What strategies can bartenders use to manage intoxicated customers?

Using friendly refusal techniques and offering non-alcoholic options is an effective strategy for bartenders to manage intoxicated customers. This approach focuses on maintaining a positive environment while ensuring customer safety. Friendly refusal techniques involve politely denying more alcohol service without escalating the situation. This can include suggesting non-alcoholic beverages or engaging the customer in conversation to distract from their desire for more alcohol.

Offering non-alcoholic options not only helps to hydrate the customer but also gives them a chance to reset, often leading to better decision-making regarding alcohol consumption. This strategy aligns with responsible service practices aimed at promoting safety and reducing the risk of over-intoxication and potential consequences such as accidents or disturbances.

In contrast, encouraging more alcohol consumption contradicts responsible service practices, while ignoring the situation can lead to complications that might escalate. Serving alcohol at a slower pace might help in some situations but may not address the underlying issue of the customer already being intoxicated.