When is enough enough?

[Stone]

How often do you find yourself cutting off someone at the bar? Do you think that bartenders should be more responsible determining when a patron has had enough? Do you ever pull aside a regular customer and slip the phone number for AA in his or her pocket? Should you?

[Kingcocktail]

Hi DStone

In the years when I was active behind the bar would nightly have to discontinue service to guests…as a am sure most bartenders would report.. I was lucky most of my career to have worked in NYC where I knew my customers and knew that the majority were cabbing home…bartenders who work in the suburbs or even in cities without real public transportation like LA have a real responsibility to their guests that cannot be neglected.

As for the responsibility of the bartender to monitor a guests drinking habits…that is a tough call. I have realized after years that change in a persons drinking habits has to come from within that person and not from the bartender or anyone else. If it is a friend a bartender can make a choice ..refuse to serve them ever again. we know what happens then, they find a new bar!

I served friends that I knew could not drink and I have spent time sitting next to them at the bar knowing they should not be drinking. I cose their company over the alternative and let them make the choice about drinking or not, because in the end only their choice means anyhting.

Also take a look at the NCADD tips for responsible hosting at :

http://www.ncadd.com/holiday.cfm

Dale