Ugh. I want to suggest something, but I've got nothing.
Well, maybe one. My only idea is for a vending machine (probably sold) that would give a random type of drink when right-clicked with a certain type of coin (copper or silver, probably), pretty much just like the Extractonator. This could be either a complete replacement of the NPCs selling it, or just an extra way of getting these drinks.
But, support!
Thanks!
I could see that working for the soft drinks, but not so much for the alcohol, at least thematically. Why have a bar when everything just comes out of the vending machine down the hall, anyway? Then again, I'm always one of the people to argue AGAINST trying to put too much logic into a game like this, so it probably doesn't matter.
I
like the idea of an Extractinator-like vending machine in general, though, but I'm not sure how well it'd work with this idea because there isn't a wide variety of individual items up for offer. As mentioned, these would work like books; a single item/block ID (or multiple, in the case of separating the soft drinks from the liquors) that randomizes its visible sprite when placed as decoration. Meant to simplify the coding (by using what's already there) as well as simplifying inventory management a great deal. If each drink had a separate name and item ID associated with it, sure it'd be easier to put
specific drinks on display, but it'd also result in a
lot of clutter.
Of course, it'd be fun to come up with 'alternative' names for the drinks to avoid copyright. Stuff like Red's Mark, Cenx Regal, Crowno Royal, Skiphs' 7, Yrimirnoff, etc. etc. (you can tell I've thought about this more than I probably should have). But at the same time, I think mechanics simplification wins out here.
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of spamming coins into a machine to see what random drinks come out, with certain ones having rarities associated with them, but I'm not entirely sure it'd be well-received from a inventory management standpoint for mere decorative items. Add RNG to that, and people would no doubt complain that they crammed loads of money into the thing and never got the drink they wanted.
It's definitely a possibility, though. It really depends on what other people would find more convenient.