Liquor Dinner

I've always been amazed by people who order a hard liquor drink with their dinner. Don't get me wrong, I drink with dinner nearly every day. But I only have a beer or wine which enhances my food.

When the people at the next table at Hereford House started ordering vodkas for a first round I was genuinely flummoxed as to why they weren't ordering beer or wine. Does a vodka drink or a whiskey drink help enhance a meal? I can't imagine it does, but, again, I'm not much one for hard liquor.

A margarita is probably acceptable with Mexican food, but that's about the only mixed drink I can think of that I would drink with a meal.

For those that order a hard liquor drink with dinner, why do you do it? What do you drink? Do you hate your spouse/companion? Are you Russian? Do you disappear from your kids' birthday parties to go drink?