Re: Having a meal at a pub..
It’s not always up to you. When I was applying for full time work through campus recruiting in my third year of university, different companies would have their mixers in different places. Showing up and networking was almost a requirement … sort of a pre-interview get to know each other in an informal setting type of thing. They sometimes purposely pick a place where uni students are most comfortable. They provide unlimited alcohol, sit back, relax and watch the drama unfold. It’s an easy test to see who goes wild. You’d be surprised how many people do.
Another instant I can recall off the top of my head where I had no choice was when I was travelling overseas for work and we were staying in a remote area. We had very limited options on where we could dine. Small town. Pub culture. Nearby city was at least 45 min drive.