Somehow he had expected something rather more severe than that, by the way Elidibus was mincing his words. Like drunken benders, snorting mysterious substances off of doe-eyed au ra girls. Maybe things weren't quite so dire as Thancred's adventures have led him to believe.

"It is." He sounds a little puzzled at the idea that salty snacks might in any way help do anything but increase thirst. That's just not how it worked, a pretzel didn't have enough nutrients in it to do anything worthwhile. "If the tavern owner wished to slow inebriation, he'd water his drinks instead. Salt merely encourages it."

How ridiculous!

Of course, if such a tale is sown, then it would encourage patrons to eat, and then drink more, so it's likely one of those ongoing deceptions that people assume are true simply because everyone says it is. "How long did it take for you to reach a state of impairment?"

A more concerned person might suggest Elidibus not touch alcohol ever again. Lahabrea isn't one of these people. Obviously Elidibus survived the experience, and his only actual warnings are to the deceptive practices of certain barkeeps. So bland is his reaction in fact that it might be tacit approval - no flare of sharp irritation or anger, aside from the baseline ongoing trouble.