Who's to Blame?

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What is a bartender? Merriam Webster states it’s a person who mixes and serves alcoholic drinks at a bar. Nowhere in the definition does it say, “Attend to behavior”, or, “Watch for drunken disorder.” “Bartenders are those that fill orders of patrons at a bar itself or are given a beverage order by a waiter or a waitress that he or she will pick up and serve to the patron.” (Benson, Beth). Being a bartender takes patience, and a great deal of responsibility. A job is a job no matter what the job is. If he or she is hired for a position, he or she is obligated to do what is required of the position. Bartenders should not be held responsible for the behavior of their patrons.

Despite the fact that patron’s feel that bartenders are there to make their time enjoyable, patrons do not understand the responsibilities that bartenders have and are expected of. Some bars necessitate their bartenders to keep an eye on patrons who are noticeably drunk and count of the alcoholic beverages they serve. Lenny Deserio, reporter, of The Voice Online, interviewed bar owners concerning the situation. In Lenny’s article he stated:

Lambert then went on to say, “I have my bartenders keep a tab on how many drinks per hour a patron is having. I also have them keep an eye on their speech patterns; are they starting to slur when they talk or do they sway when they walk? These are definite signs that someone is inebriated. If someone does become intoxicated we call the police and stall the patron until the police can get here”.

When a patron is intoxicated and it is clearly visible, more than likely a bartender will provide a cab. It is left up to the patron if he or she wants to reject, or accept the offer. When a bartender gives customers drinks wi...

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