This is best achieved by examining the bar situation, and in particular how group dynamics influence individual drinking. Although the main purpose of bars is to sell drinks, they function as a place for people to gather socially. Fitting in and feeling comfortable in the setting are important elements affecting an individual's drinking behavior. The regulars of a bar, besides being a staple to the business, define the atmosphere of any given bar. The staff of a bar has little influence of people's perception of a bar compared to how well one feels they fit in with the regulars at a bar.
Group pressure can overcome people's' disinclination towards bars.
Often times, people with strong reservations against bars will end up at one because of coercion from other members of their group. There is a series of compromises when deciding which bar to go to, and many group members end up going to a bar they would never pick on their own. Once through the door, the presence of a group influences drinking in many ways. The decision to drink or not drink is often a result of peer pressure . These facts show that the amount drank in bars is not so much a personal variable as it is a result of the influence of groups.