CHAPTER 7
DEAL WITH/ HANDLE INTOXICATED
GUEST
Objective:
To handle intoxicated guests in a professional manner
Topics:
1. Determine the level of intoxication
2. Apply appropriate procedures
3. Comply with legislation
Learning Outcomes:
1. Determine the level of intoxication
2. Apply appropriate procedures
3. Comply with legislation
One of the most important duties you have as a front of the house is helping your
guest drink responsibly to promote a satisfying hospitality experience; alcohol has been a
part of social gatherings, celebrations, and rituals. Addiction to alcohol is more of a
problem today that it has ever been in the past. Unlike a century ago, we are now more
aware of the serious complications it can cause.
People drink alcohol to….
Feel more relaxed
Stress out
Forget problems
Join the party
Have fun during the holidays
Enjoy sporting events
Become intoxicate
How to Handle Intoxicated Guests
1. Stay calm.
2. Don't argue with the intoxicated guest.
3. Don't embarrass the guest, especially in front of other people.
4. Invite the problem guest to an area away from other guests, where you can talk.
5. Deal with the situation in a calm, friendly way. ...
6. Listen and empathize with your guest.
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL TO HEALTH
Learning Objective: After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able
to gain understanding on the effects of alcohol to health
Parts of the body where alcohol goes after drinking
1. Brain
2. Heart
3. Lungs
4. Liver
5. Kidney
Negative effects of alcohol if taken in too much dosage:
1. It impairs mobility
2. It impairs muscular coordination
3. It impairs eyesight
4. It impairs night vision
5. It delays reaction time
6. It controls inhibitions
4 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS PEOPLE
Body Weight – more body weight- more alcohol to get the same effects.
If one has had anything to eat before or during drinking
Amount of alcohol consumed
Thoughts & Expectations: Often what you think alcohol will do for you is what
it actually does for you.
BEHAVIORAL SIGNS OF INTOXICATION
Learning Objective:
Understanding on how to recognize and care for an intoxicated person.
Blood Alcohol Concentration
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is the level of alcohol in the blood base on
the body weight, gender, number of drinks, number of hours and how does it
affects brain function.
Identifying Guests Behaviors Zone
Green level – no noticeable behavior change. Customer is
talkative,
seems relaxed,
comfortable,
happy
Yellow level – relaxed inhibitions and impaired judgment. Customer
becomes
more talkative,
quieter,
behaves in an over-friendly way,
curses at the server’s slow service,
complains that drinks are getting weaker,
insists on singing with the band
Red level – loss of coordination.
Customer spills a drink,
sways when walking,
has slurred speech,
asks for a double,
unable to pick up change,
annoys or argues with other customers,
becomes tearful or drowsy,
has difficulty focusing, falls or stumbles.
Care for intoxicated person
1. Remove the person from all sources of alcohol. Remove the person from the
bar or party.
2. Provide a safe environment (prevent falls, keep away from dangerous
machines and objects, keep from driving vehicles).
3. Find out if only ethanol has been ingested. Determine if the person has taken
any medications, illegal drugs, or non-ethanol alcohols.
4. See if the person is easy to arouse when spoken to or with a slight shake of a
shoulder.
5. Make sure that the person’s condition is not due to an underlying medical
cause or injury. Ask about other conditions and look for any evidence of a
head injury.
6. Have someone in constant attendance to ensure that the person is improving
and to obtain medical assistance as needed. If the care-taking person does not
feel comfortable monitoring the condition of the intoxicated person, then it
would be best to take the person to the hospital.
7. No medications will speed up the sobering process. Caffeine (by drinking
coffee) and cold showers have a minimal and very temporary effect.
NOTE: It is extremely common for an intoxicated person to vomit once.
However, vomiting more than once may be a sign of head injury or other cause of serious
illness. If a drunken person vomits more than once and is not completely coherent, then
he or she should be taken to the hospital's emergency department for evaluation
DEALING WITH UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS
Learning Objective:
To gain understanding on how to deal with unexpected situations.
The key to handling an alcohol-related incident is to react quickly and document your
actions.
Document the details of incidents such as refusing alcohol service, arranging
transportation for a guest, refusing the false ID of a minor and calling police
to your establishment.
incident report can be used internally to assess your alcohol service and can be
helpful in the event of a lawsuit.
Write a report on all incidents involving alcohol. This step should be taken
immediately after an event occurs while the facts are still fresh.
Include in the report the date, time, and server and manager involved. List the
names of the guests and employees who witnessed the incident and physical
descriptions of all intoxicated guests.
Dealing with violent customers
Spot the warning signs
observing
Watching and listening for rowdy behavior, arguments, aggressive gestures, etc
Prevent frustration from building up – serve customers in their turn, avoid
treating some customers differently from others,
Don’t argue with customers
Apply rules fairly, apologize if you have made a mistake or keep customers
waiting
Tell your manager before the situation becomes serious- do this quietly and
calmly.
Don’t threaten the customers that you will get the manager. If you need to
explain your absence, or feel they will be calmer once they now that the
manager is to be fetched,
Say what you are doing in your normal tone of voice.
Speak firmly, slowly and deliberately.
Dealing with a guest in the red zone
Ask the guest to move away from others when speaking to him or her about
the situation
Never touch the guest unless you are given permission by the guest.
Avoid judging the guest, raising your voice or arguing
RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL SERVICE.
How to Serve Alcohol Responsibly?
Alcohol sales are an important source of revenue for many restaurants, but
establishments that do sell liquor also face the potential for civil and criminal liability.
Understanding responsibilities for serving alcoholic beverages, recognizing warning
signs of intoxication and handling an alcohol-related incident at your restaurant is the
bartender’s responsibility.
Never serve minors and always check IDs for identification. In the United States,
a person has tobe 21 years old to purchase alcoholic beverages and bartender who serves
alcoholic beverages to an intoxicated person will get criminal charges once tha tperson
gets into accident. In the Philippines, the legal age in serving alcoholic beverage is 18
years old and there is no legal implication in serving intoxicated guest. It is on the
decision of the bartender when to stop serving the guests that are intoxicated. The
bartender has the right to refuse service by saying “Im sorry. I’ve serve you as much as
Im allowed” or “Im sorry but if I serve you another drink I might lose my job”
SLOWING DOWN SOMEONE’S DRINKING
Remove empty glasses and bottles before replacing them with fresh drinks
Serve water
Avoid serving in pitchers
Do not pass tables as often to avoid guests making orders
Do not bring a drink for another person at another’s request
Divert attention away from drinking to dancing, pool, watching the TV screens, etc.
Serve food high in protein and fat. They slow the absorption of alcohol
Don’t serve high salt content foods. They increase thirst and customers desire for more
drinks
Direction: Explain the following question in an essay form
1. What will you do to an already intoxicated guest who insisted on ordering
alcoholic beverage?
2. As a bartender, what will you do if you have encountered alcohol-related incidents
during your duty?
3. How will you deal with an intoxicated guest?
4. How would you recognize the behavior of an intoxicated guest?
5. What will you do if your guest is already intoxicated
References:
Crespo, A.M. & Roldan, A.S. Housekeeping management.
Roldan A.S. Operating a Hotel & Restaurant Business
Roldan A.S. Front Office Procedure
Andrews S. (2009) Hotel Housekeeping A Training Manual
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