Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
Dram shop law:
Provision in the U.S. legal code that allows an injured party to seek damages from an
intoxicated person who caused the injury and from the person who provided the alcoholic beverages to
the intoxicated person.
Bartenders, food and beverage servers, hosts, and other staff in the hotel’s restau-
rants and lounges need training in responsible service of alcoholic beverages. They
will then know when such beverages should no longer be served to specific guests.
They will also know how to properly curtail service and to advise guests about the
hotel’s concerns for the safety of guests and others.
A potentially serious problem occurs when a guest becomes intoxicated and then
decides to drive. What should front desk agents do when they see an obviously and
visibly intoxicated guest walking or stumbling through the lobby on the way to the
front door? What should door attendants and parking lot attendants do as these guests
walk toward their auto or ask for retrieval of their auto? The food and beverage director,
working with the FOM, must ensure that front office personnel know how to recog-
nize guests who may cause harm to themselves or to others and are able to deal with
these guests once identified. Persons cannot be physically restrained from entering
their auto. They can, however, be advised that it does not appear safe for them to drive,
and that the local police will be phoned if the person drives away. If a property does
not have a door or parking lot attendant, the front desk agent may need to quickly call
security, the manager on duty, or another responsible hotel staff member to intervene.
What about intoxicated guests who will not be driving but are just going to their
room? They can fall, become disoriented, or be taken advantage of by dishonest per-
sons in elevators or hallways or by those who may even enter their room. These
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