Compatible with mobile devices and tablets
Toggle menu

4 Alcohol Server Tips to Remember This Holiday Season

January 4, 2022
Champagne flutes on NYE

As we start to say our goodbyes to another year, it’s time to start preparing your bar and alcohol service staff for the most wonderful times of the year.

While it’s encouraged to decorate and craft unique menus for fall and winter holidays, it’s especially important that your bar avoids any liabilities and practices superior service safety.

Before you start pouring drinks for work parties and university gatherings, make sure that your servers keep these 4 handy service tips in mind for a safe holiday season.

 

Time is the Only Way to Reduce Blood Alcohol Content

While some people may insist that coffee or drinking mass amounts of water guarantee a reduction in blood alcohol content, we’ve proven in the past that this is purely a myth.

Time is the only way to flush the alcohol out of a person’s system. Yes, water and coffee may make a person void and sober up faster, but unless that happens, their blood alcohol content could remain in a dangerous state.

One thing you can do to slow down the build-up of your patron’s blood alcohol content during the holidays is to prepare a thematic menu that is filling and also slows down the speed of your alcohol service.

 

A “Functional Tolerance” is as Dangerous as a Visibly Intoxicated Person

Some patrons may boast about having a functional alcohol tolerance. Keep in mind that just because someone doesn’t show blatant signs of intoxication, doesn’t mean that their blood alcohol content is below 0.8%.

Regardless of how a person acts, if their blood alcohol content is beyond 0.8%, they are a massive danger behind the wheel.

So, keep tabs on how much your servers serve guests during the holiday season, and look out for easily missed signs of intoxication like brief mood swings or slightly slow and slurred speech.

 

If in Doubt, Refuse Service

Just because someone offers you a convincing form of identification does not mean that they are actually the age they say they are. If your servers have severe doubt that a person is actually of legal drinking age, the only loss you’ll experience by instructing them to refuse service is a few angry teens.

A little lost business is drastically better than the fees, legal issues, and potential closure of your establishment if the TABC catches your bar selling drinks to minors.

 

You Can’t Physically Keep Someone From Leaving Your Establishment

 

Stay Up-To-Date On Best Practices With TABC On The Fly

If you have new employees or know that it’s time for a TABC refresher, let our online course help you keep your team in the know.

The online course with TABC On The Fly is affordable, user-friendly, and the best way to get TABC certified while working as a full-time server.

Register online today to ensure that your bar or restaurant servers are ready to stay safe during the holiday rush.

Back to Blog