Responsible beverage server training (RBS/RBST)
Responsible beverage server training (RBST) includes efforts to educate owners, managers, servers, and sellers at alcohol establishments about strategies to avoid illegally selling alcohol to underage youth or intoxicated patrons (UMN-AEP). RBST practices include offering customers food with drinks, delaying service to rapid drinkers, refusing service to intoxicated or underage consumers, and discouraging intoxicated customers from driving (CG-Alcohol). RBST is also sometimes called RBS or server training.
What could this strategy improve?
Expected Benefits
Our evidence rating is based on the likelihood of achieving these outcomes:
- Reduced excessive drinking
- Improved alcohol server practices
Potential Benefits
Our evidence rating is not based on these outcomes, but these benefits may also be possible:
- Reduced underage drinking
- Reduced violence
- Reduced alcohol-related crashes
What does the research say about effectiveness? -+
There is some evidence that responsible beverage server training (RBST) reduces harmful alcohol consumption (Jones 2011a, CG-Alcohol), especially when implemented as part of a multi-component intervention (Brennan 2011). However, additional evidence is needed to confirm effects (CG-Alcohol, Brennan 2011).
RBST can improve server policies and practices and reduce the portion of patrons leaving drinking establishments intoxicated (CG-Alcohol, Jones 2011a, Fell 2017a), overservice to intoxicated patrons (Woodall 2018, Elgan 2021), and, in some circumstances with targeted enforcement, may reduce blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels (Fell 2017a). Multi-component RBST that combines server training, community coalition efforts, and enhanced enforcement reduces excessive consumption more than server training alone (Brennan 2011). A RBST for managers that includes both online and in-person components may increase managers’ practice of written alcohol policies and their communication with staff about cutting off intoxicated patrons, but may not reduce likelihood of selling alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons (Lenk 2018, Toomey 2017). Online RBST programs with user involvement and interactive activities can have greater impact in reducing overservice rates than in-person trainings (Woodall 2018). Sweden-based multi-component alcohol prevention efforts including brief online RBST appear to reduce overservice at sporting events but are not likely to reduce excessive alcohol consumption among spectators (Elgan 2021).
RBST may reduce alcohol sales to minors (Chinman 2014) and alcohol-related violence (Brennan 2011, Trolldal 2012). States with RBS laws are associated with lower fatal crash ratios but not with beer consumption compared to states without such laws (Fell 2016). The strength of RBS laws is not associated with self-reported binge drinking or alcohol-impaired driving (Linde 2016).
Clear role definition, evaluation, and feedback can also help facilitate effective RBST implementation (Haggard 2014, Trolldal 2013). Stable and high-quality instruction and implementation that includes active discussions among participants may contribute to successful RBST programs (Woodall 2018, Ecklund 2018).
Implementation Examples -+
Implementation Resources -+
APIS - Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS). Welcome to the Alcohol Policy Information System.
ChangeLab-RBST - ChangeLab Solutions. Alcohol-Related Harms: Additional Information on Responsible Beverage Service Programs
PIRE-RBST - Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE). Best practices in responsible alcoholic beverage sales and service training: With model ordinance, commentary and resources. Ventura: Ventura County Behavioral Health (VCBH); 2008.
UW WAPP-RBST - University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project (WAPP): Responsible Beverage Server Requirements in Wisconsin. March 2015.
Citations -+
* Journal subscription may be required for access.
APIS - Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS). Welcome to the Alcohol Policy Information System.
Brennan 2011* - Brennan I, Moore SC, Byrne E, Murphy S. Interventions for disorder and severe intoxication in and around licensed premises, 1989-2009. Addiction. 2011;106(4):706-13.
CG-Alcohol - The Guide to Community Preventive Services (The Community Guide). Excessive alcohol consumption.
Chinman 2014* - Chinman M, Ebener P, Burkhart Q, et al. Evaluating the impact of getting to outcomes-underage drinking on prevention capacity and alcohol merchant attitudes and selling behaviors. Preventive Science. 2014;15(4):485-496.
Ecklund 2018 - Ecklund AM, Nederhoff DM, Hunt SL, et al. Attitudes and practices regarding responsible beverage service: Focus group discussions with bar and restaurant management and staff. Journal of Drug Education. 2018;47(3-4):87-107.
Elgan 2021* - Elgán TH, Durbeej N, Holder HD, Gripenberg J. Effects of a multi-component alcohol prevention intervention at sporting events: a quasi-experimental control group study. Addiction. 2021.
Fell 2016* - Fell JC, Scherer M, Thomas S, Voas RB. Assessing the impact of twenty underage drinking laws. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 2016;77(2):249-260.
Fell 2017a* - Fell JC, Fisher DA, Yao J, McKnight AS. Evaluation of a responsible beverage service and enforcement program: Effects on bar patron intoxication and potential impaired driving by young adults. Traffic Injury Prevention. 2017;18(6):557-565.
Haggard 2014* - Haggard U, Trolldal B, Kvillemo P, Guldbrandsson K. Implementation of a multicomponent responsible beverage service programme in Sweden: A qualitative study of promoting and hindering factors. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 2014;31.
Jones 2011a* - Jones L, Hughes K, Atkinson AM, Bellis MA. Reducing harm in drinking environments: A systematic review of effective approaches. Health & Place. 2011;17(2):508-18.
Lenk 2018 - Lenk KM, Erickson DJ, Nelson TF, et al. Changes in alcohol policies and practices in bars and restaurants after completion of manager-focused responsible service training. Drug and Alcohol Review. 2018;37(3):356-364.
Linde 2016 - Lenk KM, Erickson DJ, Nelson TF, et al. Changes in alcohol policies and practices in bars and restaurants after completion of manager-focused responsible service training. Drug and Alcohol Review. 2018;37(3):356-364.
Toomey 2017 - Toomey TL, Lenk KM, Erickson DJ, et al. Effects of a hybrid online and in-person training program designed to reduce alcohol sales to obviously intoxicated patrons. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 2017;78(2):268-275.
Trolldal 2012 - Trolldal B, Brännström L, Paschall MJ, Leifman H. Effects of a multi-component responsible beverage service programme on violent assaults in Sweden. Addiction. 2012;108(1):89-96.
Trolldal 2013* - Trolldal B, Haggard U, Guldbrandsson K. Factors associated with implementation of a multicomponent responsible beverage service program: Results from two surveys in 290 Swedish municipalities. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy. 2013;8:11.
UMN-AEP - University of Minnesota Alcohol Epidemiology Program (UMN-AEP). Alcohol control policy descriptions.
UW WAPP-RBST - University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project (WAPP): Responsible Beverage Server Requirements in Wisconsin. March 2015.
WI DOR-RBS - Wisconsin Department of Revenue (WI DOR). Alcohol seller/server: Responsible beverage server training courses.
Woodall 2018 - Woodall WG, Starling R, Saltz RF, Buller DB, Stanghetta P. Results of a randomized trial of web-based retail onsite responsible beverage service training: WayToServe. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 2018;79(5):672-679.