Friday 21st May
Friday 21st May
Recognising and dealing with Intoxicated Customers
Restaurants and bars face unique risks and complexities. As an alcohol-serving establishment, the business you work for can be especially vulnerable to legal challenges. Do you know when to stop serving customers? Do you know what signs to look for in an intoxicated person?
When Does a Bartender Have the Right to Refuse Service to a Patron? At some point or another a bartender will likely have to address a belligerent or very intoxicated person. Please be aware that it is an offence to knowingly serve a customer who is drunk and that it is company policy not to do so.
Below are several legitimate reasons to refuse service to a patron:
• Underage individuals
• Those who have over-consumed are showing symptoms of intoxication
• Excessively rowdy or unruly customers
• A person is harassing staff or other customers
• Your establishment is at capacity
Right to Refuse Service – What to do first
First, a server or bartender should take steps to slow down service and make sure a manager is included in the loop. The manager should keep a close eye on the situation to decide the appropriate next steps. Consider offering food and water. Try to slow down service as much as possible by making yourself less available to the patron. Regardless, always call a manager if you feel someone has been overserved. An intoxicated person should never get behind the wheel, impaired driving carries serious consequences.
Potential Signs of an Intoxicated Person
• Loud or agitated speech
• Ordering drinks rapidly
• Slurred speech
• Stumbling
• Spilling drinks
• Appears drowsy
• Aggressive behavior
• Blood shot eyes
All these can be signs of intoxication. As a bartender, it may seem as though intoxicated customers just come with the line of business you are in. However, it’s how you deal with these intoxicated customers that can make all the difference.
Strategies to help you deal with intoxicated patrons:
1. Bring Up the subject of food
Suggest that they purchase a food item instead of another drink. When we eat, it helps slow down the absorption of alcohol in the body. Also, if the patron has an empty stomach, they will continue to get more intoxicated, quicker.
2. Offer Water, Coffee or Tea
Suggest having them try a different product that is non-alcoholic. This gives them time to let the alcohol pass through the body. Offering them water or coffee is a great alternative. If this doesn’t work, perhaps try juice or a soft drink.
3. Try Talking to the Group
It can be beneficial to have friends talk to an intoxicated individual instead of a bartender. If an intoxicated individual is with a group of people, try talking with the group members. The group may be able to help sway the intoxicated individual into slowing down or switching to a non-alcoholic beverage.
The final step in dealing with an intoxicated customer is to refuse service.
Refusing service can potentially lead to a heated conversation with the customer, so it’s important to have an established policy in place stating how your business deals with intoxicated customers. Servers and bartenders need to know it’s acceptable to go to the manager for help when dealing with an intoxicated customer.
When speaking with a customer about refusing them service, staff could try the following tips:
Be as friendly as possible, yet firm in your decision.
Tell them you care about their well-being and want them to get home safely. It is recommended that you help them find transportation home if they do not have a way to get home safely. A cab service or third-party app such as Uber can make all the difference if the intoxicated customer is drinking alone.
It’s alright to let them know that your job or alcohol license could be at risk if you were to overserve them.
If a drunk patron becomes disorderly or you feel threatened in any way, contact your local police department for assistance. The goal is always to keep everyone involved in this situation – and your business – safe.