don't drink." Watch it being made if you can, and send back anything you are unsure about rather than tasting it.
Is it rude to order a soft drink at a bar?
No. A customer with a soda water is still a paying customer. Order clearly and, where tipping is the custom, tip as you would for any other drink.
What should I order at a pub that only has beer?
Ask what is in the fridge behind the bar: even a beer-only pub usually has cola, soda water, tonic or juice. Skip shandy and radler, which are made with beer.
A night out without a drink is still a night out. If you keep a streak, Sober Tracker can log it as one more alcohol-free day, privately and without an account.
