Tag: selling alcohol

Over Half of Reno Bars Visited in Alcohol Compliance Check Busted for Serving Minors. Are You Checking for I.D.?

Published on by TAM of Nevada2 Comments

Sellers and servers of alcohol in Washoe and Clark counties are required to complete alcohol education and obtain an alcohol awareness card prior to the start of work. If an undercover officer came to your place of employment today to check the status of alcohol awareness card holders, would you be in compliance? If a younger patron came into your establishment and ordered a drink, would you ask to see their identification? This past Saturday Reno Police visited 32 establishments around Reno, Nevada and of those visited, 18 were busted for serving alcoholic beverages to minors in a decoy operation (Reno Gazette Journal). This serves as a reminder to TAM® Card holders to always ask to see I.D. for anyone who appears to be 35 years old or younger, and to follow company procedure and local laws for safe beverage service.

Establishments need to be diligent in requiring staff to check ID’s when making alcohol sales. Every establishment needs policies and procedures to prevent underage persons from obtaining alcohol, and to protect themselves from liability, and the public from harm. Decoy operations are not just used to catch those selling alcohol to minors, they can also be used to check the validity of your alcohol education card and whether it is expired.

Remember, selling alcohol to a minor is a very serious offense. TAM® of Nevada provides alcohol awareness training which covers all aspects of furnishing alcohol to a minor, and provides training on spotting fake IDs. Contact us today to sign up for online or classroom-based alcohol awareness training. Service professionals must be aware of the facts and dangers of teenage drinking and diligent about checking identification.

Additionally, if you are busted serving alcohol to a minor, one of the first things law enforcement and your employer may do is look at your alcohol education card. Not all training is created equal; completing your alcohol awareness course with TAM® of Nevada shows you’re serious about obtaining the best alcohol education possible.

Don’t put yourself at risk, always ask for identification, and get educated on effective ways to help stop teen drinking.

Resources

Did Police Play the Grinch with an Alcohol Sting During Saturday’s Santa Pub Crawl in Reno?

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Warning: Older Adults under Financial Strain May Be at Risk for Drinking More

Published on by TAM of NevadaLeave a comment

It is tough times for many Americans in today’s economy, and some people are feeling the financial strain heading in to the holiday season. And, a recent study from researchers at the State University of New York at Albany, as reported by ABC News, found that older adults, especially men and people with less education, are more likely to drink and smoke when experiencing financial difficulties. Are you prepared for the holiday blues?

As explained in the study results, older adults may be at-risk for becoming heavy drinkers due to a number of issues including stress over financial uncertainty. In fact, among study participants, men who experienced financial difficulties were about 30% more likely to begin heavily drinking when compared with men who did not have money problems.

Bartenders and service professionals may notice an uptick in the number of patrons visiting their establishments to relax and unwind around the holidays, and should remain vigilant about responsible service. If you work in or run an establishment that serves or sells alcoholic beverages, you should always take precautions to safeguard your patrons, company, yourself and your community. Let’s not forget, during the holidays, 2-3 times more people die in alcohol related crashes, and 40% of traffic fatalities involve a driver who is impaired by alcohol (NIAAA). All patrons, young and old, should be monitored for over-consumption. Make sure you are employing all of the safe service techniques that you learned during your TAM® training!

For more information on how to be prepared for selling and serving drinks during the holiday season, make sure to read our blog posts, “Big Holiday Parties Are Upon Us,” and “Beware of Binge Drinkers.” Remember, hospitality is all about creating a fun experience and maintaining a safe environment for your guests and patrons. We would love to hear from you! What recommendations do you have for keeping the holidays fun and safe for your guests this season?

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© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

 

DUI-Related Traffic Deaths Up This Year in Southern Nevada – Are You Doing All You Can to Help Prevent Drunk Driving?

Published on by TAM of Nevada3 Comments

If you’ve been following the local news lately, you’ll know about the recent spike in pedestrian deaths around Las Vegas. In the past few weeks, a 15-year-old was struck by an alleged drunk driver in Henderson, a child was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver while trick-or-treating in Las Vegas, and a pedestrian was killed the following night while crossing the street at Cheyenne Avenue, also hit by a driver who was later booked for DUI (News 3 Las Vegas). Police are taking this time to remind drivers and pedestrians alike to be cautious, follow safety precautions, and most importantly, say no to drunk driving. In fact, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal, there have already been twelve alcohol-related traffic fatalities in Las Vegas this year, up from seven in 2010. As a service professional, are you doing all you can to help your patrons get home safe?

Bartenders, waiters and anyone else who serves alcoholic beverages have a legal and moral responsibility to serve alcohol responsibly, keep a close eye on their patrons, and promote an alternative means of getting home if anyone appears intoxicated. There are a few things you can do to help promote safe beverage policies:

  • Complete your mandatory alcohol education with TAM® of Nevada. TAM® will teach you and your coworkers to offer excellent and responsible beverage service while keeping patrons safe. TAM®-trained individuals receive the best education possible in safe serving and selling techniques.
  • Become familiar with sober driving services available in southern Nevada. Keep the number to cab companies at your bar so that you can make the call whenever necessary. Companies like Designated Drivers, Inc. provide a responsible alternative to driving while impaired. A driver will be dispatched to take your patron home in their own vehicle, no worries about retrieving their car after they sober up.
  • Keep a close eye on your customers. If a group of guests is at your establishment and an individual within the group is becoming intoxicated, check with a sober member of their group to make sure that they have a plan to get the intoxicated individual home safely. If there is no designated driver assigned, offer to call a cab. Alert your coworkers to make sure the individual is not served any more alcohol.
  • Familiarize yourself with company policies when it comes to intoxicated patrons and suspected drunk drivers. Alert your manager or supervisor if you need to cut someone off, if you need them to intervene in the situation, or if you have any concerns about a guest’s safety.

Drunk driving is a preventable problem, and service professionals in Nevada can help make a difference, and potentially help save lives. What other tips would you offer on how to help prevent drunk driving?

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© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Celebrate the Season with Oktoberfest and Halloween-Themed Offerings

Published on by TAM of NevadaLeave a comment

Fall has officially arrived and with it comes the opportunity for celebrations and events to increase sales, and to engage and entertain your guests. Las Vegas has always been a hub for nightlife and celebration for visitors and local alike, and you can bet on increased bar traffic when there is reason to kick back and enjoy. Both Oktoberfest and Halloween are great holidays for restaurants and clubs because they offer the opportunity for themed promotions and menu items, contests and special events, and more.

Here are some ideas on how to make the most of these well-known and well-loved celebrations and get more patrons into the door.

  1. Offer special menu items or themed promotions. Oktoberfest is for celebrating great beer; why not offer a beer sampler or specially-priced happy-hour beer menu to entice your guests? Halloween offers the same opportunity; try creating a spooky-themed signature cocktail or fall-themed menu items to get your guests in the celebratory mood and trying something new. Check out Real Simple’s Halloween-themed cocktails for ideas on what to offer your patrons.
  2. Spread the word about any special events you are running in honor of the season. Having a themed celebration is a great way to attract patrons looking to enjoy the holidays. Try having an Oktoberfest-themed celebration with live music and German-themed menu offerings, or a Halloween party complete with a costume competition.
  3. Make sure your customers are safe. Remember: If any of your costumed-patrons are wearing masks, they’ll need to take them off when you are checking I.D. Also make sure that you are not over serving your guests when you are featuring special drinks. TAM® of Nevada will train you and your co-workers to provide a great celebration that will keep your patrons safe and willing to come back and party at your next holiday event.

How are you planning to kick-off the festivities this season?

Resources

© 2011 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada