Definition: drinking in Switzerland

It refers to the Swiss German mercenaries who served in the king's regiments and were recognisable from afar by their uniforms with wide coloured stripes (the Swiss Guards at the Vatican still wear similar uniforms today). No doubt these tough soldiers were heavy drinkers, hence the original expression "to drink like a Swiss", perfectly capable of drinking alone or among themselves. However, the expression "drink like a Swiss" is more likely to come from the custom, typical of Germanic beer-drinking countries, of each person paying for their own drink, whereas in France, a wine-drinking country, the tradition of taking turns to pay for a round is the norm.