A night out in Dubai is supposed to feel polished and a little glamorous, especially when you are ordering cocktails in a bar that looks like it belongs in a travel ad. That is why one customer’s surprise has been blowing up online after he filmed what arrived at his table. Instead of a normal looking drink, he says he was handed a glass dominated by an enormous chunk of ice, with only a small amount of liquid around it. The moment he pulled the ice out, the remaining cocktail looked like it barely filled the bottom portion of the glass.
The guest recorded the experience and posted it on TikTok, where the clip quickly went viral. The person behind the video used the handle @SuthDoesSports and focused on the same detail viewers immediately noticed, which was the imbalance between ice and actual drink. In the footage, he reacts with disbelief and adds, “They’re messing with me, there’s no drink in here.” He did not say how much he paid or name the exact venue, but the tone made it clear he felt shorted.
What made the clip spread even faster was how relatable the reaction is for anyone who has ever felt a drink was more about presentation than value. A cocktail is expected to include ice, but most people also expect the pour to look generous enough that the glass still feels like it contains a full drink. In his case, he says that once the ice was removed, only about a third of the cocktail remained. For a viewer, that image makes the price question unavoidable, even if the poster never revealed the bill.
@suthdoessports Dubai things.
♬ original sound – SuthDoesSports
Commenters quickly split into camps, and their arguments were just as passionate as you would expect. Some people insisted the customer should have complained right away, because a bartender can often remake a drink or adjust it if you feel it is off. Others offered a simple fix for next time and suggested ordering the cocktail without ice, or requesting ice on the side so you control how much goes into the glass. A different group argued that certain cocktails are designed to be served with large format ice, and that the drink can still be properly measured even if it looks smaller.
One comment captured that perspective bluntly, saying, “People don’t get how cocktails like that are made.” That point is not completely wrong, because big ice is often used to slow dilution and keep a drink colder longer. A large clear cube can also be part of a premium look, especially in upscale venues that treat cocktails like a performance. Still, even when the recipe is correct, the guest experience matters, and the visual of a nearly empty glass can instantly feel like poor value.
Another commenter went the opposite direction and dismissed the whole situation with, “Dubai is a total scam.” That kind of response is dramatic, but it reflects a broader travel reality that luxury destinations can produce sticker shock, especially when the pricing is not obvious until the check arrives. Dubai is famous for high end hotels, rooftop lounges, and tourist heavy hotspots where menu prices can jump quickly. Even when you are paying for ambiance and service, people still want the portion to match the expectation that the word cocktail creates.
It is also worth noting that prices for alcohol in Dubai can vary widely based on where you are drinking. According to Manchester Evening News, travel guides often cite rough ranges like 50 to 70 AED for a cocktail, 40 to 60 AED for a glass of wine, and 45 to 80 AED for a beer in a bar, and higher end venues can push those numbers up further. In U.S. dollars, that is roughly about $14 to $19 for a cocktail, about $11 to $16 for wine, and about $12 to $22 for beer, though real world pricing depends heavily on the venue. When a drink lands in front of you looking smaller than expected, even a standard price can feel inflated.
Beyond cost, Dubai’s alcohol rules are a major part of the context, and they can surprise visitors who assume everything works like it does back home. Alcohol is available, but consumption is regulated and generally limited to licensed establishments like hotels, bars, and restaurants. Public intoxication and driving under the influence can bring serious consequences, and visitors are wise to treat those rules as nonnegotiable. The legal drinking age is 21, which is familiar to Americans but still important for tourists to remember.
For tourists, the simplest approach is usually to drink only in licensed venues, where you can order without needing extra paperwork. Buying alcohol to take home is more complicated, and the rules can depend on where you shop and what policies the seller follows, with some places mentioning a temporary tourist permit. Residents are often described as needing a license for certain retail purchases, which adds another layer to how alcohol is treated in the city. All of that regulation can contribute to higher costs, and to a bar culture where the experience is curated and tightly controlled.
After the online debate, the situation ends up being less about one glass of ice and more about what people expect when they pay for nightlife in a destination known for luxury. Large ice can be normal, and measured pours can be correct, but presentation still shapes trust. If a customer feels cheated, it can overshadow everything else about the venue, including the setting and the quality of the ingredients. A simple line on a menu about serving style, or a bartender offering to adjust the drink, could prevent a viral backlash in the first place.
For some general background that helps explain why this happens, Dubai is the largest city in the United Arab Emirates and a global travel hub built on tourism, business, and hospitality. Many high end bars there operate inside hotels because hotel licensing has historically been a common way alcohol service is structured in the region. In cocktail culture more broadly, large cubes and spheres are used because they melt more slowly than small ice, which can keep a drink colder while reducing dilution. The downside is that big ice can make a standard pour look smaller, so guests who care about value often ask for ice on the side or order drinks served up in a stemmed glass to avoid the issue altogether.
What do you think, was the oversized ice a normal cocktail choice or a ripoff that deserved the viral reaction, share your thoughts in the comments.
