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National Name Your Poison Day

The bartender greets you with a smile, "Name your poison." You peruse the menu, feeling like a kid in a candy store. The possibilities are endless!

Alcohol Food & Drink Hobbies & Activities62

Marketing angleinferred

Drive bar traffic and cocktail sales in June by encouraging customers to try new drinks and rewarding bartenders with themed promotions and social buzz.

Relevance 62high intent

'Name Your Poison' cocktail specials—feature a new signature drink daily throughout June
Behind-the-bar spotlight: celebrate bartenders with customer testimonials and appreciation posts
Playlist challenge: user-generated 'poison'-themed music content tied to bar visits
Mixology contest: customers vote on the best 'poison' creation for a prize

History

National Name Your Poison Day has roots that can be traced back to the origin of the phrase “name your poison”.

It seems that the idea of naming your poison was popular in the mid-1800s, which was related to the fact that ‘poison’ was a colloquial term for an alcoholic drink. Some researchers even think that the term “name your poison” may have been used all the way back in medieval times!

No matter when it got its start, the phrase, “name your poison” had a very specific meaning during the days of prohibition in the United States.

Because it was illegal to make or sell alcohol from 1920-1933, the alcohol that was being produced illegally was of low quality and suspicious.

Thus, when a person wanted to order a drink the bartender would ask them to name their poison – because if the drink wasn’t made properly, it literally and actually could be poisonous!

It seems that the phrase, “name your poison” can also be used in a broader sense for someone who is being asked to make a choice.

In some cases, this might mean to try to choose the best out of a number of poor options. Today, National Name Your Poison Day really just offers a bit of an opportunity for having some fun!

How to celebrate

Name Your Poison

National Name Your Poison Day might be a fun day to grab a few friends or coworkers and head out to a bar or nightclub to get a drink. Perhaps try a drink that is new to you, or choose something you don’t normally order. Also, be sure to let the bartender know what day it is – and see if they’ll give any extra drink specials in honor of the day!

Create a National Name Your Poison Playlist

Get involved with celebrating National Name Your Poison Day by creating a themed list of music that can be playing in the background throughout the day. It’s a fun motif to build some song choices around, getting started with some of these ideas: Poison by Alice Cooper (1989)Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars (2009)Poison Tree by Grouper (2007)Party Poison by My Chemical Romance (2010)

Thank a Bartender

If it wasn’t for those bartenders who are amazing at making almost any drink there is, National Name Your Poison Day just wouldn’t be the same! So take a moment on this special day to show appreciation for and say thank you to that person behind the bar who provides whatever drink is requested when you “name your poison”.

FAQ

How did the phrase “name your poison” come to be associated with alcohol?

The phrase “name your poison” emerged in 19th century English as a colloquial way for bartenders and hosts to ask someone which alcoholic drink they preferred, using “poison” humorously to refer to liquor’s potentially harmful effects. Over time it broadened in everyday speech to mean “choose your preferred option,” while still strongly linked in many contexts to ordering a drink at a bar.

What are the real dangers of drinking illicit or homemade alcohol?

Illicit or poorly made alcohol can contain toxic levels of methanol or other contaminants that may cause blindness, organ failure, or death, and the risk is higher when production is unregulated and quality controls are absent. Public health agencies advise avoiding unlabelled spirits, drinks of unknown origin, or products that appear tampered with, especially in regions where counterfeit alcohol is a known problem.

How do bartenders learn to serve alcohol responsibly?

Many bartenders complete formal “responsible beverage service” or “server training” programs that teach how to check IDs, recognize intoxication, refuse service safely, and understand local alcohol laws. In a number of countries and U.S. states, such training is required by law for staff who sell or serve alcohol, and employers often provide additional in‑house policies on safe service.

Is it true that moderate alcohol drinking can still harm health?

Research has found that even low or moderate levels of alcohol consumption can increase the risk of certain cancers and other health problems, and there is no completely “risk‑free” level of drinking. Some guidelines allow for limited drinking for adults who choose to drink, but public health bodies increasingly stress that less alcohol is better for long‑term health.

Why do some people react much more strongly to alcohol than others?

Individual responses to alcohol vary due to factors such as body size, sex, age, liver function, genetics, medications, and how quickly a person drinks. People of East Asian ancestry, for example, may carry genetic variants that slow alcohol metabolism and cause facial flushing, rapid heartbeat, and other uncomfortable effects at relatively low doses.

How did Prohibition influence the way people thought about “poisonous” drinks?

During Prohibition in the United States, illegal alcohol was often made and distributed with little regard for safety, which led to frequent cases of poisoning from contaminants like methanol and industrial solvents. These incidents, and the government’s own decision to denature industrial alcohol to deter drinking, reinforced public fears that drinks obtained through illicit channels could be literally poisonous.

What legal responsibilities do bars have if a guest becomes dangerously intoxicated?

In many jurisdictions, “dram shop” or similar liability laws allow injured parties to sue establishments that continue to serve clearly intoxicated customers who then cause harm, such as in drunk‑driving crashes. As a result, bars are expected to monitor patrons’ consumption, refuse further service when necessary, and sometimes help arrange safe transportation to reduce the risk of alcohol‑related injuries.