system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: For certain professions, it's okay that interviewers and interviewees have drinks during the interview process. [And for clarity I'm NOT talking about drinking related jobs such as wine tasting.]

In my profession (academia) it is common after the end of a 2 day interview (that can take up to 12-15 hours overall) to have dinner and drinks. My department is hiring right now and if it weren't for COVID all of our campus interviews would end that way, just as they do at most universities.

Since you may be spending 10-30 years working closely with a small group of people, having dinner and drinks is an important aspect of the interview, as it showcases your more personal side. Of course drinking is never mandatory, but when I used to interview 10 years ago I would usually have a couple of glasses of wine or scotch at such interview dinners and I really enjoyed loosening up a bit while discussing research, art, culture, travel, family, and so forth.

I don't know how common this is for other professions, but my claim here is that for at least one profession---and possibly others---getting to know one another over dinner and drinks is an acceptable way to get a sense if the candidate and department are a good fit.
gpt
So this might say it's strictly voluntary, but if this social outing is part of the interview then it certainly gives people who participate a leg up on those who choose not to. As you are more likely to pick those who you can bond with in a social setting. This can have a discriminatory results as women are more likely to be uncomfortable in these kind of situations and Muslims are forbidden from drinking, so certain groups are affected more than others

It can also favor those who do like to drink and perpetuate a "bro" culture, where only the people you like socially (and probably closer to you demographically) get hired or promoted.