Alcohol Server · Handling Difficult Situations

A patron who has been cut off asks a friend to order for them. Staff should:

Correct answer

Recognize this as an attempt to circumvent the cutoff and decline to serve the cut-off patron through others

  1. A Allow it
  2. B Recognize this as an attempt to circumvent the cutoff and decline to serve the cut-off patron through others
  3. C Serve the friend a double
  4. D Ignore the request

Why this is the answer

When a patron who has been cut off tries to obtain alcohol by having a friend order for them, staff should recognize this as an attempt to circumvent the responsible-service decision and decline to serve alcohol that is clearly intended for the cut-off (intoxicated) person. Allowing the workaround would amount to continuing to over-serve an intoxicated patron, with the same legal and safety risks. Staff and managers should be alert to these tactics and hold the line on the cutoff. Communicating the situation among the team helps ensure everyone enforces it consistently.
Source: Responsible Beverage Service — Circumventing a Cutoff