Smart Serve Customer Interaction and Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patron becomes aggressive after being cut off from alcohol service. What is the recommended approach?
- Argue back to establish authority
- Remain calm, speak respectfully, explain the legal requirement, and offer alternatives like food or non-alcoholic drinks (Correct answer)
- Immediately call police without speaking to the patron
- Apologize and resume serving them
Correct answer: Remain calm, speak respectfully, explain the legal requirement, and offer alternatives like food or non-alcoholic drinks
De-escalation is key: stay calm, use a respectful tone, explain it's a legal requirement (not personal), and offer alternatives. If the patron becomes threatening, involve management or security.
Question 2: A patron trips and falls in the establishment. What should the server do first?
- Ignore it unless they ask for help
- Check if the patron is injured and provide first aid if needed (Correct answer)
- Immediately have them sign a liability waiver
- Move them outside the establishment
Correct answer: Check if the patron is injured and provide first aid if needed
The server should first check for injuries and provide appropriate assistance. An incident report should be completed, and if injuries are serious, EMS should be called.
Question 3: What is 'duty of care' in the context of serving alcohol?
- The obligation to provide the best quality drinks
- The legal obligation to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to patrons and others (Correct answer)
- The requirement to clean the bar area regularly
- The duty to check the alcohol content of drinks
Correct answer: The legal obligation to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to patrons and others
Duty of care is the legal obligation of servers and establishments to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm that could result from alcohol service, including over-service.
Question 4: A patron who has been drinking wants to drive home. What should the server do?
- It's not the server's business
- Offer alternatives: taxi, designated driver, public transit, or offer to call someone (Correct answer)
- Take away their car keys by force
- Let them leave but note the licence plate
Correct answer: Offer alternatives: taxi, designated driver, public transit, or offer to call someone
Servers should actively offer alternatives to impaired driving: arranging a taxi, helping contact a designated driver, suggesting public transit, or offering to call a friend or family member.
Question 5: A regular patron tells the server they're taking medication but still want to order a beer. What should the server consider?
- Serve them since it's their personal choice
- Consider that alcohol can interact dangerously with many medications and may accelerate intoxication (Correct answer)
- Only be concerned if it's prescription medication
- Medications don't affect alcohol tolerance
Correct answer: Consider that alcohol can interact dangerously with many medications and may accelerate intoxication
Many medications interact with alcohol, potentially causing dangerous side effects or accelerating intoxication. Servers should be extra vigilant monitoring this patron for signs of impairment.
Question 6: What is the recommended way to handle a patron who is becoming verbally abusive to other customers?
- Ask other customers to move away
- Approach the patron calmly, set clear behavioral expectations, and involve management if behavior continues (Correct answer)
- Yell at the patron to stop
- Do nothing unless they become physical
Correct answer: Approach the patron calmly, set clear behavioral expectations, and involve management if behavior continues
Address the behavior calmly and privately if possible. Set clear expectations ('we need everyone to feel comfortable here'). If behavior continues, management should handle removal.
Smart Serve Customer Interaction and Safety 2
A patron becomes aggressive after being cut off from alcohol service.
What is the recommended approach?