What can a bartender use to gauge a customer’s level of intoxication?

A bartender can use personal observations and interactions to gauge a customer's level of intoxication effectively. This includes paying attention to various cues such as the customer's speech, coordination, behavior, and overall demeanor. For instance, a bartender might notice slurred speech, difficulty balancing, or overly boisterous behavior, which can indicate increasing levels of intoxication. Interacting with the customer also provides insights; for example, irrelevant or disjointed responses during conversation can reflect impaired judgment, a key sign of intoxication.

While asking for their ID is a necessary practice to verify a customer's age, it does not provide any insight into their intoxication level. Monitoring how much a customer has eaten could offer some context, but it is not a reliable indicator of their current level of intoxication. Assessing a customer's mannerisms in a group setting may also offer some information, but personal interactions are typically more direct and informative for evaluating intoxication. Thus, personal observations and interactions serve as the primary method for a bartender to accurately gauge a customer's state.