RBS Principles 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A bouncer is offered a bribe by an intoxicated patron to allow re-entry. What should the bouncer do?
- Accept it discreetly since the patron will be monitored once inside
- Decline firmly, maintain the refusal, and report the attempt to management (Correct answer)
- Accept and immediately notify a co-worker as a witness
- Ignore the offer and allow entry to avoid confrontation
Correct answer: Decline firmly, maintain the refusal, and report the attempt to management
Accepting bribes undermines RBS integrity, exposes staff to termination and legal risk, and violates the duty of consistent, unbiased enforcement.
Question 2: Which RBS principle explains why bouncers should greet and observe patrons as they enter, not just when problems arise?
- Greeting patrons increases tips for door staff
- Baseline observation at entry helps staff detect changes in behavior throughout the night (Correct answer)
- State law requires a verbal greeting at all licensed venues
- Early observation is only useful for identifying underage patrons
Correct answer: Baseline observation at entry helps staff detect changes in behavior throughout the night
Establishing a baseline of each patron's sobriety at entry allows staff to detect deterioration in condition as the evening progresses.
Question 3: What does RBS training mean when it refers to 'server discretion' in alcohol service?
- The freedom to serve anyone without oversight
- The trained judgment of staff to assess patron condition and make service decisions (Correct answer)
- The right to choose which patrons to ID based on personal preference
- Discretion to ignore house policy when a patron is a regular
Correct answer: The trained judgment of staff to assess patron condition and make service decisions
Server discretion is the trained, judgment-based authority staff have to make service decisions based on observable patron behavior and policy.
Question 4: Which scenario best illustrates the principle of 'environmental design' as it relates to RBS?
- Dimming lights so staff cannot see patron behavior clearly
- Arranging seating and lighting so staff can easily observe all areas of the venue (Correct answer)
- Placing the bar in a location hidden from the entrance
- Installing noise machines to reduce patron conversation
Correct answer: Arranging seating and lighting so staff can easily observe all areas of the venue
Environmental design in RBS refers to laying out the venue so that staff have clear sightlines to observe and respond to patron behavior effectively.
Question 5: Under RBS principles, what should staff do when a patron's friends insist their intoxicated companion is 'fine' and just tired?
- Accept the friends' assessment to avoid conflict
- Trust observable signs of intoxication over social pressure from the patron's companions (Correct answer)
- Allow entry but require the friends to sign a waiver
- Let the patron decide for themselves without staff input
Correct answer: Trust observable signs of intoxication over social pressure from the patron's companions
Friends frequently minimize intoxication to protect their companion; RBS policy requires staff to rely on observable signs regardless of social pressure.
Question 6: A patron is not yet visibly intoxicated but has been drinking steadily for four hours. Which RBS principle should guide the bouncer's approach?
- No action is needed since the patron is not yet visibly impaired
- Proactive monitoring and coordination with bar staff to slow or stop service before visible intoxication occurs (Correct answer)
- Remove the patron immediately as a precaution regardless of current behavior
- Offer the patron a complimentary drink to encourage them to slow down
Correct answer: Proactive monitoring and coordination with bar staff to slow or stop service before visible intoxication occurs
RBS emphasizes proactive harm prevention; coordinating with bar staff to pace or stop service before a patron reaches visible intoxication is a best practice.
Question 7: Which of the following reflects the RBS principle of 'shared responsibility' within a licensed venue?
- Only the head bartender is responsible for monitoring patron intoxication
- All staff — bouncers, servers, bartenders, and managers — share responsibility for patron safety (Correct answer)
- Responsibility for service decisions falls solely on the liquor license holder
- Bouncers are responsible only for physical security, not alcohol-related decisions
Correct answer: All staff — bouncers, servers, bartenders, and managers — share responsibility for patron safety
RBS programs emphasize that every staff member who interacts with patrons shares the duty to monitor and respond to alcohol-related risks.
RBS Principles 5
A bouncer is offered a bribe by an intoxicated patron to allow re-entry.
What should the bouncer do?