On a night out, there are things that people are excited-and worried-about. This is not only true for the people having the fun night out, but also for bartenders. Bartenders are responsible for providing some of the fun during the night. However, they’re also responsible for providing some of the safety. If you’re a bartender and there’s a customer threatening the safety of the bar, it can be awkward dealing with them. The intoxicated customer can be a real threat to you, the bartender, and other patrons. The key to dealing with them is to do it in a way that everyone involved is safe!
Intoxicated Customer: Safely Dealing with Them
Something Different
If you have an intoxicated customer, they may not want to quit drinking. When you feel like they’ve had enough alcohol, nicely suggest to them something different! For example, you can suggest food that you have at your bar. Additionally, suggest water, soda or juice that’s on hand. This way, the intoxicated customer is able to have more drinks. However, they should have more after the alcohol they had before has passed through. Here, it’s a calm and nice way to not completely reject your customer.
Safely Cut Them Off
If an intoxicated customer doesn’t want to try something different or they’re just too much, it’s time to cut them off. Unfortunately, this can be an awkward and dangerous situation. However, there’s a couple of things you can do to make this an easier interaction. For starters, when they’re alone, try telling them that you can’t provide them with any more drinks. Sometimes, an intoxicated customer will act out because they feel threatened. By calmly telling them that they’re cut off without an audience, this lessens their embarrassment.
Also, it helps to emphasize that they’re simply cut off from alcohol-not other products or the establishment. Sometimes, an intoxicated customer thinks that them being cut off means that they have to leave. This can make them aggressive too. Express to them that this isn’t the case. If everyone in the bar feels safe, they can stay.
Bring in the Manager
If an intoxicated customer is too much for you to handle and is threatening your safety, bring in the manager! Your manager should have more training in kicking out an unruly patron. On top of that, they have more authority. With an intoxicated customer, they’ll most likely listen to your manager-and security!
Working as a bartender is a balancing act: you have to bring the fun and the rules. If you have an intoxicated customer who’s hard to calm down, confronting them isn’t always easy. Suggesting different things to drink and nicely cutting them off are good options. However, if you can’t do that, it’s always best to have your manager come in and help.
