How to avoid drinking alcohol when out socializing

Hey friends,
Do you guys have any experience dodging the alcohol goblin when out socializing?

I've successfully avoided this dude I don't really like for a long time now.
Problem is he loves me and wants to hang out all the time, just doing nothing (which bores the shit out of me so I rarely accept)
and he doesn't really have any other male friends due to him being a cunt and I feel bad for him.
All his other friends are girls because he never wants to do anything, just chill and talk gossip (and not introduce me to the girls for some selfish reason).

Recently his gf dumped him so he has increased his efforts to "chill" and I've agreed to go out to a restaurant with today after lifting.
I will get a nice steak and such so it's not all bad (though expensive) but I know he expects me to drink a lot of beer with him.
I've started my cut and hopped on creatine so I avoid beer like the plague because I know it wrecks my workout the next day, and I want to lift on friday as well.

Do you guys have any good tips on how to avoid the alcohol? What to say to make normies/dyels stfu about drinking?
I don't really care if he thinks I'm a tard, but I want to have a nice relaxed evening, not sitting and arguing why I shouldn't have just one beer.
Also, does a glass of wine with the steak fuck up the recovery and next day workout as much as I know a beer does?

How little self control do you have that you cant take 3 shots of whiskey and walk away?

I could do that, but I'm pretty sure that wrecks the recovery and next day workout as well, wouldn't you say?

Say you're on anti biotics, and Google before on which kind you can't drink.

Pussy

good tip, thanks mate

literally just drink anything other than beer, seriously. it's totally pleb tier alcohol.

someone on here once recommended saying youre taking a medication that you can't mix with alcohol. but this leads to more lies, like what medication and what condition you need it for etc etc

3shots of whiskey is alcoholic amounts

Get diet coke in a old fashioned glass and don't say anything they will assume you are drinking something with a mixer.

Well, seasonal flu is pretty common tier these days. I don't really get sick anymore, but the normies don't know that.

I love beer but I avoid it because I've tried just having 2 beers (while bulking) the night before workout, muscles just couldn't perform as well as I know they can. I would guess a small amount of booze or wine would have the same effect, but I haven't tried myself in the same controlled manner as with beer.