If a bartender can refuse to serve a drunk patron, can a restaurant, then, refuse to serve an obese one?

Question

I don't mean this to sound judgmental at all. But what is the rationale for a bartender to refuse to serve a very drunk person -- assuming s/he has already taken away keys, called a cab, whatever? If it is for health reasons, should the same principle apply to very obese people indulging in super-sized fast food meals? Society has been made very aware of the health risks associated with obesity; it is even called an epidemic. So please don't read this as though I'm bashing anyone, but more a question rising out of social concern. Thoughts?

Answer 1

Your analogy would be accurate if the reason were for health concerns, but it isn't. It's for liability and safety concerns. The bar couldn't care less if their patrons want to ruin their livers. However, they do care about an incident happening on the premises, another patron being hurt due to a drunken brawl (which they could be sued for), and a host of other liability concerns that could backfire on them legally in the long run.

Answer 2

Ha! That's a good one. The difference is, even though the drunk person is going to leave in a cab, the bartender has no idea whether or not he will then leave the cab and drive a car. Also, the drunk person could fall in the parking lot and sue the bartender for serving him another drink. The obese person is not a danger to others, unless he falls on someone. But it is an interesting idea. If it happened, of course, the restaurant will be sued by the obese person for discrimination. It all comes down on how to avoid a lawsuit.

Answer 3

First, a restaurant can refuse to serve ANYONE the management wants to refuse and they don't need a rationale. A restaurant is a privately onwed business.

Second, the rationale for not serving a drunk person is generally this: the drunk person might be driving himself back home that night, and if the bartender continues serving alcohol to the drunk person, he contributes to a potentially dangerous situation. Generally speaking, I doubt that the servers are refusing service on the basis of the drinker's health, rather on the possibility that the drinker could fatally harm some innocent person's health.

Third, as stated before, a restaurant can refuse service to drunks, obese people, bulemic people (waste of good food), flatulent people, shirtless, shoeless, pants-less people. Anyone they want.

Answer 4

WOW! And to think I thought I heard everything. Don't get me wrong, I, as a former bartender, think this is an excellent question. There are serious health risks related to being obese and serving them more and more food is contributing to their obesity. I see your point. However, as a bartender, we don't cut people off for health reasons, we cut them off so that they don't go out and kill that innocent family on their way home from somewhere. I don't see too many obese people killing people to get to the buffet line. I know that sounds cruel, but it's true. As a society, when it comes to others inflicting pain upon themselves (whether it's alcohol, drugs or food), we look the other way...until it begins to affect those around them.

Answer 5

Bartenders refuse to serve severely intoxicated customers, because it is a liability issue. If that person leaves the bar, and causes an accident, or gets arrested for public intoxication, anything like that, technically, the bar can be pursued in a lawsuit, because they were the establishment that served them their last drink. Even if they were trashed when they walked in, and had one more drink there...they are liable. It's a direct public safety issue as well.

The reason that this wouldn't apply to obese people, is because the intoxication is much more direct. Obese people wont walk in being in great shape, and walk out weighing 400lbs.

Answer 6

lol...I kinda agree with u....but the refusing to serve a drunk is more for the safety of others and to protect the establishment from being liable incase they go out and kill someone on the road. Some obese people do not eat as much as we all think, so to refuse them food at a restaurant would be discrimination. Plus....I never heard of someone eat a super-sized meal and then run over someone's kid. lol

Answer 7

I think the difference is that alcohol is a drug, can cause alcohol poisoning, and can cause the drunk person to lose their inhibitions to the point that they can endanger themselves and others, even if their keys have been taken away. An obese person is not going to hurt anyone but themselves, and they are sound in mind enough to know what they want to eat, and are aware of the consequences it might have. So I think drunkenness and obesity as social concerns are mutually exclusive, and cannot be compared to one another in that situation.

Answer 8

Because someone can die of alcohol poisoning if they drink too much in too short a period of time. It's also a liability issue. If the bar continues to serve the drunk person and that person gets into an accident, gets injured, whatever, the bar may be held responsible and could lose their liquor license or be the target of a lawsuit.

Answer 9

If a bartender refuses a patron it is a public saftey issue and the bar can be fined if they do not do this. Court actions have been taken and the bars have lost thier liqour license for serving someone after they were hammered. People leave the bar get killed kill some one else and the bar is liable.

Answer 10

It won't happen. Give a drunk 10 beers and they could possibly be a danger to others. Now give an obese food addict 10 double cheeseburgers and they're only hurting themselves. If alcohol didn't cause irrational behavior there wouldn't be a limit. Look at soft drinks, cigarettes, and even candy.