BamaVol

Boy, I can't remember any officially sanctioned serious work drinking since the mid-70's. I was working for an apparel manufacturer with HQ in Boulder, CO. Christmas week was a regular boozefest. Bottles of liquor, gifts from various suppliers, began appearing in the Purchasing Manager's office. Anytime after 11 in the morning, it was not considered inappropriate to stop by for a shot.

Throughout the years, I have been aware of the odd bottle kept in a desk drawer, but drunk mostly on the qt.

In 2000, I was Controller for a small software company in Charlotte, NC. After 5:00, occasional informal gatherings in the President's office would include the offer of a bottle of beer from his office fridge. I don't recall anyone having a second, though.

In 2010, I left a job as Finance Director for a foundry in Oxford, Alabama. A parting gift from my IT department was a bottle of Woodford Reserve. At 4:00, we closed my office door and 5 or 6 of us polished off the bottle.

I haven't seen alcohol consumed at work since, although I do see moderate drinking at company sanctioned events offsite (including last weekend's company picnic at a water park that happened to sell beer).

gfunkdave

My company will sometimes bring beer and wine in if we have something to celebrate or they just want to be nice.

Example: just before we moved offices, they had an islands-themed going away party one Thursday at 5pm that featured make-your-own Singapore Slings and Mai Tais.

Example: when we moved to the new office, they brought beer, wine, and cocktails and we all celebrated at 4pm or so

Example: when management wanted to encourage people to talk honestly at a Management Feedback meeting, they provided beer and wine for the meeting (at 1pm).

dchristiva

I worked for a French bank a few years ago and it was not uncommon for Friday afternoon to include a wine & cheese gathering. I never saw anyone over-indulge, but it was definitely a social affair. Other than that, I don't recall any alcohol in the office.

I have, once in a while, had a beer with my lunch. Very infrequently and only when my afternoon calendar was clear.

Mrp Alert

My friends who work at Zappos.com drink all the time. People will walk through the office handing out wine or shots.

I have whiskey at my desk, but it is real estate industry where rules are relaxed.

Father-of-3

I'd swear half my company is drunk everyday.

Babaduck

Well, I got a box of wine samples in the office last week (I buy product for airlines) and divvied them out. Same the week before except it was a proper evaluation so only hardened wine lovers got to bring them home. Happy Friday happens occasionally
but 90% of us drive to work, so that's a dead loss...

smith80678

...?!!!!

Kagehitokiri

my friend is the liquor buyer for his small professional firm in major city, every week, ~$200+ bottles

CMK10

I did at one job. I was with Enterprise Rent-a-Car and most of us were right out of college. The boss one day passed out beers and we sat around enjoying them. Then I had to head out and I got to my car and was driving and realized after a mile I'd been still sipping a beer Good thing no one else saw.

Also, one job I had where I was an electrical supply salesman working out of a warehouse had beer in their vending machine (this was before I got there). If you knew the deal, you pressed the "out of order" button and it came out. Worked out great until someone got into an accident and blabbed about where the beer came from so they stopped that

gooselee

Many people I know, including Mrs. Lee and myself, work for younger companies where drinking in moderation is perfectly fine. It's not out of the ordinary for me to see or hear of office pantries stocked with beer and wine, and I've visited places with regular keg deliveries.

(None of these companies are in the beverage industry, either.)

MSPeconomist

I have colleagues, including overseas, who keep wine, beer, and sherry in their offices but AFAIK it's only consumed socially at the end of the day. Work social events always have wine and beer but very rarely is hard alcohol available (increasingly even at cash bars). For on site events, we usually use caterers so that they're responsible for serving the wine/beer rather than letting folks help themselves due to liability concerns.

WillTravel4Food

I work in a government bldg. Possession of alcohol on site is illegal.

megalab

For a long time our corporate policy has been no alcohol on site. We are allowed to serve it at appropriate off site functions, meals, etc. but I've never seen any openly served in any of our buildings.

Most of my colleagues have tenures measured in decades, but we've been hiring more from the outside to try and rejuvenate things. After a rough year last year, a recent marketing hire made for all of us an otherwise appropriate "stress relief" care package as a thoughtful morale boost gesture. I say "otherwise appropriate" because it contained a single-serve bottle of vodka. When she gave one to our division attorney he gently pointed out the issue. Nothing happened to her, but it was one example of why she didn't see much future with us and just announced she's moving elsewhere.

howtofreetravel

This kind of drinking happens a lot in asia and in europe. Why must it be such a taboo in the states? it's one of the reasons i don't want a job in the states

MSPeconomist

In Asia, it can seem almost mandatory. I don't think that's good. For example this happens in Japan, but IME there's much less drinking in China.

Depending on the nature of the employer, it may not be unreasonable to prohibit alcohol on site. Would you want workers to be drinking at a nuclear power plant even after they've finished work for the day? Also, it looks bad for pilots to be observed drinking at airport bars and doesn't inspire confidence in the safety standards of their airline. Many restaurants prohibit drinking on the premises not only because they feel that is leads to problems but also because of a concern that people might help themselves to the restaurant's alcohol without paying for it.