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Original poster

Alcohol & daytime drinking now unfashionable & is judged?

114 replies

101cockerspaniels · 26/05/2023 12:14

Met friends for lunch a fortnight ago & was excited to meet up for a catch up &, our usual glasses of wine.. All three had varied excuses for not drinking & I felt judged for having a couple of glasses of wine! One referred to me jokingly as the "daytime drinker"..
They drank non alcoholic cocktails & some type of flavoured bubbly water in fancy glasses..
Is alcohol in general & lunchtime drinking gone out of fashion? For the record all of us are early 40s..

OP posts:
THisbackwithavengeance · 26/05/2023 13:19

KimberleyClark · 26/05/2023 12:52

When I first started working in the early 80s it was perfectly normal and acceptable to go to the pub for lunch and have a drink. Especially on Fridays and especially in the summer. I think it started to become unacceptable around the turn of the millennium, and by the mid noughties it was completely unacceptable. I’m retired now and love the very occasional cheeky lunchtime glass of wine.

I'm probably a bit younger than you but I remember the drinking and smoking at work. The bosses were the worst!

I remember one old boy in my first workplace who smoked a pipe all over the service users.

Different times.

JorisBonson · 26/05/2023 13:21

I'd much rather day drink at a brunch or something. Back home by 8 in my nana pyjamas!

DitherDother · 26/05/2023 13:22

I have drinking and non drinking friends. TBH I don't drink when I'm with others who don't.

I enjoy a lunchtime/afternoon drink, especially in the sun, but wouldn't do it if I was with others who aren't.

I think drinking "alone" has always been problematic.

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reluctantbrit · 26/05/2023 13:24

Too old for daytime drinking now. I feel lethargic and get hot flushes, really attractive.

But, I don't care if a friend has a glass or two.

I like that you have more options now when you don't want alcohol, in the past, it was soda, water or juice. Now you have lots of non-alcoholic alternatives.

Catspyjamas17 · 26/05/2023 13:26

Not with my friends (in our 40s). We love daytime drinking and then being tucked up in bed by 10.30pm! Much prefer this to going out late, when I always feel hungover and knackered even when I haven't touched a drop.

innerspace · 26/05/2023 13:28

RubyMurry22 · 26/05/2023 12:59

My daughters aged 19 and 21 don’t really drink and neither do their friends. So I think it’s a generational thing too.

Same here.

Catspyjamas17 · 26/05/2023 13:30

Gen Z do definitely drink.

Maddy70 · 26/05/2023 13:30

My children dint drink much either. It's definitely generational

Daffodilmorning · 26/05/2023 13:39

Not in my circles. If anything, day drinking has replaced nights out.

RubyMurry22 · 26/05/2023 13:43

Im in my mid 50s and have noticed that we have cut back. I hosted book group recently (10 people) and only 3 bottles of wine were drunk. Ten years ago that was more like 10 (one each)!

FannythePinkFlamingo · 26/05/2023 13:44

Lunchtime wine is the best. Judges, judge away!

MaryJean87 · 26/05/2023 13:45

I prefer daytime drinking ( if I'm going out and kids are babysat, so rare) to evening drinking. I hate going to bed drunk so it gives me plenty of time to sober up and less likely to have a hangover the next day.

LlynTegid · 26/05/2023 13:46

I think it is now unfashionable, maybe an exception on Sundays. I'm sure many young people would not believe you if you told them about work colleagues going to the pub on a Friday lunchtime historically.

MintJulia · 26/05/2023 13:48

Who cares what other people think? Their views, judging or not, are irrelevant

I can understand not during working hours but otherwise, if you would like a glass of wine with your lunch, have one.

VWHoliday · 26/05/2023 13:52

Catspyjamas17 · 26/05/2023 13:30

Gen Z do definitely drink.

Yes, they do.

My DSD loves going out with her glamorous friends drinking cocktails.

Catspyjamas17 · 26/05/2023 13:55

Daffodilmorning · 26/05/2023 13:39

Not in my circles. If anything, day drinking has replaced nights out.

Yes, quite. And not if you go out into any city or town centre on a weekend on a nice day either. Not even a nice or particular warm day, just when it isn't pouring with rain. It's extremely popular and definitely not frowned on!

Fizbosshoes · 26/05/2023 13:56

In my first ft job (late 1990s) my boss and his favourite colleague used to go to a pub for lunch 12-2 every day. Boss did no work at all in the afternoon although his sidekick did, and on Friday afternoons as the most junior I used to be sent out to buy beers for everyone else. (Ive never drink beer) We were working with tools and machinery and at least 2 of them used to drive to/home from work.
If I had no plans for the afternoon I might have a day time drink but generally I wouldn't. I'd have no problem with anyone else drinking though

TodayInahurry · 26/05/2023 13:57

It is certainly not out of fashion at the Chelsea Flower Show, plenty of people with Pimms, champagne and Prosecco

Catspyjamas17 · 26/05/2023 13:58

VWHoliday · 26/05/2023 13:52

Yes, they do.

My DSD loves going out with her glamorous friends drinking cocktails.

Show quote history

Yep. DD1 just finished sixth form and I bought cocktail ingredients for them. Bit more sophisticated than my years of strong cider on a Friday night! They don't go out as often or drink alcohol as frequently as I did at that age as it's more expensive but they do go for it when they get together.

mommatoone · 26/05/2023 14:00

OP you should have had a few more glasses, then you wouldnt have given two shits what they thought😂

Lizzt2007 · 26/05/2023 14:03

Beachbabe1 · 26/05/2023 12:38

I'm nearly 40 and want to arrange one of those bottomless brunches!

Best friend and I did this for my birthday. Booked a night at a hotel after and had a day away. It was fabulous !

Anoushkaka · 26/05/2023 14:04

I prefer day drinking. In bed early and no hangover the next day.

SundaeLove · 26/05/2023 14:05

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 26/05/2023 13:03

I worked in the City of London in the 70s. It was very usual that after 11am, if you wanted to speak to certain managers, you had to go to the pub to look for them. And that 'business lunches' went on to late afternoon.

Show quote history

I remember that so well! In our office several days a week most would be half cut after a long lunch in a pub or wine bar - do wine bars still exist !?

loved the freedom of the 80s and being early 20s helped 😁

DisplayOrcha · 26/05/2023 14:08

Considering the popularity of bottemless brunches right now, no, I wouldn't say it is tbh. I think you're either being sensitive or projecting

EllaPaella · 26/05/2023 14:19

I love a daytime drink with friends. I can't really drink late in the evening as it stops me sleeping and I can't do a hangover these days. I'm in your age group OP and most of my friends prefer a daytime meet up.