Restaurant versus college bar: A guide to monitoring drinking and driving
From cracking jokes with friends to trying the newest beer, Lolita’s Pizza is a fan favorite among locals. Manager Anderson Mota Braga wants customers to enjoy the restaurant’s atmosphere and specially crafted cocktails, but his job also has a challenging aspect: Finding a balance between fun and safety to prevent drinking-related accidents in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Mota Braga feels like it is his duty to monitor people as they come in and buy drinks. N.Y state enacted laws to guide restaurants as they control alcohol sales, but “how you operate and execute laws in each restaurant is different,” he continued.
Lieutenant Mel Bruschetti, a dedicated traffic safety officer of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., said restaurants are required to follow N.Y. Liquor State Authority, which establishes rules and regulations for restaurants. More specifically, restaurants must be mindful of the Alcohol Beverage Control Law (ABC), a law that restricts restaurants from serving visibly intoxicated individuals, Bruschetti explained.
“The issue is a bartender may not have training or know they are serving someone who is intoxicated,” Bruschetti said. People pass drinks to each other, others pregame, and restaurants must decide how they will monitor their customers.
“After three drinks, that’s when I approach the table,” Mota Braga said. He assesses the situation, finds out how they will be getting home, and then decides what further steps to take.
If Lolita’s determines a person has had too much alcohol, they try their best to cut them off politely, bar manager Tim Dooley said. “The last thing you want to do is have a drunk person feel targeted or attacked,” Mota Braga continued. Once cut off, they will bring out a flatbread and, if needed, call them a car so they can get home safely and eliminate a possible drunk driving accident.
On the other end of the spectrum, Mahoney’s turns into a college bar when the clock hits 11 p.m. General manager, Patrick Rohan, said regardless of their nightlife status, the restaurant stays true to all N.Y. state laws. While most college kids will pregame their visit to Mahoney’s, Rohan said bartenders still oversee students as they drink.
What makes Mahoney’s so unique is they do not allow any underage students in. “When you let someone in at 18, they do not know how to drink, they get drunk and bad things happen,” Rohan explained.
While there are minimal issues, there have been times when people over drink and bartenders have cut them off. “I stand by my bartenders,” Rohan said. Mahoney’s goal is to keep everyone safe, so if bartenders feel it is the right decision, the entire staff stands by it. Mahoney’s security team is very well trained, so they notify bartenders of any issue and monitor someone who may be more intoxicated.
Dooley said Lolita’s had only one instance where they called a car for someone, but with Mahoney’s being such a large nightlife scene, it is more common to help individuals get home. If need be, Rohan said they will take car keys away, but most opt for a taxi ride or Uber. If there’s a crowd of students left at closing, Mahoney’s also offers a safe ride option through their shuttle bus. It is rarely used but is still an option to protect students and other drivers.
While drunk driving is an issue in Dutchess County, restaurants and bars are not to blame. Lieutenant Bruschetti said it best, “We all have a part in keeping our roads safe.” While it takes some awkward conversation from a restaurant manager or driving someone home, it is all about enjoying a night out… and doing it safely.
