Exam 5: Difficult Situations

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?

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?

Mike is serving a group of people out celebrating their friend's birthday, and they insist that he do tequila shots with them. He knows they are all of legal age and have at least one designated driver, so what should he do?

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

Two young-looking customers approach Jessie at the bar and ask for some beers. When she asks to see their IDs, one of them says he forgot it at home. The other customer's ID says he is 26 years old, and he insists his friend is the same age. What should Jessie do in this situation?

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

A guest shows up to the establishment demanding to order a drink, but he or she is already clearly intoxicated and has nobody to drive him or her home. What should you do in this situation?

You are tending bar at an event where you know there are minors present. A few of them even tried to order drinks, but you politely turned them away. Now some people are ordering multiple drinks at a time. How do you make sure they aren't giving drinks to the minors?

A customer orders another beer, but when you go to put it on his tab you notice that he's already had six beers. Still, he doesn't appear to be showing any signs of intoxication. Should you do anything?

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

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 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?

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 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?

What should you do when you think you see a drug transaction going on inside the establishment or on its outside premises?

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

One of your customers appears to be getting intoxicated. Out of the following, which is the best thing to say to the customer to let him or her know you are stopping alcohol service?

You are serving an elderly couple on their anniversary, and they like you so much that they offer to buy you a drink or two to celebrate with them. What is the best way to respond?

One of your customers appears to be intoxicated, so you decide to stop serving him alcohol. Unfortunately, your manager tells you that you have to continue serving him because he is a close friend of the restaurant owner. What should you do?