I am a part of a Whatsapp group of cyclists that ride in my neck of the woods - a bunch of recreational riders, a bunch of long distance types and a bunch of racers. Here, the discipline is actually quite good - there is a hammerfest group and there is an endurance group, and the latter actually does ride at endurance pace, with regular re-group points. Only in the last 15km or so on the way back does the leash come off.
Honestly, i tihnk it is a massively dick move to position something as a social/no-drop/endurance ride and then make it a hammerfest. It's barely a step up from "Cat 6" racing against a stranger you just saw on the road. Save it for races or, if you want to go fast, plan accordingly
Our team group rides may have someone going "ok guys, easy Z2 tomorrow, get some volume in" but it is a given that 5 min into it, someone's legs would have fallen off, another person would be trying to find pieces of his soul and yet someone else would be looking for brake rub. I is just a given that the weekend group rides are sufferfests and everyone who joins comes in with the understanding that there is no mercy. And that's fine.
But if you are doing a social/easy ride, keep it a social/easy ride.