Special SituationsQuestion 97 of 100

A patron known to staff as a self-identified person with alcohol use disorder arrives sober and orders a beer. The server should:

a.Refuse immediately because the patron has a disease
b.Serve a triple to encourage faster departure
c.Treat the patron the same as any adult customer — they may be served unless and until they exhibit §25602 'obviously intoxicated' signs; addiction status alone is not legal grounds to refuse, though staff may exercise discretion to discourage service
d.Require the patron to show a sobriety chip from AA before serving

Explanation

Addiction is a protected disability under the federal ADA and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act; refusing service solely because someone is in recovery may be discrimination. Servers must apply the same §25602 standard — refuse when obviously intoxicated. However, an individual establishment may, as a discretionary policy of care, decline to escalate service. Demanding sobriety chips (d) is intrusive, and serving a triple (b) is reckless endangerment.

Law Reference: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §25602; RBS Curriculum

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