Is it common for American rich guys to have a whiskey bottle in his office?
Posted by Crane_1989@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 168 comments
This is something I have seen time and again in Hollywood works, both film and TV: a wealthy white male, like a CEO, partner on a big law firm, businessman, politician, or other big thing, will have an office (often with dark wooden panels), and in his office he will have a bottle of whiskey or other spirit, and two old fashioned glasses. Sometimes hidden from view inside a cabinet or other furniture, sometimes just on a side table. At the end of the day he has a glass (or two) straight. Often shared with a client, partner, or other equally rich white guy. I wonder where this common trope comes from, and if American rich men storing booze in their workplaces is really a thing.
gaytee@reddit
Am a poor guy at a tech company, most people have bottles at their desks and the office stocks fridge beers
Charlesinrichmond@reddit
common? no. Have I seen it? yes
Key_Set_7249@reddit
At my company no gets a desk assigned anymore so your would have to bring rhe bottle with you. Maybe at a home office.
clekas@reddit
I’ve worked and law firms, and, yes, it’s been common at the firms I’ve worked at for senior-level partners.
TrevorGrover@reddit
Engineering firm, and yeah, seems like a common but old-school kind of thing. Probably not as common as it once was
a_bounced_czech@reddit
Used to work at a law firm and my boss had a full on bar in his office. He also had antique firearms everywhere too.
Up until last week, I had a small bottle of scotch in my desk. But I have to share with my colleague so I brought it home.
Dapper_But_Derpy@reddit
I’m an attorney in the south and every firm I’ve ever worked at, it would be weird to see alcohol in partners’ offices. Must be a northern thing. We still drink like fish, but we take it off campus. Even holiday parties are thrown at country clubs and whatnot.
I worked for a regional CPA firm right out of law school and I’d see it there pretty frequently. Those guys are unbelievably pretentious and douchey though.
Mikeg216@reddit
Baptists recognize each other everywhere except for at the liquor store
Secure-Ad9780@reddit
Baptists go to the liquor store in the next town over.
Pkrudeboy@reddit
Jews don’t recognize Jesus, Protestants don’t recognize the Pope, and Baptists don’t recognize each other at the liquor store.
You can also substitute Mormons for Baptists.
Oenonaut@reddit
If you bring Baptists fishing, you have to bring at least two; if you just bring one they’ll drink all the beer.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
Never heard that. Good one.
MyUsername2459@reddit
Yeah, I work in the legal field. We have strict policies against alcohol at work, or while on the clock.
. . .OFF the clock is a totally different thing. Once you're off the clock, it's almost expected to be drinking at social events with co-workers, but never on the clock, and certainly never openly displaying alcohol at the office.
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
What's the best way to keep a baptist from drinking all your liquor?
Invite a second baptist over.
clekas@reddit
I worked in both Atlanta and DC and saw it there, as well, so, no, not exclusively a northern thing. (I know some people don’t consider DC a southern city, but Atlanta definitely is.)
ATLien_3000@reddit
DC is a city of northern charm and southern efficiency.
dehydratedrain@reddit
I truly hope people read this for the burn it is.
Caelarch@reddit
It’s the type of lawyer, not the region. There is a personal injury firm I know that has a full, literal, bar in their office—a door down the hall from the senior partners’ offices. Complete with beer taps, a shelf of liquor, a bar that seats 6 or so and a handful of tables.
Dapper_But_Derpy@reddit
Sounds about right lol
New-Process-52@reddit
Yeah the amwf for yeah
Niro5@reddit
It depends on the firm. At the big law firm I was at the longest, it would be quite weird for someone to openly have a bottle of liquor for drinking, but not so rare to have one for display (e.g. a fancy bottle that was a gift from a client.)
It was a little more common at New York offices, and far more common at European offices, or American offices of English firms.
That said, the firm held near weekly events at the office that were generally fairly liquor soaked. It's a stressful job. But even at those, drinking was basically all after hours. For what our hourly rates were, it was fround upon to litigate buzzed. For the most part, we preferred getting out of the office and drinking at home.
spookyscaryscouticus@reddit
Support staff in NY. Can confirm that my boss gets all kinds of fancy bottles as gifts, but usually they sit in the office for a while because my boss doesn’t usually enjoy the kind of liquor, so he forgets them and I just put them somewhere they look intentional and they remain unopened until they just sort of disappear one day or get put in the fridge.
There is some unopened wine in the fridge in the office, but no one wants them because they’re red wines. The venn diagram of people who drink 4 cans of sugarfree energy drinks a day and the people who drink red wine are two completely separate circles.
Darmok47@reddit
Same. I would often see bottles people displayed in their office that were gifts, but those were rarely touched. And it was always partners; I'm pretty sure if an associate had liquor at their desk they'd get a talking to. There was a kegerator and a Bartesian in the kitchen and beer and wine in the storage closet and fridge but those were for after-work events.
No one I ever saw had a fancy crystal decanter set.
dystopiadattopia@reddit
Is it a thing where you drink to celebrate, or is it like in Law & Order where Jack McCoy loses a case, pours himself a glass of whiskey, slumps down in his chair and stares into the distance?
GingerrGina@reddit
Most corporate offices have pretty strict workplace rules against drugs and alcohol on the premises.
macoafi@reddit
My manager 13 years ago (not a CEO, just a manager), had a shelf around his office just below the ceiling, lined with whisky bottles. He and the other managers would drink in there on Fridays.
I don’t understand the person who commented “At a publicly traded company? No way.” That company went public 20 years ago.
tetlee@reddit
I worked for an American public traded company in the center of London's financial district and the pubs around us were packed at lunch time. They closed at 9pm and didn't open at all on the weekends because they just catered to office workers.
Capital-Yogurt6148@reddit
I worked at a publicly traded company for several years. We had a monthly beer and wine reception, during business hours, for all employees.
Confetticandi@reddit
That sounds very boys clubby ngl.
Were there any women in the Friday drinking circle?
macoafi@reddit
The director of engineering sending someone to buy vodka and beers for the all-hands was a woman.
Golbeza@reddit
California flair checks out
Confetticandi@reddit
Yeah, I moved out here from the Midwest because I’m a woman in corporate biotech and I got tired of that crap holding my career back.
It’s still out here too, of course. I don’t think there’s any escaping it. It’s just not so blatant.
Extension-Respond289@reddit
lol yeah, I think it’s def a stereotype. I guess it’s just seen as a “power move” or something? I mean, I don’t see it in real life much but it really does pop up in movies all the time…
Educational-Big-6609@reddit
I think it very much depends on the company. In mine, that’s be grounds for termination.
Extension-Respond289@reddit
lol yeah, I think it’s def a stereotype. I guess it’s just seen as a “power move” or something? I mean, I don’t see it in real life much but it really does pop up in movies all the time…
NoDoOversInLife@reddit
It's made for TV. Most businesses do not allow alcohol on the premises due to liability
LifeApprehensive2818@reddit
Every business I've worked for has been firmly "in the grip of Cotton Mather", as one historian called it. No booze on campus without a metric megaboatload of paperwork.
hiddentalent@reddit
Curious. Every business I've worked with has been the opposite. In my junior years, the team had a kegerator and a tiki bar for Friday afternoon "morale" events. As I got more senior, having a glass of nice Scotch with the bigwigs after work was an irregular but not unusual occurrence. Industries: big tech, aerospace, manufacturing, cybersecurity, and AI.
LifeApprehensive2818@reddit
I'm in contract R&D for very similar subjects. Between accountability to our sponsors, and just generally being obsessed with policy and procedure, alcohol on campus is a no-go. Had to exchange Secret Santa gifts in the parking lot at my last place.
Definitely not the typical answer, but I don't have another to give.
Capital-Yogurt6148@reddit
It’s absolutely common. I worked in the insurance industry for nearly two decades and there was plenty of booze around.
Most execs have alcohol in their personal offices, but it’s also common throughout the rest of the office as well. One company I worked for had a built-in wet bar in the conference room. Another had a beer tap in the kitchen for employees. Another had a beer and wine reception in the kitchen for all employees every month. Client lunches/dinners almost always involved alcohol and it wasn’t out of place at larger, internal meetings or celebrations as well.
Also, it was pretty normal to gift alcohol for things like Christmas or promotions or other life events. I worked from home in one position and after a particularly complicated client renewal, the team lead had a fancy bottle of my favorite rum and a nice pair of highball glasses delivered to my house by a local liquor store as a thank you.
-hacks4pancakes-@reddit
In tech start ups, absolutely.
TheSweetSlytherin@reddit
I worked at Wayfair and one of my coworkers was actively making mead at her desk. She even had a bottle shelf of finished ones.
goldandguns@reddit
Yes it’s common. I don’t think it’s related to race in any way. We have an office “bar” that’s free for anyone to use and is stocked by the firm
sessamekesh@reddit
Hell, I'm not even rich and I've had multiple colleagues and bosses with a bottle stashed away for special occasions.
I've kept one or two myself over the years.
toyheartattack@reddit
Cannot speak for the rich. Am in the military and it’s pretty common here.
Maxxonry_Prime@reddit
If they've been in the military long enough to have an office they'll start to show at least a few of the stereotypical behaviors.
jfchops3@reddit
It's absolutely a thing at some firms but they're all going to have their own rules and cultures, there's no one size fits alls in the business world
Very first day of my college internship was also the first day for a guy in his 30s who joined full time. The senior director always took the team out to lunch when someone new joined, so a few hours into the day he rounded everyone up and told us what restaurant to drive to. I'd heard stories from older friends about drinking during work hours in general, but didn't know what the culture was at my new employer. I was like 4th to order, I ordered water because nobody prior to me ordered beer but I probably would have done it if everyone else did before me. The other guy was last to order, and he ordered it after watching ~10 people all order water or soft drinks. Lunch goes on as normal, few hours later he's pulled into the boss's office who told him not to come back the next day because he showed that his judgement can't be trusted. The person that got hired next to replace one-day-guy remains a friend of mine a decade later despite not having worked there for years at this point so thanks to one-day-guy for enabling that connection
Learned in short time that it absolutely was a drinking culture company, but never during work hours and never at the office. At least once a week someone would organize a big happy hour nearby and those of us that were friends with each other went out on the weekends all the time
LexaproLuger@reddit
Worked for a cable tv channel and even the lowest level staffers kept booze in their cubes. Mine was tucked under some merchandise from a show the parent company owned for discretion/ to keep other folks there from helping themselves. I’d break it out when a show did well (don’t happen much) or talent from one of the shows I worked on came through.
Hell, we had a bar cart that someone would push around on Fridays. That was mostly stocked by whatever junk our sponsors were trying to push. I was definitely more a Bourbon guy than a Smirnoff Green Apple Sour Vodka guy, but, hell, drink what you like.
deathshr0ud@reddit
I doubt the majority of people on this sub have been in a CEO’s office before. But the answer is no.
hiddentalent@reddit
Clearly, you have never been in a CEO's office. Because the answer is yes. It might not be clearly displayed. It might require them making a quick call to their administrative assistant.
But yeah, I've closed deals with big public companies, and I've helped them dig out of big public failures, and there are times when a glass of Scotch comes out either for celebration or commiseration.
AnchoviePopcorn@reddit
The answer is yes. Every one of my colleagues have liquor at their desks. All of our communal work fridges have beer, one is filled with makgoli (Korean rice wine).
deathshr0ud@reddit
Where do you work that alcohol consumption is allowed on the job?
AnchoviePopcorn@reddit
International trade attorney. No one drinks inappropriately. But if you’re working late, sure. Or on the occasional Thursday or Friday we’ll have an office happy hour.
deathshr0ud@reddit
Working in the medical field, I’ve never seen alcohol in any setting, aside from a few patients bringing a bottle for their provider around the holidays.
JustSomeGuy_56@reddit
When I worked at IBM, coming to work drunk was a serious offense. There was bit of lore that if you were a drinker you should always keep a bottle in your desk. If you came back from a liquid lunch and were challenged by your boss, you were supposed to open the bottle, take a drink and offer him one. The logic was that anyone who drinks at lunch is a drunk and is fired, but someone who drinks at work is an alcoholic and is sent to AA.
I do not know anyone who tested the the hypothesis.
supremewuster@reddit
IBM used to ban alcohol even at events or most client dinners (source : have read alot of IBM history)
hiddentalent@reddit
Having been to an IBM client dinner where they were trying to close a deal with us, you're either reading a very generous version of IBM history or their policies have changed significantly from the 1980s.
JustSomeGuy_56@reddit
I was a contractor and became good friends with my IBM manager who lived in my neighborhood. He invited me to his home for a July 4 cookout. Nothing elaborate. Hot dogs, burgers and beer in his back yard.
I was surprised that none of our co-workers were there. He explained that if he invited one of his employees, served alcohol and they got into an accident on the way home, IBM could be held liable. The logic was that an invitation from your boss is not voluntary and turns the event into a company function.
I once asked an IBM salesman how he handled customers that expected him to have a drink when he entertained them at lunch or golf. (Some get offended if you refuse to drink with them). He said the policy was to go back to the office (or home) and not have any face to face contact the customers for the rest of the day.
dan2376@reddit
At publicly traded companies, probably not. Most companies frown upon alcohol in the office, even if it's an executive.
hiddentalent@reddit
Ha! No, this is not at all true.
Drinking during the workday is frowned upon. We have jobs to do, after all. But after work or after a particularly good or bad incident, like landing a big client or having a big operational incident, it's not at all unusual to share a drink in a publicly traded company. It's generally against company policy or state law, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
Emily_Postal@reddit
Yes we had whiskey, wine and beer but preferred to go out for a drink.
mav194@reddit
At a publicly traded company? No way.
Law firm? Possibly
hiddentalent@reddit
I don't know where you formed this opinion, but it's factually wrong. I have had a drink in the office with more than a few executive officers of big publicly traded companies.
Fuzzy_Jaguar_1339@reddit
As a partner in a law firm with a bottle of gin in his desk drawer, I can confirm.
I don't actually drink, though. I just won it at a firm event and I don't know what else to do with it. I'll probably give it to an associate sometime.
CupBeEmpty@reddit
As a recovering alcoholic I used to have a nice bottle in my drawer.
I had to get rid of it.
There’s way too many of us in the practice of law.
The lady who runs our lawyers assistance program accidentally sent out an email about the local meeting as a fwd not a bcc.
It was basically a list of like half the lawyers I knew.
The poor woman felt so bad. I’m comfortable talking about my recovery but I’m sure some folks were pissed.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
Not exactly directly on topic but I had a client in my business once who was some kind of counselor/therapist and his practice consisted solely of counseling airline pilots with drug and alcohol problems.
I don't think any of them were keeping a bottle of hooch in the plane's glove compartment, though.
CupBeEmpty@reddit
One would hope. I do think we should normalize talking about it more and normalize not drinking.
Between law school and legal events there can be a lot of drinking.
Laylasita@reddit
Oh wow. Poor thing. Congrats to you and I'm glad you're in a comfortable place to not be emotional about her mistake.
CupBeEmpty@reddit
I’m emotional about a lot of things but a good faith mistake by someone helping a huge number of people through recovery in a profession that prizes not showing weakness is something I can forgive easily.
I felt awful for her. She still does the job and she is awesome so I had very minimal upset about it.
relikter@reddit
Once you become managing partner you don't have to hide it in your desk drawer anymore.
Fuzzy_Jaguar_1339@reddit
Managing partner? Perish the thought. I like being a lawyer too much to put up with HR disputes and service agreements all day. They deserve their functional alcoholism.
Repulsive_Client_325@reddit
Fully agree
Fuzzy_Jaguar_1339@reddit
Repulsive client? I wonder if we know each other IRL... 😉
JulsTiger10@reddit
Use it for a hostess gift
Dr_Watson349@reddit
I’m at a fortune 100 publicly traded company and people definitely have alcohol in their office.
You have no idea what you’re talking about.
bobcat011@reddit
I work at a public company and every 10th desk has liquor or a bar cart.
aksers@reddit
Whaaa? Definitely at publicly traded companies.
Former-Fig-9686@reddit
I haven’t been in any rich guy’s office, so I couldn’t begin to tell you.
HarlequinKOTF@reddit
Even in Wisconsin having alcohol at work is generally considered inappropriate
AnchoviePopcorn@reddit
Depends on the job. Attorney here. There’s always alcohol in the office.
HarlequinKOTF@reddit
True, but that is very much the exception. Other jobs like that would be liquor store clerk, restaurant, and priest
hiddentalent@reddit
I've worked in tech companies for decades and from what I've seen it's pretty common. I never did it, even when I reached senior ranks, but if I ever wanted to have a drink after work I never needed to use the elevator. You just walk a few cubicles/offices over.
The only places I've seen where it's taken seriously is when I was working in operational technology (ie, industrial systems) where people could get hurt and safety regulations were top priority.
Farmchuck@reddit
I know a plumbing superintendent who kept a nice bottle for special occasions as well. I know for fast you got busted out and passed around between the rest of the superintendents and project managers after substantial completion on a hospital job.
DrDirt90@reddit
True
DragonKing0203@reddit
My boss has a one that’s shaped like a golf club, but he doesn’t actually use it. It’s just for decoration.
FishersAreHookers@reddit
That’s cause the whiskey in that bottle is terrible
DragonKing0203@reddit
Oh most certainly haha
ShipComprehensive543@reddit
I know a lot of high level men AND women who have booze in their offices. Middle management and lower would likely be called out for it but people in high level roles have more freedom. Its used for special occasions mostly. Celebrating a client win, etc. Majority of people are not drinking at work, Although I will say, 2 small tech start ups I worked at had random bottles of booze for all employees and also 1/4 kegs of beer in the breakrooms at all times. But that is in no way typical.
DargyBear@reddit
Place I work at now has two stale kegs, probably two years old, in a kegerator in the lobby. Foosball table, ping pong table, billiards, etc. I got a talking to when I asked if anyone wanted a pint and to play a game of pool when we’d all clearly just been putting in the motions to look busy until closing time one Friday.
Now I understand why we have two year old kegs of beer from the brewery next door.
trumpsmellslikcheese@reddit
Kind of shitty to have not just one but two kegs sitting around, only to be reprimanded for considering pouring some on a Friday afternoon. Why wouldn't they just get rid of them?
AliMcGraw@reddit
A lot of this is from the 60s and 70s where executives would have three-martini lunches and then drive (!!!) back to the office. It's pretty uncommon anymore -- drinking at work is frowned on or actively forbidden, people drink a lot less generally, etc. But in high-pressure environments like law firms or newsrooms, there's often someone who has a stash and if you lose a big case or blow a big story, and you're sitting there after work feeling like your life is over, they'll offer you a drink and commiseration.
Crane_1989@reddit (OP)
Jesus Christ in the morning
trumpsmellslikcheese@reddit
Well, no, generally around 12:00 or 12:30.
corndog2021@reddit
This is a pretty common thing for anyone who wants a bottle in their office and works at a company that doesn’t mind. Plenty who work for companies who do mind and just keep it hidden in a drawer or something.
Office need not belong to someone rich, a guy, a CEO, etc.
gnartothecore@reddit
I work at a brewery, a few of the managers keep bottles in their office and it's accepted by the owners. I'd keep a bottle in my office if it wasn't for the fact that there's a good chance I'm going to need to jump on a forklift sometime during my day at work.
New-Process-52@reddit
Carryover from american college binge drinking party culture.
New-Process-52@reddit
Yep
pastrymom@reddit
I have a friend that’s a politician. He told me everyone has bourbon in their office.
DaleATX@reddit
Another day, another practice not exclusive to America.
Master-CylinderPants@reddit
We have a coke bathroom...
Crane_1989@reddit (OP)
Oh man...
LoverOfSandwich@reddit
Not whiskey, but our company VP had a beer tap in his office. I've also seen a lot of bottles around the office but to be fair I've never seen them being drank.
Scazitar@reddit
It's not crazy but not common. Has to be certain type of relaxed environment.
Even then it would probably mostly be a prop unless it was like a really high profile client and they wanted a glass.
sleepyj910@reddit
FWIW, I've seen this with an Indian American. Just anyone who likes to feel like a big shot.
DragonflyOnFire@reddit
I’m not wealthy and I work from home, but I have a full office. On my book shelf next to my desk is a bottle of whiskey. It’s how I officially start the weekend on Friday at about 4pm.
sean8877@reddit
Cognac
pudding7@reddit
I had a bottle of Blantons in my desk drawer. We'd break it out every now and then.
gonzagylot00@reddit
I work in government, and have never seen anyone with a bottle.
supremewuster@reddit
I worked in gov and I saw bottles
AnchoviePopcorn@reddit
Am a lawyer that works in international trade. We almost all have liquor in our drawers. Anytime we go on a trip abroad we usually bring back some local liquor and treats so we can do a tasting on a Thursday or Friday. For example, a few weeks ago a college worked in China. They brought back baijiu and dried cicadas for us all to try.
So yeah, we walk have liquor, but none of us have it displayed openly.
Euphoric_Ease4554@reddit
This happened more frequently decades ago, again only with the most senior partners.
tawzerozero@reddit
My last employer, publicly traded, in technology, had wine fridge that automatically unlocked at 7 pm. If anyone was working late then they could have a drink or two while working late in the evening.
EstradaMoses@reddit
As someone who works in corporate in the US but not Law, this is fascinating lol seems like Mad Men
jimbopalooza@reddit
Wait til you find out about toolbox whiskey… It’s not just rich guys.
CloudedLeopardDaemon@reddit
Yes. In case you haven't noticed, the rich are held to a radically different standard here than Americans who work for a living. Just like a CEO can spend all day on Twitter and gaming, but an Amazon employee making less than $20 an hour can be fired for using their personal phone for any reason on the shop floor.
Sean_theLeprachaun@reddit
Im at a rinky dink company with less than 200 employees, the c suite is stocked. Shit, I found a bottle of wine in a conference room drawer last week.
AmexNomad@reddit
I was a California real estate broker- and yes, some brokers had booze.
Average_Potato42@reddit
Not rich, but I have one. It was a gift and it's for display.
WhereNextCols@reddit
Kash does.
pinniped90@reddit
I'm not rich, but I have a couple bottles in my office. We do a periodic whisk(e)y club in the office. We don't just bust it out daily or anything.
Guessing rich guys just have more expensive booze.
ATLien_3000@reddit
Here's the great thing about America - you don't have to be rich to be able to afford to keep a bottle of whiskey at the office.
dNYG@reddit
I’m a “stationary engineer” in NYC. I operate and maintain the HVAC in a commercial office building with about 50 floors of law firms and financial firms.
It is EXTREMELY common in the big shot’s offices. A few of them have full blown bars.
angmarsilar@reddit
I've been a partner at a medical practice for 19 years. In our corporate office, we have a wine cooler and a refrigerator in our conference room. In the days before I was partner, there were stories of the guys opening several bottles during bimonthly meetings. In my time, I've never seen a bottle opened. In fact, the cooler broke 10 years ago. I'm sure whatever wine is left is skunked. They used to keep beer in the refrigerator, but I haven't seen a beer opened in about 10 years. Covid killed us working from our office and most of our meetings now are zoom.
Maurice_Foot@reddit
I work in tech support, across many different types of business.
Higher ed, yeah, some profs have booze and sometimes there were gifts of wine or scotch around christmas.
Other places, not so much but these are it contract places that go into other businesses. In research business, no booze at all. At lest among the lower level engineers and researchers.
Trinx_@reddit
My mom's boss is a priest and he gets whiskey bottles as gifts from former students. He's not wealthy.
DankBlunderwood@reddit
Most of these shows take place in the 1960s. Yes it was somewhat common back then for the brass to drink on the job. The alcohol was ostensibly there for clients and guests but they took advantage of the perks.
Mikeg216@reddit
Also used to have casual Fridays and beer 🍺 everybody can have one.
Particular_Bet_5466@reddit
As an American, I wonder this too. I’m not rich enough yet to know.
Mountain_Economist_8@reddit
Every office has their own culture. I've seen it and seen places where it would seem crazy, within the same organization.
adledog@reddit
I think every boss I’ve had has had a bottle of booze stashed away somewhere in the office. At both public and private companies, and mostly moderately well off white men. It’s ranged from “open secret” to “hell only tell you if he actually likes you” depending on the office culture.
real415@reddit
My boss kept one in his desk drawer. Liked to pour a drink or two for us whenever there was something to celebrate, or a holiday was coming up. Or sometimes because it was Friday afternoon. Just any excuse for a drink I guess.
Ok-Ambassador8271@reddit
It is hugely common in Kentucky to have a couple bottles of bourbon in your office. Typically a mid brand for regular drinking, and a small batch or something rarer for special occasions.
Intelligent-Invite79@reddit
I’ve never been rich and I had a bottle of whiskey on me at almost all times for a number of years, including my welding shop.
EffectiveRelief9904@reddit
It’s common for American guys of all financial status to have alcohol in the workplace, weather it’s allowed or not
Red_Beard_Rising@reddit
My whiskey bottle is in the kitchen cupboard. My home office is in the adjacent dining room/ desk area. Close enough to drink.
CHARizard8789@reddit
I worked for a software company that had a legitimate “Whiskey Club”. Buy-in was one bottle of whiskey you like. Club meetings were enacted via our slack channel, a member needed to call the meeting to order, and another needed to second it. That’s it. People of all walks were members, not remotely a boys club.
When we opened a Dublin office things got real fun! Americans would bring a bottle of US exclusive whiskey to their allotment, and vice versa when the Irish would visit.
Much fun was had chatting with folks from every department over a pour of something I’d probably not tried before. 10/10 recommend.
WanderingGalwegian@reddit
I have an entire bar in my office..
Not like my personal office..
My office has an entirely stocked bar and bartender and you drink for free after 5pm
onlyreason4u@reddit
No.
It used to be normal but it faded out of favor over the decades and now it's mostly frowned upon. If you see it it's generally going to be one of the dwindling boomers still working. Now you might see a few beers and ir dome whiteclaws in the fridge, but it's kind of rare for anyone to drink them.
Hylian_ina_halfshell@reddit
Def depends on the profession. But high level execs. Yes
idkmybffdee@reddit
At my most recent position, the CEO and COO had decanters in their offices that were out all the time, senior staff could have things, but they had to be tucked away so we didn't seem like an office full of alcoholics, and anyone else outside of an approved time really shouldn't be showing anything off, but on a Friday afternoon when no clients were coming, it was pretty common for me to have a glass on my desk.
Ol_Man_J@reddit
I’ve worked at a few companies that had beer fridges and fridays we would sit around shooting the shit having a beer or a glass of wine
idkmybffdee@reddit
Yeah, the way we handled it was mostly just for looks in case an upright client showed up, it wasn't really encouraged, but I don't think anyone would have batted an eye if I had a double on a Tuesday at two.
Overall_Chemist1893@reddit
Nope. Just another movie image intended to show "wealth"-- I've worked with all sorts of major corporations during my years as a consultant, and while it is true that most CEOs were in fact white men, they did their drinking outside of the office. I think this trope comes from noir, or perhaps pulp detective fiction, but it doesn't represent the typical office in a major company. The majority of the executives I encountered had beautiful offices with amazing views, and yes, a big table for conferences; but it was more often food that was served (and coffee or tea). There may indeed have been some businessmen who hid booze in their office during Prohibition (1920s), but it wasn't a common thing in most of the offices I saw in the 60s and 70s. And as I said, many businessmen did in fact go out for drinks with clients, but that's the point-- they went out. It rarely occurred in their office.
lfxlPassionz@reddit
Once upon a time but not in modern times
JasminJaded@reddit
It’s not a rich thing, it’s a high powered attorney thing…
hotlettucediahrrea@reddit
They show it on TV all the time, but if you brought alcohol into any legal or court related government job I’ve ever dealt with, you would be fired.
TritoMike@reddit
In the environment I work in, it’s not unheard of for someone to have a bottle of whiskey on a shelf or side table, but if you see that, it’s a good bet that the person doesn’t drink all that much. It’s for special occasions and people are rarely drinking more than two fingers. People more known to imbibe aren’t going to bring further attention to it that way.
afterlaura@reddit
No that will get ya fired unless you own the place.
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
I believe most companies have a zero tolerance for drugs or alcohol on property…so I’d say it’s uncommon enough to be nearly nonexistent
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
After reading comments I stand corrected. Wow
CleverGirlRawr@reddit
My old company C-levels did not have the old-school glass decanter but would offer celebratory champagne with successful product launches. We could also have a cocktail at business lunches, and of course drink on business trips.
GoCardinal07@reddit
I worked for politicians earlier in my career. It was amusing how many of them had bottles of alcohol in their office. Even the teetotalers had them in case they needed to give a gift at the last minute.
Adventurous-Depth984@reddit
I think it might be more common for American poor guys. Used to work in sales a long time ago, and more desks had booze in them than dust
whitecollarredneck@reddit
I'm in a smaller law firm. My boss has a small bar shelf in his his office, but it's really just for decor. One of my coworkers has an engraved/monogrammed decanter that someone gifted him, but it's empty.
Confetticandi@reddit
I’ve never seen that in my over 10 years in corporate biotech, both private and publicly owned, and I’ve reported directly to the CEO.
Zealousideal_Draw_94@reddit
I believe it was common in many offices in most businesses, in the 1960’s, 70’s, and at least some of the 90’s. I do not believe it is anywhere near as common today.
According-Couple2744@reddit
My high school driver’s ed teacher kept a bottle in his desk and he certainly wasn’t rich.
MattressBBQ@reddit
Alcoholics certainly do. Others might but rarely or never drink at work. It's a myth
Accomplished_Mix7827@reddit
Fuck if I know, I don't even have my own cubicle
BusterBuddyGuy@reddit
If your job requires a lot of late nights then yeah.
Anything 9-5 is a big no no
HermioneMarch@reddit
In the 1960s? Absolutely. Today. Ixnay
Gavacho123@reddit
Both of the owners of the company I work for have liquor carts in their offices, never seen anyone drink anything but it’s there.
Aggravating-Alarm-16@reddit
My wife was a cpa at a big firm. They had beer on tap. Though that was in the early aughts
Swrdmn@reddit
These days, the level of rich you have to be to have people ignore you offering straight scotch at a business meeting in an office by default makes it not common.
It’s like smoking. People used to have a case of cigarettes and a table lighter in offices. Nowadays it’s practically unheard of.
gator_mckluskie@reddit
in wealth management, yes
jessek@reddit
Back in the Mad Men era it was, probably not now.
BasicJuggernaut4413@reddit
I was a private chef for a ceo and believe it or not he had a small liquor cabinet in his office lol
TheDarKnightly@reddit
No. But know the closest whiskey bar/wine bar? It’s almost expected that you know and can booze up a client.