A small percentage is absorbed in the mouth, the stomach absorbs 20-25%
where it cannot yet affect the brain and 75-80% of the alcohol is absorbed in
the intestine. The intestine passes
alcohol directly into the bloodstream, and because the brain receives such a
rich supply of blood, it is the first organ to be affected by alcohol. Alcohol affects the brain in a very orderly
fashion:
1. The cortex of the brain (thinking, reasoning,
decision making)
2. The cerebellum (posture, motor skills,
coordination)
3. The limbic system (emotions)
4. Brain stem (automatic functions such as
heartbeat, respiration, etc.)
At the base of the stomach is the “pyloric valve”. The valve regulates what is passed into the
intestine. Remember that 75-80% of
alcohol is absorbed in the intestine which passes it directly into the
bloodstream.
As long as there is food in the stomach, the valve will stay closed in
order for the stomach to digest food.
Once the food is digested, the valve opens and will remain open until
more food is eaten. Foods that are
harder to digest are better accompaniments to alcohol. These include high protein or “fat foods”
such as eggs, cheese, nuts, French fries, olives, etc. Foods high in carbohydrates such as pasta are
easily digestible and can actually speed up alcohol absorption.
Alcohol also goes to the liver where it is oxidized and broken down at
the approximate rate of ¾ oz. per hour.
It is then passed on to the kidneys where it is filtered and excreted.
The only thing that can sober someone up is time. Obviously, the amount of time depends on the
individual metabolism and the amount of alcohol consumed. A certain percentage passes through the lungs
while it is in the bloodstream and is exhaled.
Because this percentage is relatively constant, blood alcohol
concentration (B.A.C.) can be measured by the amount of alcohol on the
breath. That is why breathalyzers are so
widely used. B.A.C. is the percentage of
alcohol in the bloodstream. Legal
intoxication is .08, some area use .10.
Many factors can affect alcohol distribution: body weight, size, type, gender, medication
and mood. For this reason, drink
counting and physical signs are still the best way to monitor possible intoxication.
The traffic light
system is an alcoholic beverage consumption system used to monitor and evaluate
a person’s level of intoxication. The
Traffic Light System helps employees communicate with one another.
- Green means GO. Guests at the green level have not had anything to drink or have consumed what they easily can tolerate. This guest may be served what he or she ordered.
Offer high-protein food and practice suggestive selling and upselling techniques. Start tracking time and counting drinks.
- Yellow means SLOW DOWN.
Guests at the yellow level have consumed alcoholic beverages and are showing signs of impaired judgment, relaxed inhibitions, and behavioral changes. For guests at the yellow level, you should continue to offer high-protein food, and constantly provide water. It takes less alcohol to go from the yellow level to the red level, than from green to yellow. The objective here is to ensure that the guest does not reach the Red level. Although alcoholic drink service needs
to be slowed to one drink per hour, do not avoid the yellow-level
guest. Continue to monitor the
number of drinks.
- Red means STOP. Do not serve intoxicated guest alcohol. It is illegal to do so. Guests at this level show signs of slowed reaction time, such as appearing to move in slow motion. You should get a second opinion from a
manager at this point. Offer alternatives to alcohol and remove any unfinished drinks.
Our company has a
strict policy governing the sale and serving of alcoholic beverages:
1.
No
person is allowed to become intoxicated in any of our restaurants.
2.
Any the person who enters our restaurant in a visibly intoxicated state must not be
served an alcoholic beverage under any circumstances.
3.
If it
is discovered that, in spite of our best efforts, an intoxicated person is on
the premises, the following steps will be taken:
• At no time will the intoxicated individual
be permitted to annoy or otherwise make any of our guests feel uncomfortable.
• Every legal effort will be made to prevent
this person from driving an automobile.
This includes providing food and non-alcoholic beverages in order to
allow time to lower the person’s blood alcohol content (BAC).
• If the intoxicated person insists on driving
and leaves the restaurant, the police must be called. Every reasonable effort will be made to
provide alternate transportation homes, for example calling a taxi or a friend.
4.
Any a person who is under the legal drinking age will not be permitted to consume
alcoholic beverages on our premises.
Parents or any other adult may not allow a minor to consume alcoholic
beverages while they are a guest in our restaurant.
Everyone
who appears to be less than 30 years
old must be
asked to show valid proof of age.
Most guests who are over 21 will take it as a compliment that you carded
them.
The only acceptable forms of I.D. are:
• Valid state driver’s license with photo
• State-issued I.D. with photo.
• Active military card with photo.
• Valid passport (visas are unacceptable.)
If there is even
the slightest suspicion that any of the policies outlined above are in danger
of a possible violations, a Manager must be notified immediately.
As a full service
restaurant, our restaurant proudly offers a wide variety of beverages to our
guests. The proper preparation and
presentation of our beverages is essential to our goal of guest
satisfaction. Your job is to balance the
dual responsibilities of enhancing the dining experience of our guests by
promoting the sale of alcoholic/nonalcoholic beverages while at the same time
preventing our guests from over-indulging.
To master the
service of alcoholic beverages you need to know how to:
•
Suggest
alcoholic beverages by brand.
•
Distinguish
properly prepared drinks from improperly prepared drinks.
•
Serve
mixed drinks, beer, wine, and champagne.
•
Abide
by the alcoholic beverage service policies of our restaurant, state and local
laws.
Suggesting
A Beverage
When suggesting a beverage, be descriptive. Create a mental picture. If you describe a special drink with a little
creativity and a few well-chosen adjectives, the guest will almost be able to
taste it.
“We have a great selection of ice-cold beer,
would you like to have one?”
When a guest orders alcohol by type rather than by brand, such as a
Vodka and Tonic, ask if the guest would prefer a specific brand. Give a choice of several brands. Don’t be pushy; just let the guest know his
or her options.
“We have several popular brands of vodka by
the glass, including Smirnoff, Absolut, and Russian Standard. Do you have a preference?”
Most of the time the guest will choose the call or premium brand. They appreciate the opportunity to choose,
you’ll raise your check average and you’ll make 15% of the higher sale.
If a guest is unsure of what type of beer or beverage to order, help by
suggesting a brand that you prefer or that you know is popular. Guide the guest through the order. Assure them that you guarantee your
suggestion.
Serving
Drinks
Serve all beverages on a cocktail napkin.
•
Keep in
mind that you need to return to the table with your guests’ beverages within
3-5 minutes.
•
When
you approach the table, announce yourself, so that the guests who have their
backs to you realize that you’re there.
Be aware of guests’ sudden movements and turns.
•
When
setting drinks down on the table, hold the glass toward the bottom, to avoid
touching the rim with your fingers. Remember! The first bottom half is ours and
the first top half is for the customers!
Refreshing The Drinks
The Bussers are taught not to remove empty cocktail glasses while the
guest is still at the table. When you
see a glass half empty or less, it’s your opportunity to ask the guest if he or
she would like a “fresh” cocktail or beverage.
“Sir, may I get you a fresh beer?”
Don’t remove the empty glass until you’ve
brought the fresh drink to the table.
When you return to the table, be sure the guest is finished with the
first drink before removing the dirty glass and bottles from the table.
Refilling
Soda, Water and Hot Water for Tea
These beverages are the only beverages that are refilled at NO extra
charge. Even so, it’s polite to always
ask your guest if he or she wants a refill before providing one.
•
When
refilling soda, don’t remove the nearly empty glass until you bring a full,
fresh glass with a fresh cocktail napkin and straw.
•
You may
bring pitchers of hot water to the table for refills. Carry them in your hands, NOT on a tray, to
prevent a possible accident.
When refilling hot water:
•
Remove
the glass or mug from the table.
•
Turn
away from the table before pouring the beverage.
•
When
refilling the hot water, check with the guests to see if they’d like to have
lime/lemon with their tea.
Thts nice
ReplyDeletegreat
ReplyDeleteAmazing a
ReplyDelete