One Glass and a New Prescription
At 7:15 p.m. during a wedding reception in a licensed banquet hall, a 52-year-old guest approaches the bar and orders a second glass of white wine. She had one glass about 45 minutes earlier and ate dinner. The server notices she is swaying slightly, her speech is thick, she spills her purse, and her eyes are glassy. She mentions she started a new prescription muscle relaxant yesterday and says, 'The doctor said not to mix it with alcohol, but one glass won't hurt.' Her adult daughter is at the table and says, 'She's fine, she's just tired.' The guest becomes tearful and says she needs the wine to calm down. The bar is busy, and another server has already poured the wine but not handed it over. The banquet hall has a policy of documenting refusals and offering taxi vouchers.
1. Identify the indicators that this guest may be impaired, and explain why 'one glass' does not settle the question.
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Observable indicators include swaying, thick speech, glassy eyes, spilling, and emotional lability such as tearfulness. The guest has also disclosed a new prescription muscle relaxant and was told not to mix it with alcohol. Impairment can result from alcohol, drugs, medication, or a combination, and a small amount of alcohol can produce significant impairment when combined with a central nervous system depressant.
The server does not need to prove a blood alcohol level; the test is whether there are reasonable grounds to believe the guest is intoxicated. 'One glass' is only a count; it does not account for the medication, the guest's size, food, timing, or tolerance. The daughter's 'she's just tired' is a competing explanation, but the combination of signs and the medication disclosure supports refusal. The server should also consider medical causes, but should not serve until the guest is clearly not impaired and has a safe plan.
2. The wine has already been poured. What should the server do with it, and how should the refusal be worded?
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Do not hand over the glass. Keep it behind the bar or pour it out; a poured drink is not an order the guest is entitled to. Use a calm, private voice: 'I'm not going to serve you another glass right now. You've told me about your medication, and I can see you're unsteady. I can get you water and something to eat, and I can help arrange a ride.' Avoid accusing her of being drunk; describe what you observed.
Do not argue about whether she is 'fine.' Offer alternatives and involve the manager. If she becomes upset, give her space and let the manager or a companion help. Do not serve her later in the evening unless there is clear evidence the impairment has resolved; with a muscle relaxant, that may take hours. The daughter should be asked to help with transportation, not to overrule the refusal.
3. What follow-up should the banquet hall staff take, and what should be documented?
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Document the time, the guest's behaviour, the medication disclosure, the refused drink, the alternatives offered, and who was involved. Note the daughter's presence and the plan for safe transport. If the guest leaves with the daughter, confirm the daughter is driving or that a taxi or ride is arranged. If the guest cannot be safely transported, call a taxi or emergency services if there is a medical concern. Do not let her drive.
The hall should keep the record in its incident log. Staff should continue to monitor the guest and not serve her again. Because this is a private event, the permit holder and the hall still have obligations: no service to an intoxicated person and no permitting intoxication on the premises. The follow-up should be factual, not speculative about her medical condition.