TAM Responsible Alcohol Service & Customer Safety 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which factor does NOT directly affect how quickly a person becomes intoxicated?
- Body weight
- Whether food was consumed
- The color of the alcoholic beverage (Correct answer)
- The rate at which drinks are consumed
Correct answer: The color of the alcoholic beverage
Beverage color does not affect intoxication rate; body weight, food consumption, and drinking speed all directly influence BAC.
Question 2: A customer claims that coffee will help them sober up before driving. How should a TAM-trained server respond?
- Agree and offer the customer a cup of coffee
- Explain that only time can lower BAC and offer to call a ride (Correct answer)
- Suggest they drink water instead to speed up sobering
- Advise them to eat a meal before driving
Correct answer: Explain that only time can lower BAC and offer to call a ride
Only time reduces BAC; coffee, water, and food do not speed up alcohol metabolism.
Question 3: What is the legal BAC limit for non-commercial drivers in Maryland?
- 0.04%
- 0.06%
- 0.08% (Correct answer)
- 0.10%
Correct answer: 0.08%
Maryland law sets the legal BAC limit for non-commercial adult drivers at 0.08%.
Question 4: Under Maryland dram shop liability, an establishment can be held responsible if an intoxicated patron they served causes injury to:
- Only employees of the establishment
- Only the intoxicated patron themselves
- Third parties harmed by the intoxicated patron (Correct answer)
- Only other patrons inside the establishment
Correct answer: Third parties harmed by the intoxicated patron
Maryland dram shop laws can hold an establishment liable when a third party is injured by a patron who was over-served.
Question 5: A customer uses a valid ID showing they are 20 years old. What should a server do?
- Serve them beer only, as it has lower alcohol content
- Refuse to serve any alcoholic beverage (Correct answer)
- Ask for a second form of ID to confirm their age
- Serve them if accompanied by a parent or guardian
Correct answer: Refuse to serve any alcoholic beverage
Maryland law prohibits selling alcohol to anyone under 21 regardless of parental presence or beverage type.
Question 6: Which behavioral cue is MOST associated with a customer approaching visible intoxication?
- Ordering a non-alcoholic beverage
- Becoming increasingly loud and losing coordination (Correct answer)
- Paying their tab early
- Asking for a menu
Correct answer: Becoming increasingly loud and losing coordination
Increased loudness and loss of physical coordination are classic visible signs of advancing intoxication.
Question 7: What is the best way for a server to handle a situation where an intoxicated customer becomes aggressive when refused service?
- Argue with the customer to assert authority
- Offer them one more drink to calm them down
- Remain calm, involve a manager or security, and do not escalate the situation (Correct answer)
- Ask other customers to intervene on the server's behalf
Correct answer: Remain calm, involve a manager or security, and do not escalate the situation
Remaining calm and involving management or security is the safest approach to de-escalate an aggressive intoxicated patron.
TAM Responsible Alcohol Service & Customer Safety 3
Which factor does NOT directly affect how quickly a person becomes intoxicated?