Question 1

A customer suddenly starts vomiting right there in the middle of the bar. What is the best way to handle the situation?
A)Put the trash in front of him or her and move the other customers back.
B)Get a coworker to help you move the customer to a private area where he or she won't bother the other guests.
C)Alert your manager and call the police.
D)Move the customer to the bathroom and get him or her medical attention, if needed.

Accepted Answer

If a customer starts getting sick in the bar, help him or her to the bathroom and get him or her medical attention if necessary.
Sometimes when a customer gets sick, it is an isolated incident and he or she just needs to be taken home by someone who is sober. If he or she vomits multiple times, however, and/or is incoherent or becomes unresponsive, you need to get him or her medical attention as soon as possible. Keep in mind that any vomit in the bar/restaurant area will also need to be cleaned up as soon as possible.

Question 2

One of your coworkers has been drinking with the customers and appears to be getting intoxicated. Should you intervene, and if so, how?
A)Yes. You should discreetly alert the manager.
B)No. "Tattling" on a coworker will only cause tension.
C)Yes. You should point out to your coworker that he or she needs to stop.
D)Any of the above.

Accepted Answer

If one of your coworkers is getting intoxicated with customers, you should discreetly alert the manager.
While it can be tempting to protect your coworker and preserve your relationship with him or her, the truth is that in most cases you can both get in trouble if you see that he or she is getting drunk at work and do nothing about it. Most establishments have their own policies regarding employee drinking, and your manager should know what actions to take next.

Question 3

You go to greet a table and find that they have brought in their own wine for dinner. Should you refuse to open it for them?
A)Only if they have not ordered any other drinks from the establishment.
B)Yes. Bringing in outside alcohol is illegal.
C)No. If the establishment has a liquor license then it is OK.
D)Maybe yes, maybe no - always adhere to the establishment's policies concerning outside alcohol.

Accepted Answer

Always follow the establishment's policies when it comes to customers bringing in their own alcohol, and if that means no outside alcohol, you should refuse to open it for them.
Different kinds of liquor licenses allow for different things, and many do not allow for customers to bring in outside alcohol. Sometimes establishments also have their own policies set up in addition to those set by the liquor license, so even in cases where it is technically legal the restaurant/bar owners may not allow it.

Question 4

Your municipality mandates that bars stop serving alcohol at 12 a.m. One night a group of people out celebrating their friend's birthday ends up staying until midnight and requests that you stay open just a little later. Several of them still have unfinished drinks, and a few of them are asking for another round. What is the best thing to do in this situation?
A)Agree to stay open just one hour longer.
B)Ask the manager permission to stay open a little later and to serve just one more round.
C)Tell them that you are unable to continue serving them and that the bar is closed.
D)Do a last call and then close the bar right after everyone gets their last orders.

Accepted Answer

Even if you still have customers wanting to order drinks at closing time, you should tell them you are unable to continue serving them and that the bar is closed.
Not all municipalities have such strict rules for when alcohol can no longer be served, but whatever the rules are, you are obligated to follow them. Both you and the establishment you work at can get in serious trouble for continuing to serve alcohol after the end time set by the local authorities.

Question 5

A group of people you are serving is being very loud and disruptive. You have already received some complaints from other customers. What do you do?
A)Ask them to keep it down and alert them that you have had some complaints.
B)Monitor the amount they are drinking.
C)Identify the leader of the group and make it clear the group will have to leave if they continue to be loud and disruptive.
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

You can do a variety of things when a group of people is being loud and disruptive, including asking them to keep it down, notifying them of complaints you receive from other customers, and outlining the rules of the establishment with the leader of the group.
If the group continues to be rowdy and inconsiderate, you have the right to ask them to leave the premises. And, of course, don't be afraid to get your manager if you need assistance handling the group.

Question 6

Joel is making efforts to sober up a guest who has arrived at the bar in an intoxicated state when suddenly the guest tells him the name of the other bar where he had been drinking. Joel knows that his own establishment could potentially get in trouble if the guest leaves while still intoxicated, so what should he do?
A)Call the local liquor authorities and report the other bar.
B)Write down the name of the other bar and continue to try to sober up the guest.
C)Contact the other bar and tell the manager to practice safer alcohol service.
D)Send the guest back to the other bar.

Accepted Answer

If a guest shows up intoxicated from another bar, the best thing to do is to try to sober him or her up and write down the name of the other bar in case it is needed for future legal situations.
Many establishments won't even let already intoxicated people on the premises, but many others don't have bouncers to keep them out. If someone arrives already drunk, make efforts to sober him or her up (give him or her water and some food, and have him or her wait around a while). Just in case it is needed in the future, write down the name of the establishment where he or she came from.

Question 7

You are told to fill out an incident report after a fight breaks out among customers, but you have never done one before. What information should you include?
A)How the situation was dealt with
B)What happened and who was involved
C)Time and date
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

When filling out an incident report, you should include what happened and who was involved, how the situation was dealt with, and of course the time and date.
Other details you may want to include are the names and contact information of any witnesses (if applicable) and whether or not law enforcement was contacted. Many establishments also have their own requirements for incident reports that you should follow.

Question 8

You should get a coworker to act as your "backup" when you decide to cut off alcohol service to a guest (for whatever reason).

Accepted Answer

True. You should get a coworker when stopping a customer's alcohol service.
As unnecessary as it may seem, having a backup can help keep you out of tense or even dangerous situations. No one likes being denied service, but he or she is far less likely to act negatively if more than one person is present. Your backup can also reinforce your decision, making it clear to the customer that it's not just you who thinks he or she should stop drinking for the evening.

Question 9

When is it OK for you to take a customer's car keys away?
A)When you are finding alternate transportation for him or her
B)Only when someone in their party asks you to do so
C)When the customer is clearly too intoxicated to drive safely
D)Never, because you shouldn't take a customer's personal items

Accepted Answer

It is not viewed as "OK" to take a customer's car keys, so you should avoid doing it.
Taking any kind of personal possession away from a customer is highly frowned upon, and it treats the customer in a rude manner. If someone insists on driving when he or she shouldn't, your last resort should be to call the police to alert them of a potentially drunk driver on the road.

Question 10

After you do stop service to a customer, what is the next most important thing for you to do?
A)Make sure he or she gets home safely.
B)Notify the police.
C)Tell whoever the customer is with that his or her alcohol service has been cut off.
D)Fill out an incident report.

Accepted Answer

Once you stop service to someone, the next most important thing you should do is make sure he or she gets home safely.
You can do this in a variety of ways, from locating his or her designated driver (if applicable) to calling a cab. Either way, you have a responsibility to not let an intoxicated person drive home.

Question 11

Some of your customers are starting to play a game in one corner of the room. What are some precautions you can take to make sure it doesn't get too wild?
A)Cut off alcohol service to them for as long as the game is being played.
B)Check in with them occasionally and pay attention to the amounts they are drinking.
C)Limit them to only playing for 10 minutes at a time.
D)All of the above.

Accepted Answer

To help ensure games do not become too wild, you should check in with the players occasionally and pay attention to the amounts they are drinking.
Games played in establishments with alcohol service can quickly get out of hand, since players can get upset with losing and consuming alcohol can intensify their competitive feelings. If your establishment has a dart board or a pool table, for example, it's a good idea to talk with your manager about setting up some house rules for everyone to abide by and to keep the area well lit and regularly staffed.

Question 12

A young man and woman come up to the bar and start chatting with Mike about the different beers that are on tap. They look like they're in their early to mid-20s, and since they seem to know a lot about beer, Mike decides not to card them when they order a few drinks. What should he have done instead?
A)Asked them questions about other kinds of alcohol to ensure they were fully experienced and therefore of legal age.
B)Asked to see the ID of whichever person looked younger.
C)Asked to see their IDs once they ordered alcohol.
D)Made sure it was OK with the manager to not card them.

Accepted Answer

Mike should have asked to see their IDs regardless of how experienced they seemed with alcohol.
It is wise to check the IDs of anybody who appears to be in his or her 20s, even if he or she appears to be an experienced consumer of alcohol. It's not uncommon for minors to act older in order to escape suspicion, but at the end of the day, you're the one who is liable if you serve them.

Question 13

You are working in a crowded bar when a customer comes up to you, points to his or her friend and says, "No matter what he asks for, don't serve him alcohol, OK?" You've never been in this situation before, so what do you do?
A)Tell him or her you'll be the judge of who gets served and who doesn't.
B)Wait to see what kind of state the friend is in.
C)Ignore the friend when he or she comes up to the bar.
D)Politely ask why you should not serve the friend and whether the friend knows he or she shouldn't be drinking.

Accepted Answer

If someone asks you not to serve their friend, you should politely ask why you should not serve him or her and whether their friend knows he or she should not be drinking.
There could be very good reasons for someone not wanting you to serve a member of their group - from that person being a designated driver to him or her being a recovering alcoholic. There could also be some not-so-good reasons, such as the customer being mad at his or her friend or the friend being pregnant (it is considered discrimination to refuse service to a pregnant person). Find out what's really going on and then make the final call.

Question 14

A customer is ordering tequila shots for all his or her friends, but not everybody in their group seems to be on board with it, so you only pour a few. The customer then gets upset when you don't give him or her all of the shots he or she ordered. What should you have done instead?
A)Poured all of the shots and left the decision to drink up to each person in the group.
B)Asked the group as a whole who would be drinking the shots and then let the main customer know that not everyone wanted them
C)Poured all of the shots and left the extras in front of the main customer
D)Poured the shots, but made some of them just plain water instead of tequila

Accepted Answer

If not everyone in a group wants the alcohol that is being ordered for them, you should politely let the person who ordered know (and then not pour the extras).
It can seem like a no-brainer to just pour all of the alcohol and leave extra shots on the bar in front of the group, but this puts unwanted pressure on individuals who would rather not drink. Be upfront and open with the person ordering so he or she knows exactly how many drinks he or she is getting and why (this way the customer knows that he or she is getting what he or she paid for).

Question 15

What are some potential problems that can come up if a group of customers gathers in an out-of-the-way area of the establishment with little supervision?
A)Their intoxication levels can't be easily monitored.
B)If they engage in illegal activity, you and the other employees might not be able to catch it.
C)Little supervision from staff members may actually encourage disruptive, unruly behavior.
D)All of the above.

Accepted Answer

There is a variety of problems with groups of customers assembling in out-of-the-way places, such as intoxication levels not being monitored as well, potential illegal activity going unnoticed, and the higher likelihood of those customers becoming unruly thanks to the lack of staff supervision.
If you notice a group of people gathering in such areas, be sure to go check up on them regularly and do your best to keep track of how much they are drinking. Letting your manager know about the situation is a good idea as well.

Question 16

You are getting a customer another drink when suddenly you realize that you have lost count of how many he or she has already had. What is the best thing to do in this situation?
A)Stop serving him or her. Better safe than sorry!
B)Estimate the amount to the best of your abilities and discreetly monitor the customer for signs of intoxication.
C)Ask the customer directly how many he or she has had.
D)Delay serving the customer another round until you can remember the number.

Accepted Answer

If you do happen to forget how many drinks a customer has had, you should make your best estimate and continue to pay attention for signs of intoxication.
Asking the customer directly or stopping/delaying his or her service can come across as rude and unjustified, especially if he or she hasn't actually had that much to drink. Always treat your customers with respect.

Question 17

Some of your customers want to take their unfinished drinks home with them. What should you do?
A)Let them take their drinks home only if you have plastic (disposable) cups available.
B)Agree to let everyone take his or her drink home except the designated driver.
C)Only agree to let them take their drinks out if they are using private transportation home.
D)Do not let them take their drinks home.

Accepted Answer

If customers want to take their drinks home with them, do not let them do so.
Apologize for the inconvenience and be as polite as possible, but the truth is that most areas across the U.S. have laws against people carrying open containers of alcohol around in public (and some are stricter than that). Furthermore, only a few states allow people to have open containers of alcohol in motor vehicles, and no state permits drinking while driving.

Question 18

Two men come up to the bar and order two beers apiece, laughing and saying they are going to "double-fist" their drinks. What should you do here?
A)Get the manager and ask his or her opinion.
B)Agree to only serve them the weakest beer you have on tap.
C)Politely tell them that they can have their second ones when they have finished with the first.
D)Refuse to serve them.

Accepted Answer

When it comes to guests who want to "double-fist" their drinks, you should politely but straightforwardly tell them you can only serve them one drink at a time.
When people are given more than one drink at a time, they consume alcohol at a faster rate than when they have to wait in between drinks. To slow the rate of intoxication and therefore create a safer environment for your customers, you should always serve them only one drink at a time. This is especially true with a customer who expresses interest in "double-fisting," since it often means she or she is intentionally looking to get drunk.

Question 19

A customer comes up to you with a half-full drink in his or her hand and asks you with a wink to "top it off" for him or her. Do you do as he or she asks?
A)No!
B)Only if he or she is polite and not showing signs of intoxication
C)Yes!
D)It depends on how the manager feels about it

Accepted Answer

No. You should not "top off" a customer's drink.
While it can be tempting to do this in some cases, there are actually a few different problems with adding extra alcohol into customer's drinks (which is all "topping off" really is). For one thing, this makes it harder to gauge how many drinks the customer is actually having, and it just makes it easier in general for him or her to become intoxicated. And, of course, another problem with this scenario is that you are most likely not charging the customer for an extra drink, which can be viewed as stealing by your employers.

Question 20

You are serving a group of people who came in with a designated driver, but at the end of the evening you find out that the driver had to leave an hour earlier for a family emergency. The rest of the group is still there, and they have all had multiple drinks. What should you do?
A)Call the police and tell them what's going on.
B)Try to contact the designated driver to ask if he or she can come back.
C)Arrange alternate transportation home for the group.
D)All of the above.

Accepted Answer

For a group abandoned by its designated driver, the best action to take is to arrange alternate transportation.
There's no reason to call the police (so far), and it's very likely you won't be able to get in touch with the designated driver. So, your best option is to take it upon yourself to offer the group alternate transportation home. Chances are they'll need another way to get home anyway if they were all driven there by the person who left.

Quiz 5: Difficult Situations

A customer suddenly starts vomiting right there in the middle of the bar. What is the best way to handle the situation?

One of your coworkers has been drinking with the customers and appears to be getting intoxicated. Should you intervene, and if so, how?

You go to greet a table and find that they have brought in their own wine for dinner. Should you refuse to open it for them?

A group of people you are serving is being very loud and disruptive. You have already received some complaints from other customers. What do you do?

You are told to fill out an incident report after a fight breaks out among customers, but you have never done one before. What information should you include?

You should get a coworker to act as your "backup" when you decide to cut off alcohol service to a guest (for whatever reason).

When is it OK for you to take a customer's car keys away?

After you do stop service to a customer, what is the next most important thing for you to do?

Some of your customers are starting to play a game in one corner of the room. What are some precautions you can take to make sure it doesn't get too wild?

You are working in a crowded bar when a customer comes up to you, points to his or her friend and says, "No matter what he asks for, don't serve him alcohol, OK?" You've never been in this situation before, so what do you do?

A customer is ordering tequila shots for all his or her friends, but not everybody in their group seems to be on board with it, so you only pour a few. The customer then gets upset when you don't give him or her all of the shots he or she ordered. What should you have done instead?

What are some potential problems that can come up if a group of customers gathers in an out-of-the-way area of the establishment with little supervision?

You are getting a customer another drink when suddenly you realize that you have lost count of how many he or she has already had. What is the best thing to do in this situation?

Some of your customers want to take their unfinished drinks home with them. What should you do?

Two men come up to the bar and order two beers apiece, laughing and saying they are going to "double-fist" their drinks. What should you do here?

A customer comes up to you with a half-full drink in his or her hand and asks you with a wink to "top it off" for him or her. Do you do as he or she asks?

You are serving a group of people who came in with a designated driver, but at the end of the evening you find out that the driver had to leave an hour earlier for a family emergency. The rest of the group is still there, and they have all had multiple drinks. What should you do?