I'm not that familiar with alcohol, and for a particular shop I'll need to order a generic drink that can be upsold. The example of vodka and tonic was given. What are other examples and what are your favorites?

Is it possible to order wine as a generic drink?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2016 03:52AM by gojiberry.

@gojiberry wrote:

I'm not that familiar with alcohol, and for a particular shop I'll need to order a generic drink that can be upsold. The example of vodka and tonic was given. What are other examples and what are your favorites?

Is it possible to order wine as a generic drink?

They probably mean mixed drinks because bars usually have what's called the "well" liquors and then premium liquors. I guess they could upsell you on wine but I think it's more common to be upsold on liquor. Like say you order a drink with gin...they will most likely say something like "our well gin is Beefeaters but we also have Bombay Sapphire" or whatever. Bombay Sapphire is the upsell.

Do you have to actually drink the drink and/or are you going to? If you are not used to alcohol but you want to try it, really pace yourself, because alcohol and secret shopping don't mix all that well after a drink or two haha. Avoid stuff like a cosmo, martini, or anything like that because those are just straight up liquor and I promise you will get too drunk if you are not used to alcohol, and definitely do not order a Long Island Ice Tea or anything with the word Tea in it lol.

A lot of mixed drinks have juice. Vodka cranberry... Tequila sunrise... etc. That might be better if you aren't used to alcohol - Just be aware that the juice makes it taste less "alcohol"-y so you can get drunker than you think you are.

Google "common mixers" and then you will know what is normally mixed with common drinks. Here are some random ones I can think of:

Whiskey sour
Gin and tonic
Rum and coke (or diet coke, as a lot of ladies like to do)
Vodka cranberry
Margarita (which has tequila in it)

Another approach is to let the bartender suggest something (if that is allowed within the parameters of your shop). I used to go to a lot of bars in my 20s and after a while you get bored with drinking the same things, and very naturally would ask the bartender to make me "something different with gin" (I like gin but it could be anything- Vodka, whiskey, rum, whatever).

I'm not sure any drink basically designed to mask the taste of the alcohol would trigger an upsell so that would knock out margarita, tequila sunrise and whiskey sours. The thought might be why pay for a premium whiskey or tequila when the flavor wouldn't come through anyway. A margarita might be an exception if you were at a bar making craft cocktails instead of using that god awful mix.

I love gin & tonics, particular Tanqueray which would be an upsell.

@CeciliaM wrote:

@gojiberry wrote:

Do you have to actually drink the drink and/or are you going to? If you are not used to alcohol but you want to try it, really pace yourself, because alcohol and secret shopping don't mix all that well after a drink or two haha.

The instructions say:

You do not have to consume alcohol to complete the evaluation.
- Reimbursement at the bar is for 1 alcoholic drink plus 1 refill (non-alcohol) per person
- Reimbursement at the table is for 1 alcoholic drink plus 1 refill (non-alcohol) per person
- No champagne or martinis
- No full bottles of wine—wines by the glass only

It sounds to me like 4 alcoholic drinks can be ordered for a party of two. It's possible only one of us will drink so we have a designated driver. I can actually have about 3 cocktails and be functional, but I just don't enjoy drinking straight hard alcohol much. I would prefer a fancy cocktail with juices. I like mai tais.

Shopping Santa Barbara and Goleta, CA.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2016 03:50PM by gojiberry.

Something like a gin and tonic is far from straight alcohol. If made correctly it should have balance. It also sounds like wine at the table would be fine so why not just try something new at the bar? Personally I love the taste of good tonic. A lot of bars just use the stuff out of the gun which leaves a lot to be desired. My favorite is Fever Tree Tonic mixed with Myers's Dark Rum. Why am I suddenly thirsty

Wines can also be upsold - You could start with a cheaper wine or the house wine, they could try to offer something better.

@LisaSTL wrote:

I'm not sure any drink basically designed to mask the taste of the alcohol would trigger an upsell so that would knock out margarita, tequila sunrise and whiskey sours. The thought might be why pay for a premium whiskey or tequila when the flavor wouldn't come through anyway. A margarita might be an exception if you were at a bar making craft cocktails instead of using that god awful mix.

I have vast drinking experience, lol, and I would like to respectfully disagree. Bartenders will upsell you on anything. I think the key would be just to order a standard drink rather than one they have premixed on the "specialty cocktail" menu.

Being an alcohol snob I tend to think it is a waste of fine tequila, rum or whiskey to combine it with cheap ass mixers. LOL!

Vodka tonic or vodka cran are my go-to "please upsell me" drinks. I must look like a cheap date though because I rarely get upsold.

I wouldn't order a margarita or any drink with a name, because some bars have them on their bar menu listing the brand.

Mai Tai

45ml Aged Jamaican Rum, 15ml Orgeat Syrup, 15ml Triple Sec, 30ml Fresh Lime Juice, Served over crushed ice, garnished and a cherry.

Rum Runner
*Served mostly in the south.

1 oz (30 mL) of pineapple juice
1 oz (30 mL) of orange juice
1 oz (30 mL) of blackberry liqueur
1 oz (30 mL) of banana liqueur
1 oz (30 mL) of light rum
1 oz (30 mL) of dark rum or aged rum
Splash of grenadine

Long Island Iced Tea
*Considered a Double Drink. What timings? Photos? Oops!

2 cups ice cubes
1 part vodka
1 part gin
1 part white rum
1 part white tequila
1/2 part triple sec
1/2 part sour mix
1 splash Coke
Lemon wedges for garnish

Tequila Sunrise
*It is considered bad taste to order this in a busy bar as it is a time consuming drink to make properly.

4.5 cl (3 parts) Tequila
9 cl (6 parts) Orange juice
1.5 cl (1 part) Grenadine syrup

Pour the tequila and orange juice into glass over ice. Add the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom. Do not stir. Garnish and serve.

Mojito
*Make certain they muddle fresh mint in the glass.

4 cl (4 parts) White rum
3 cl (3 parts) Fresh lime juice
6 leaves of Mint
2 teaspoons Sugar
Soda Water

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/30/2016 11:38AM by scanman1.

@gojiberry wrote:

I'm not that familiar with alcohol, and for a particular shop I'll need to order a generic drink that can be upsold. The example of vodka and tonic was given. What are other examples and what are your favorites?

Is it possible to order wine as a generic drink?

Yes! Wine is a generic drink. You can ask for a house red or a house white. That will give the waiter a chance to upsell. The house wines are usually the most inexpensive wines you can get by the glass.

Scanman, Tequila Sunrise is a built drink so just as quick as gin and tonic or rum and coke and less time to make than even something as simple as a martini. Unless the Mojito is one the bar's specialty drinks it will be the one more likely to cause a back up. My pet peeve was someone ordering a strawberry daquiri or some other frou frou drink that made me stop everything else to make just one damn drink.

I love me a frou frou drink (or 5). But I learned early on in college that you can't order one of those when the bar's busy. 2 ingredient drinks (vodka tonic, run and coke, crown and ginger) when it's a packed bar. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but cider works too. And wine, of course.

There was this great restaurant near me that had blackberry mojitos. When the restaurant closed I had to learn to make them myself. Now if I could only find a recipe for their arepas



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2016 01:32PM by LisaSTL.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

@gojiberry wrote:

I'm not that familiar with alcohol, and for a particular shop I'll need to order a generic drink that can be upsold. The example of vodka and tonic was given. What are other examples and what are your favorites?

Is it possible to order wine as a generic drink?

Yes! Wine is a generic drink. You can ask for a house red or a house white. That will give the waiter a chance to upsell. The house wines are usually the most inexpensive wines you can get by the glass.

Instead of house wine, that a lot of fine restaurants do not have, you can ask for a glass of chardonnay, pinot grigiot, or cabernet sauvignon, or a red you like and they can either offer the least expensive or offer a choice between the more expensive and the basic.

So gojiberry, what did you end up ordering and how did it go?

Rum and coke. That way it offers a chance for them to upsell to top shelf liquor.

@LisaSTL wrote:

So gojiberry, what did you end up ordering and how did it go?

It's been a while since I've been on the forum, but your advice helped me out! I love Syrah wine, so I requested a glass of that. The bartender did upsell me on another Syrah that was not even on the menu. This was a full bar with many wines. I got a perfect score on the report

Since writing this initial question I've also discovered I really enjoy Moscow mules.

I like a tall Vodka and Cranberry juice (light) with a lemon...enjoy!!

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I like a tall Vodka and Cranberry juice (light) with a lemon...enjoy!!

There are SO many drinks to explore!

So many cocktails, so little time