Patient inclusion criteria include:  1) Adult patients (> 18 years old), 2) Clinical diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess (with or without imaging before consultation).  Patient exclusion criteria include:  1) Immunocompromised state, defined as active cancer, present or recent (within 1 year) chemotherapy use, diagnosis or evidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) , or diagnosis of an alternative immunodeficiency disorder 2) Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, defined as random blood sugar greater than 12 millimoles per liter, 3) Clinical diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess extending to other deep neck spaces, defined as decreased neck range of motion, and clinical gestalt of overall illness, 4) Inability to handle secretions as determined by the treating clinician 5) Clinically severe dehydration (as determined by treating clinician's volume status assessment) or failure to thrive requiring inpatient admission, 6) Requirement of admission for inpatient management for any other reason, 7) Requirement of general anesthetic for surgical drainage, 8) Unable to consent to study involvement, 9) Patient has already received 48 hours of appropriate antibiotic coverage (below) prior to eligibility assessment. 10) Previous diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess (other than the current event) within the past month.  Note, the exclusion criteria of inability to handle secretions and severe dehydration are markers of severe disease that likely require surgical intervention. Patient reported dehydration or inability to handle secretions need not exclude potentially eligible patients if the treating clinician determines these factors to be clinically absent or the patient to have mild to moderate infection.  Appropriate antibiotic coverage is defined as:  Institutionally standard antibiotics for the treatment of peritonsillar abscess, as determined by the treating physician  Any of the following at appropriate dosage range:  Amoxicillin-clavulanic Ceftriaxone Clindamycin Penicillin plus metronidazole Cefazolin plus metronidazole