ServSafe - Alcohol Test 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A guest hands a server a vertical driver's license from out of state. What should the server do first?
- Check the state's rules, since some states issue vertical IDs to adults (Correct answer)
- Refuse it automatically because vertical IDs always mean under 21
- Accept it if the photo matches the guest
- Ask a coworker to approve the sale
Correct answer: Check the state's rules, since some states issue vertical IDs to adults
Vertical licenses usually indicate a minor, but some remain valid after 21, so the birth date and state rules must be checked.
Question 2: Which behavior is a sign a guest is in the second stage of intoxication (losing judgment and reactions)?
- Talking slightly louder than usual
- Slurred speech and slowed movements (Correct answer)
- Ordering a second drink
- Asking for water with a cocktail
Correct answer: Slurred speech and slowed movements
Slurred speech and impaired coordination indicate reactions are slowing, a hallmark of advancing intoxication.
Question 3: A regular customer who is visibly intoxicated insists on one more drink and threatens to complain to the owner. The server should:
- Serve a weaker drink to calm them down
- Politely refuse service and notify the manager (Correct answer)
- Serve the drink but delay bringing it
- Ask another server to take the order
Correct answer: Politely refuse service and notify the manager
Service must be stopped for any visibly intoxicated guest, and management should be informed to support the refusal.
Question 4: Which factor causes alcohol to affect a guest more quickly?
- Drinking on an empty stomach (Correct answer)
- Drinking carbonated water beforehand
- Eating a large meal first
- Being a larger-bodied person
Correct answer: Drinking on an empty stomach
Without food in the stomach, alcohol passes into the small intestine and bloodstream faster.
Question 5: What is 'dram shop' liability?
- A law requiring drink prices to be posted
- Liability of an establishment for damages caused by a guest it served illegally (Correct answer)
- A tax on liquor sales
- Insurance that covers broken glassware
Correct answer: Liability of an establishment for damages caused by a guest it served illegally
Dram shop laws hold establishments liable for harm caused by guests served while intoxicated or underage.
Question 6: One standard drink is equal to a 12 oz beer (5% ABV), a 5 oz glass of wine, or how much 80-proof liquor?
- 1.5 oz (Correct answer)
- 3 oz
- 0.5 oz
- 2.5 oz
Correct answer: 1.5 oz
A 1.5 oz shot of 80-proof spirits contains roughly the same alcohol as 12 oz of beer or 5 oz of wine.
Question 7: A guest orders drinks for a companion who appears underage and has no ID. The server should:
- Serve both since the purchaser is of age
- Refuse to serve alcohol intended for the unverified guest (Correct answer)
- Serve only one drink at a time
- Ask the underage-looking guest to sit at another table
Correct answer: Refuse to serve alcohol intended for the unverified guest
Serving alcohol that will be passed to a guest whose age cannot be verified is an illegal third-party sale.
ServSafe - Alcohol Test 3
A guest hands a server a vertical driver's license from out of state.
What should the server do first?