DEWEY BEACH, Del.- Summer is inching closer and closer with Memorial Day weekend around the corner.
It’s a time where you are likely headed out to your favorite bars and restaurants for a good time but it can turn south if you’ve been drinking too much.
Director of the Delaware Division Of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement John Yeomans says bar staff needs to work together when they see a customer may be overserved.
"They’re the front line of defense in terms of over service to patrons to restaurants and bars in the area," Yeomans said. "So we want to have those conversations with them, managers, members of their staff and sort of have a collective approach on how they can minimize over service."
Experienced bartenders like Doug Moore of Starboard have ways to act when they feel a customer has been drinking too much.
"The friendlier, the easier, the better," Moore said. "Hey guys. It’s a marathon not a sprint. Have a drink or two and having the ability to cut people off you know friendly, you can let them know hey stop. Hey we are not going to drink this much right now. You’re going to have a water. I’m not going to serve you. We have the right to serve anybody."
The addition of to-go alcohol into the mix puts more responsibility on the bar employees. Staff who are 18 and older can serve and sell take out alcohol and must check id’s whether they be mobile or physical.
"The consumer can get a margarita to go with their tacos. They can get a bottle of wine with their pizza and bring it home with them," Delaware Restaurant Association Director Carrie Leishman said. "So it’s something that ninety percent of the consumers said they wanted. We were able to deliver that to Delaware and now we’re able to enjoy that at the beaches this summer."
Leishman says that if there are workers who were unable to make it to the training today that there are courses available at https://www.delawarerestaurant.org/online-alcohol-server-training/. It costs $25 and certifies an employee for four years. As for to go alcohol, there are rules still being discussed that will be sent to restaurants and bars when finalized.
Responsibility is the key to a safe summer both for customers who think about getting behind the wheel and bar workers serving them.