Alcohol Abuse in the Restaurant Industry

intoxi piece of asst make fun in the Restaurant industry Shelsie Ann Lawrence University of West Florida alcoholic beverage Abuse in the Restaurant Industry The purpose of this newspaper publisher is to belief at the high incidence of inebriant horror in the eating house industry and the realizable causes. I will use studies d unitary, unless in addition incidences from my own personal acquire of 15 years in the eatery industry. Background The Ameri provoke psychological connexion defines intoxicant contumely as, a tipsiness pattern that results in signifi thunder mugt and perennial adverse consequences. (http//www. apa. org/helpcenter/ alcoholic drinkic beverage-disorders. spx). These consequences prat be anomic flow days, vehicle accidents, the break belt down and outrage of relationships, serious illnesses. Alcohol abuse is passing high in the eating house industry. It is pronto available and consistently used as a reward for good behavior. The consequenc es of alcohol abuse atomic number 18 much much(prenominal) tole trampd. I progress toed for a chef that would come in to ferment hung over and late. She would clock in, and indeed sit down to have a beer to help the hangover. After the beer was consumed, it was prison term to subscribe something to eat, all(prenominal) of this eating up the branch 30 minutes of her work day.She would non be punished for this behavior, because chances atomic number 18, she was out imbibition with one of our owners the nighttime before. This scene would ply itself out at least at a succession a hebdomad. I in addition had a workfellow that was tolerateed to go piazza, due to a hangover. We will c wholly her accomplish. serve was not much of a drinker. I would say, she believably went out once a month. fulfil owns wrap up work, and almost solely her co-workers argon at the bar beverage. At this particular proposition eatery, the kitchen and servers would close down the e atery amidst the hours of 1000pm and 1100 pm, this would put the time rung thrums forward work nigh 1100pm or midnight.The bar would past stay pass until 200 am. To place the stage a bit more, it is also important to note a some different things somewhat this particular restaurant. ply was allowed to start drinking for alleviate, any beer on tap and any wine interchange by the glass, one hour anterior to closing. Any other drinks, i. e. cocktails, wine by the bottle, and bottled beers, were discounted half finish up. This restaurant did very wholesome, and had tokenish lag turnover, so they could afford to allow this. The staff dinner party was served afterwards the kitchen was cleaned and the postponement staff done with all their tables.Staff meal is also called Family Meal, in the restaurant world. Family is what your co-workers stupefy, in a restaurant. You spend more of your time with your co-workers, then anyone else. Restaurants be open on the days ot her the majuscule unwashed argon run into spending time with their families. You work any weekend to soak upher. You work every holiday together. You work every night together. Together you build discourtesy for those with normal jobs This is all sh bed together. These ar things that all your co-workers and other industry peck can understand. Most bars, in Seattle, when I cooked there, even propo imaged industry discounts.Even if you arent drinking at the place you work, you still get a discount. You are still awarded with alcohol. So, on this night, carry through gets come to work to dominate all her co-workers finishing up dinner and pouring more rounds of drinks. She had a specially good night and made a hundred dollars in tips. She has been working at this restaurant for six months and hasnt rear herself fitting in yet. Fitting in, sightly friends with her co-workers, can afford umteen benefits. Servers are more likely to switch a shift with soul they like and k now. They are more likely to help you out, by de briskring food to your table, if you are someone they like.She usually eats her dinner, than goes home, while the rest of the staff stays drinking and talking about their work night. They stay because the drinks are free they stay because when they go home, if there is someone at home, they wont be awake to hear the stories of their work day. Sue steady downs to stay and have a drink, perhaps get her co-workers to warm up to her a bit more. As soon as everyone date stamps that Sue is staying they cheer. Everyone has cute to get to know her more, that looks that since she neer stays after work, that she is probably stuck up.Her jitney buys her a shot, for a job puff up done that night at work. She pours a beer and immediately fingers comfortable with everyone, partly because of the cheer, but also because she is now sitting down to her second drink of the evening. The evening progresses alike to how it started. As more sta ff gets off work, more shots are bought. Other restaurant workers, friends of the staff are getting off work, and showing up. Pretty soon, the bar is fill with mainly employees and other restaurant workers. sooner anyone notices, it is closing time. Now, if the owner of the restaurant was round, and chances are he was, he would allow the bar choke offup to go home, or have a seat at the bar, and he would stay on to serve the staff, with the front door locked, well after closing time. Tonight, the staff all drank until 400 am. Sue stayed right on with everyone. Sue comes to work the next day, park and doubled over. Everyone is setting up the eat room for dinner service later. Her co-workers look their normal tired selves, but keep in mind, they drink heavily and often, this is expert another day for them. Everyone see Sue and immediately cheers.One server comments on how great it was that Sue hung out with everyone the night before. Sue runs straight for the tail end. After some discussion, they decide that it is going to be a soggy night, and everyone could probably pull together to acme Sues section. They send someone in to the bathroom to tell Sue she can go home. No one chastises her. She is not write up. She will miss getting remunerative for the evening, but it was going to be a slow night anyway. She goes home, goes back to bed, and wakes up the next day to go back to work, back to everything organism normal.This is a correct example of the lack of consequences, in the restaurant industry, for alcohol abuse. Sue is practically rewarded for her freehanded behavior. By staying and drinking, she formed a adherence with her co-workers. All her drinks were either free or heavily discounted, so she didnt feel any financial burden. When she showed up for work, uneffective to perform her duties, her co-workers pulled together to allow her to go home. According to them, they had been there before. One flat coat for such a high rate of alcohol ab use, in the restaurant industry is the high rate of unseasoned adults employed.In a study done on young adult restaurant workers, 41% describe riddle drinking. Young adults produce up the majority of restaurant workers. Restaurant jobs offer the most pay, for the least amount of science and time. Some restaurants require a floor to work in the kitchen, but no education is required to work as a server. If you are a student, and consume a part time job, chances are you have worked, or do work as a server. College students consume sizeable amounts of alcohol, with 31% meeting the criteria for alcohol abuse. (http//www. ollegedrinkingprevention. gov/statssummaries/snapshot. aspx) serving positions allow for the flexibility needed for college students. You make the most pay, for the least amount of hours worked. The memorial is very flexible. If you need a night off to finish up homework, you can everlastingly call a co-worker to wield your shift. Chances are there is someone who needs money and can cover your shift. Even if you cant get someone to cover your shift, you can be sure that if you do have to work, you can get off work advance(prenominal) if the restaurant is slow that night.Less servers equal more tips for the rest of the staff, and like most servers, they always need more money. Restaurant workers live paycheck to paycheck. Most have no benefits, no wellness insurance, and are mediocre one missed paycheck out from being completely broke. Out of the 10 restaurants I have worked in, only devil offered health insurance. According to the Bureau of cut into Statistics, the median(prenominal) hourly wage of a food sever in 2008, including tips, was $8. 01. The median yearly salary of a restaurant cook, in 2008 was $21,990. There are exceptions to the rule, but the majority live at the scantiness line.When no vacations can be afforded, one can take a mini vacation at the bar. With no health insurance, no one is getting yearly checkups. You can stay in defense force about any health occupations that superpower arise from alcohol abuse, because chances are you seaportt been to a doctor in years. I had a co-worker that couldnt afford to go to the dentist to get a much needed filling. We can call him Bob. Bob had been complaining of an ache tooth for weeks. He unsloped kept taking aspirin and upping his nightly alcohol inspiration to allow him to sleep through the night.He knew at long last he would have to see a dentist, but he just didnt have the money to go see one at this point. In the end, he had to go to an emergency clinic to have his tooth pulled. He was put on pain killers and antibiotics. This all ended up costing him tailfin hundred dollars. This was more than a week of pay for him. Bob was trying to moreover up to go on a vacation with his girlfriend. He hadnt interpreted a single day off of work in over a year. Now his prospects seemed even dimmer. He gets off work, pours a drink, and sits down to co mplain to his other co-workers.They all understand. Only a few of them have taken time off that year. At the very least, they can all sit around, and have a few drinks together to ease the pain. They are cast down and find solace in each other. This is the point when alcohol abuse can become cyclical. Alcohol is a depressant. When a depressed person self medicates with alcohol they are only making the problem worse. Method The method used for this paper was through personal experience in the restaurant industry backed by research in journals and studies on alcohol abuse and restaurant workers. FindingsThere are many causes for alcohol abuse some of those being depression, the availability of alcohol, peer pressure and complaisant factors, impulsiveness and low self esteem. Restaurants workers have alcohol readily available. They have discounts, and free drinks. They are awarded for good behavior with alcohol. The sociable factors that are prevalent in restaurant workers also play a role in alcohol abuse. drunkenness becomes social with restaurant workers. It becomes their outlet. It is their way of bonding. They can definitely feel the peer pressure from co-workers to drink.In my story of Sue, she mat that drinking with her co-workers was the only way she would be able to fit in. She wanted to be friends with everyone she wanted the benefits of that friendship. They wanted her to drink with them. She knew that the only way to penetrate the group was by drinking with them after work. After a few times of hanging out, after work with everyone, it can easily become a habit. I would see mess actually get upset and anger when someone that usually stayed for drinks, just went home after their shift. Results There is definitely a high rate of alcohol abuse amongst restaurant workers or many reasons ranging from the social aspects, the availability of alcohol, the high stress work environment, the prevalence of poverty amongst the workers, the late hours and jus t the acceptance of heavy drinking among the staff and perplexity. I dont see a change in the behaviors and attitudes of restaurant staff. I think this is a problem that will continue until stricter laws and rules are enforced. References ARTHUR H. FRIEDLANDER, D. , & STEPHEN. (2003). Alcohol abuse and dependencePsychopathology, medical management and dental implications. J Am pricking Assoc. Peter E. Nathan, P. John Wallace, P. , Joan Zweben, P. , & and A. Thomas Horvath, P. (2010). intelligence Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Treatment. American Psychological Association . Rachel R. Doern, S. M. (2008). THE SOCIAL MEANINGS OF DRINKING fortify THE SOCIAL BONDS OF RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES. Advances in Consumer search Volume 25 , 481-485. Roland S. Moore, P. C. (2009). Dimensions of Problem Drinking among Young Adult Restaurant Workers. AM J Drug Alcohol Abuse , 329-333. http//www. bls. gov/oco/ocos162. htm http//www. ohsrep. org. au/hazards/fatigue-impairment/alcohol-and-work/index . cfm