Driven from drink; …employees and liquor

Nation's Business, Dec, 1984 by Tony Mauro

The National Restaurant Association last May unveiled an alcohol awareness training program for managers and servers, and it urges its members to discontinue "two-for-one" or "all-you-can-drink" offers--promotion gimmicks that only provide ammunition for victims' lawyers.

"Our members are aware the problem is serious," says association spokeswoman Dorothy Dee. "People vote for these laws, and those people come to restaurants."

Where will it all end?

The Distilled Spirits Council's Cameron sees insurance premiums and liquor prices rising to the point that liquor establishment go out of business, and companies and individuals cancel parties out of fear. If the freedom to enjoy liquor gets too restricted, Cameron says, there may be a backlash.

"There's a major equity and fairness issue here," he says. "A tremendous wet blanket is being thrown over everything. I don't know what percentage of accidents result from company parties, but I am sure it is minuscule."

He concludes: "To think that a person would not drink if it were not for a company party is naive."