TAM Establishment Policies & Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a large party arrives at an establishment, which policy tool is most effective for monitoring group alcohol consumption?
- Assigning one server to the group and tracking drink counts per person (Correct answer)
- Requiring all large groups to pre-pay for a drink package
- Seating the group near the exit for easy departure
- Limiting large groups to beer and wine only
Correct answer: Assigning one server to the group and tracking drink counts per person
Assigning a dedicated server to track individual consumption within a group helps identify intoxicated guests before problems arise.
Question 2: Under TAM guidelines, an establishment's food service policy should require that food be available:
- Only during lunch hours
- Whenever alcohol is being served (Correct answer)
- On weekends only
- Exclusively to customers who order premium drinks
Correct answer: Whenever alcohol is being served
Food slows alcohol absorption, so TAM guidelines recommend that food be available whenever alcohol is served.
Question 3: A TAM-compliant establishment policy for handling intoxicated employees who arrive for a shift should be to:
- Allow them to work non-customer-facing roles only
- Send them home immediately without pay as a disciplinary measure
- Deny them the ability to work their shift and address it through HR (Correct answer)
- Let them sober up in the break room before starting work
Correct answer: Deny them the ability to work their shift and address it through HR
An intoxicated employee must not work their shift; the situation should be handled through proper HR channels to address the underlying issue.
Question 4: Which of the following is a key element of an effective ID-checking policy?
- Only check IDs on Friday and Saturday nights
- Train staff to recognize common forms of altered or fake identification (Correct answer)
- Accept any government-issued ID without inspection
- Let the customer's behavior determine whether to check ID
Correct answer: Train staff to recognize common forms of altered or fake identification
Training staff to identify fake or altered IDs is essential because appearance-based assumptions alone are insufficient to prevent underage sales.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a 'no shots after midnight' policy in an establishment?
- To increase beer and wine sales during late hours
- To reduce rapid alcohol consumption and intoxication risk during high-risk hours (Correct answer)
- To comply with a mandatory Maryland state law
- To limit liability for daytime alcohol service only
Correct answer: To reduce rapid alcohol consumption and intoxication risk during high-risk hours
Restricting shots during late hours is a harm-reduction measure that slows alcohol absorption and reduces risk of acute intoxication when impaired driving is most dangerous.
Question 6: A patron attempts to order alcohol using a credit card with a different name than their ID. The establishment's policy should be to:
- Serve the customer as long as the ID looks valid
- Refuse service because the discrepancy raises concerns about identity (Correct answer)
- Ask the bartender to make a judgment call based on appearance
- Allow one drink and then re-check on the next order
Correct answer: Refuse service because the discrepancy raises concerns about identity
A discrepancy between an ID and a credit card is a red flag for potential fraudulent ID use and warrants refusal of service.
Question 7: How often should an establishment review and update its alcohol service policies?
- Only when a new law takes effect
- Every five years at minimum
- Regularly, and whenever incidents or law changes occur (Correct answer)
- Only after a liquor license violation
Correct answer: Regularly, and whenever incidents or law changes occur
Policies should be reviewed regularly and updated after incidents, staff feedback, or changes in Maryland alcohol law to remain effective and compliant.
TAM Establishment Policies & Procedures 3
When a large party arrives at an establishment, which policy tool is most effective for monitoring group alcohol consumption?