An essential part of being a bartender is knowing when to cut people off. Most states have laws that make it illegal to sell alcohol to people who are visibly intoxicated, as doing so can cause problems for both the customer and other patrons.
This can be an issue, as drunk patrons can be insistent upon being served more alcohol.
TikTok user Benji (@benjispears) has previously gone viral for sharing tips and advice from behind the bar, such as warning against ‘surprise me’ drinks, showing how he avoids taking shots with customers, and more. Now, his clip went viral again for showing his subtle method for cutting off excess drinkers.
In a video with over 7.4 million views as of Sunday, Benji shows himself pouring a mixed drink. However, he only pantomimes pouring alcohol into the drink.
@benjispears When your drunk bestie is insisting another drink but you know they have to work in the morning 😅 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #serverlife #bartender #funny #comedy #trend #trending ♬ original sound – Benjispears
“When your drunk bestie is insisting [on] another drink but you know they have to work in the morning,” he writes in the caption. He noted in a comment that he would not charge for such a drink.
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on this tip, with some claiming they had done or experienced the same thing in the past.
“Me when I cut my regulars off,” one user wrote. “They’re like ‘doesn’t taste like alcohol!’ And I’m like ‘wow, are you SURE you’re not drunk???’”
“My best friends parents owned a bar and the amount of times they tricked us because we were already so drunk,” another added.
“I’ve requested this for that one bestie when we are trying to go home,” claimed a third.
A few offered ways to enhance the tip.
“Little drop of liquor through the straw so they taste it,” advised a commenter.
“I would always float a few drops on top for the smell factor,” stated a second.
We’ve reached out to Benji via Instagram direct message.
