15 Signs of Intoxication

15 Signs of Intoxication –
How to Tell When Someone is Drunk

As a bartender, you need to know the signs of intoxication because it’s your legal responsibility to do so.  And even if you live in a country where you, as the bartender, have no legal obligation for the care and safety of your guests, you have a moral responsibility to learn these 15 signs of intoxication and to know whether it’s safe to serve your guest another drink or if they should be politely and professionally cut off from drinking.

 

Top 15 Signs of Visible Intoxication:

1. Slurred speech
2. Swaying, staggering or stumbling
3. Drinking too fast
4. Over-generous with money
5. Crude or inappropriate behaviour towards others
6. Extreme or sudden change in behaviour
7. Overly loud, boisterous, animated or entertaining
8. Nodding off at the table or bar
9. Rambling train of thought
10. Slow response to questions
11. Spilling drinks or can’t find their mouth with the glass
12. Bravado or boasting
13. Overly friendly to staff or other guests
14. Mussed hair or disheveled clothing
15. Crying, moody, overly depressed or sullen

As a bartender, you should always be aware of how much alcohol your guests have consumed – both before they arrived at your bar and while they are there.  Obviously, you’re not going to get factual information from asking the inebriated individual, so you need to know what signs to look for so you can tell their level of intoxication.

There are more than these 15 signs of intoxication but if you can’t tell using these 15 clues, you’re likely the one who’s intoxicated!

the Barman

Reese Richards aka "the Barman" is a 20+ year veteran of the bar industry and founder of BarsandBartending.com. His goal is to bring the joy of bartending to as many people around the world as possible by producing high quality content in the form of articles, interviews, infographics, recipes, videos and training courses.