Alcohol servers, managers, ownership, and employee level personnel would do well to remember that visible signs of intoxication are not always obvious.
The key to looking out for them in the restaurant and bar industry is having all alcohol industry personnel:
➡️ On high alert
➡️ Having their head on an individual and collective swivel
➡️ Regularly talking to patrons
➡️ Regularly talking with the members of the team about any concerns
It is the personal responsibility of owners and general managers to ensure that their staff is adequately trained.
It is the personal responsibility of all alcohol serving staff to avail themselves of that training.
There are more visible signs than you may think.
A Few of the 99+ Signs of Visible Intoxication
That’s right, we said 99+. In fact, we wrote a whole book about those signs called “Restaurant Ridiculous: Dram Shop & Alcohol Liability Personal Injury Lawsuits” which you can find on Amazon or 39,000 bookstores around the globe.
But for now, a few of those signs include:
- Watery eyes
- Flushed cheeks
- Sweating
- Face becoming pale
- A lapse in conversation skills
- Loss of eye contact
- Unrestricted use of profanity
- Small changes in speech cadence
- Looking more tired or sleepy than before
- Sudden mood swings
- Becoming touchy or “grabby”
And many more…
You can also download our free PDF of the 99+ signs on our website here.
And in the meantime, keep your head on a swivel!