re: Upcharge for Ice!

So it was actually on the menu & you are upset?

Some places pour an extra .5 ounce for rocks and charge a little more. Some pour the same for neat, cocktail, or rocks and charge the same.

I don’t order a lot of liquor at bars, so when I ran across this it was confusing. But Google and you will find many references to the practice. It varies.

Here’s one:

There’s a $2 “rocks” upcharge on my tab when I order whiskey on the rocks. Am I paying for ice?
—Sue in Ambler

Philly Mag food editor Alex Tewfik

Ah, the rocks charge, one of the restaurant industry’s great flusterers. It’s maddening to think you’re paying for ice—which is why you should know that you’re not. You’re paying for more liquor! It all depends on the bar’s drink pour.

If you get a whiskey soda, most spots will pour 1.5 ounces of whiskey over ice and then top with club soda. If you order whiskey on the rocks, the pour can be a half-ounce more, which is the reason for the upcharge. Some places will build it right into the cost of the drink; others mark it as a modification with an upcharge.

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Some make a distinction between shots and other pours:

How Many Ounces Is a Pour of Whiskey?
Like other liquors, a standard whiskey pour is 1.5 ounces for shot, 2 ounces for a neat or rocks pour, and 3 ounces for a double. LINK