Recognizing Intoxication and Preventing Over-Service
This domain tests whether you can spot a guest who should not be served, understand why tolerance and “seeming fine” are unreliable, and intervene early enough to prevent harm. Exam questions often describe a guest whose behavior looks normal but whose drinking pattern and physical signs indicate over-service.
What intoxication looks like
Visible intoxication is a cluster of signs, not one clue. Watch for slurred or slowed speech, loss of balance, fumbling with money or a phone, spilled drinks, bloodshot or unfocused eyes, mood swings, aggression, unusual loudness, and slowed reaction time. Odor of alcohol alone is not proof of intoxication, and the absence of slurred speech does not mean the guest is safe to serve.
Standard drinks and pacing
A standard drink is about 12 oz of regular beer at 5% alcohol, 5 oz of wine at 12%, or 1.5 oz of 80-proof distilled spirits. Tolerance changes how a person behaves, not how much alcohol is in the blood. Food and water slow absorption but do not sober someone up. Coffee and cold showers do not reduce BAC.
Intervention
Stop service at the first clear signs. Tell the manager, offer water or food, close the tab, and arrange a safe ride. Do not serve a drink ordered by a sober companion for an intoxicated friend. If the guest becomes aggressive, keep distance and call for help rather than argue.
Worked example
A 160-pound guest drinks four 1.5-oz shots of 80-proof vodka within two hours. He is laughing, talking, and does not seem “drunk.” Even so, he has consumed roughly four standard drinks, and his behavior is not a reliable measure of impairment. The server should stop alcohol service, offer food and water, and arrange transportation. The trap is treating sociability as sobriety.
Traps that cost marks
- Believing coffee, water, or food “sobers up” a guest. They do not lower BAC.
- Serving a regular because the person “handles it well.” Tolerance masks behavior, not impairment.
- Waiting for obvious stumbling before acting. Early intervention is the standard.
- Letting a sober friend order for an intoxicated guest. The recipient is still the intoxicated person.
- Assuming vomiting means the guest is fine. It can signal serious intoxication.