If I go to some fern bar like Applebee’s for lunch, I’ll certainly have a beer. Dinner too of course.
Never been to an Outback. But I’m sure my answer would be the same.
We usually end up at some sort of Brew-pub though.
Would I? Of course I would. Do I? Not very often.
Bolding mine–that might be good to keep in mind. I remember you had a thread a while back that was basically about whether or not the urban legend about dropping change on the ground at the drive through was true…when in fact it wasn’t even a UL to begin with. To you, cocktails = fun night out, but I don’t associate them with any place in particular–brunch, lunch, early happy hour, late night–any time can be OK for a cocktail.
Red Robin has milkshakes made with beer.
Someone ordered an anchovy pizza. When he got it, there were very few anchovies on it. He mentioned this to the sales clerk, who explained “Well, most people don’t like anchovies.”
I used to live walking distance from an Applebees that had reverse happy hour (drink specials from 900 to close) and a DJ at night. It was the only bar in the immediate area so they had a pretty regular crowd and seemed to do a nice business based off of the few times my roommates and I went. We only figured it out because we went in late one night to grab food.
One of my cousins used to bartend at Outback and she made pretty good money. Not quite what you would make at a club but pretty close to what I made at a neighborhood sports bar. She did very well during football season though.
Alcohol - it’s not just for breakfast anymore. 
Shoot back in my college days we went to one place like the OB (Can’t remember what it was called) during happy hour where we could get $1 beers and fill up on free appetizers.
That was dinner for us.
I don’t think I’d order a drink at Applebees or TGIF or any of the chain bar/restaurants, but only because they’re chintzy with the booze. Around here, they all seem to have those things on the bottles that measure out and restrict the amount poured, and it ain’t much. There’s a lot more whisky in my glass at my neighborhood bar than there is in any drink I’ve ever ordered at a chain place. And the neighborhood joint usually costs less, too.
It cracks me up how non drinkers think about alcohol. The vast majority of people who enjoy drinking do so because we enjoy the taste of alcoholic drinks. When I go to a restaurant for dinner I consider the drinks to be as important to my enjoyment of the evening as the meal itself. A cocktail at the bar while waiting for a table makes the wait a little more pleasant, and drinks with dinner usually complement the meal. I don’t even get a buzz most of the time so I’m not remotely concerned about getting a DUI. People have to be mature about alcohol, but it’s not the bogeyman non drinkers make it out to be.
I have ordered cocktails at these kinds of places several times. I usually just get beer thought. Or water if I’m trying to save money.
Why wouldn’t you? They’re tasty enough, although a bit pricey.
I’m a non-drinker for the most part, but if I’m going to get a drink it’s going to be one of those crazy frou-frou concoctions you’ll only find at Applebees or Outback.
Which, I’m sure you also have some theory about. So, yeah.
Why would I have a theory about that? You want to get a drink because you enjoy the taste of it and it complements your meal. After you get done with your meal you leave and drive home safely because you were there to enjoy eating and not to get drunk. Isn’t that pretty much exactly what I wrote in my post? You don’t seem to have a skewed view of alcohol. Posts like the OP who seem to have trouble understanding why you’d drink with a meal and not just to party it up are who I was referring to as having strange attitudes towards alcohol and drinking.
I usually visit chain restaurants at lunch, when I’m not drinking. But when I’ve been to them at dinner I’ve had cocktails. Why not? I tend toward the simpler drinks like martinis, Old Fashioneds, and just bourbon-on-the-rocks. Pretty much any knucklehead can make those passably, so I haven’t found them to be a problem at the chains. I usually have my cocktail with dessert rather than before the meal. Chasing a sweet, rich dessert with a belt of whiskey is a lovely way to end a meal.
ETA: although sometimes the chains don’t bother to stock bitters, so they can’t make an Old Fashioned.
Where I live, full hard liquor licenses are ridiculously expensive and so the big corporate chains are the only restaurants that can really afford them (other than expensive fine-dining type places.) I personally don’t care, but have eaten at Outback specifically because we were with someone who wanted a hard liquor drink with dinner and that was one of the only places in town you could do that.
It’s a place to have dinner after work, and yes, a cocktail after work is a nice thing sometimes. Also, they may have happy hour or half-price apps or that kind of thing to attract folks to the bar area. Certainly when friends from work and I go out, it’s around 5:30 or 6:00 and they have to be home with the kids by 8:00 and in the meantime they may have a margarita with dinner. I like fruity drinks so I am the right target for these kinds of places. 
ETA: It’s not like they become seedy bars later at night, like the whole place changes. They just may have people who come in for drinks and snacks and not a full dinner.
We eat early too and that’s the best time for a cocktail as during happy hour prices are lower. And if I’m eating steak I really want a scotch or something. I have to admit I sometimes fall for the frou-frou drinks; Logan’s Roadhouse has some thing that has mango, vodka, and some liqueur or other that’s served in a mason jar which I totally enjoy.
Even better than that? Brew/distill/ferment your own drinks. Much cheaper and tastes better too. I make all my own alcohol, mixers, and so on.
I also blow glass so I can make my own tumblers, wine glasses, etc.
Because home-made is always so much better dontchaknow.
I don’t drink, but why wouldn’t you? They have a bar, so they are set up for it.
I remember as an eighteen year old waitress working my first lunch shift and being shocked when people ordered martinis. This place was the epitome of casual dining, although that term wasn’t used then. They sold hamburgers, French dips, and other sandwiches. I couldn’t believe people would drink on their lunch hour.
It didn’t take me long to wise up.
You don’t feel constrained by the quality (or lack thereof) of your materials? I ask because I begin with sand, make glass, then and only then do i begin blowing.