The value of a good beer (or even a decent one) was heavy on my mind this weekend. I admit that I obsessed over it for at least a short time. Since I am wondering what other people have for expectations when ordering a beer in a restaurant, I will explain what started me down this path of thought.
Very often when I look at the draft list on a restaurant menu there are no prices along with it. They likely know that if you want a beer, you want a beer. Without much hesitation I ordered a draft Widmer Deadlift IPA at Restaurant A and soon after taking a sip of mine, The Wife also ordered one. Understanding that it is an Imperial IPA, I thought maybe it would even be a smaller pour, though we were both given pints.
Fast forward to me looking at our check and I find out that each of those beers were 8 dollars.
Now at Restaurant B I did not even have a draft list to look at and I ordered a Brooklyn Lager after asking the waitress what my options were. A very different beer style and again ordered without knowing the price.
The Wife grabs the check and points out to me that the beer cost me only 4 dollars this time.
I enjoyed each of those two beers pretty much equally, but after seeing what I paid for each I certainly would have one at Restaurant B again long before I would at Restaurant A. Actually I could have 2 at Restaurant B.

Awesome sight
This all made me aware of my expectations when ordering draft beer, especially when it is something I can easily get at my local grocery store. My expectations are that I will pay 5 or 6 dollars tops when there is no price listed and I would be thrilled at paying 4 dollars. Paying 8 dollars is what I expect to do if sitting at a bar in an airport.
I work at a great beer bar and we have some less expensive options and some that are more pricey, but in every case the price is clearly shown next to the beer. Now I am questioning what I should assume the price is for a beer when none is given.
So am I off in my expectations or am I simply a dope for not asking what the prices were for each beer on the list?
I like to think that I am not too far off.
Cheers!




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