Say whether the following statements are true or false. Comment on the true statements and correct the false ones.

1. Unlike beverages, restaurant meals can be held over if not sold.

2. The profit percentage on all food items is higher than on beverages.

3. Hotel bars have the same problems as other bars.

4. The cycle of beverages from ordering to guest billing is fairly complex.

5. Sometimes bartenders underpour in order to receive larger tips.

6. Automatic systems that dispense the exact amount of drink via a
pouring gun are expensive, but they save money.

 

Discussion

10. Try to identify the problems you can confront as the owner a hotel bar on the basis of the following information:

· to be susceptible to the same problems as other bars

· strict policy and procedure guidelines

· to set

· seeing to it that they are strictly followed

· both soft and strong drinks

· be available at any time of the day

· the operator's duty

· to install and ensure responsible alcohol service.

· must be replenished on a daily basis

· pilferage

· to steal or tamper with liquor

· to dilute it with water or colored liquids

· to sell the additional liquor

· to pocket the money

After having identified these problems describe them in detail.

11. Define ways of making your hotel bar efficient i.e. functioning at a profit. The following words and phrases will come in handy:

after a hectic day

· a good opportunity to socialize for business and pleasure

· be advantageous for both guests and the hotel

· the profit percentage on all beverages

· be higher than on food items

· a beverage can be held over if not sold

· the pour/cost percentage

· prevent pilferage and defrauding the bar

· the greatest savings

· come in the form of reduced labor costs

· fewer bartenders are needed

· the same amount of drinks

 

12. Work in pairs:

a) Look at the following words and phrases and think of a story that might combine them all. You may reorder them in any way you like using any form of the verb:

 

· made the critical decision;

· found new opportunities;

· will respond to the demands of the guests;

· different types of bars;

· will become favored «watering holes» of the rich and famous;

· only if well managed;

· cycle of beverages from ordering to billing;

· overcharged guests for beverages;

· reduced labor costs;

· fewer bartenders.

b) When you have decided upon the story, tell it to your partner. Then listen to that of your partner. Ask each other as many questions as you can to leam further details or clarify some points.

 

13. Entitle the paragraphs beginning with the words:

Hotel bars allow guests...

Food and beverage directors...

Another risk bars encounter...

 

Divide the text into other logical parts of your choice and entitle each of them.

Give a summary of the text.

Case Study

Case 1

BARTENDER, I'll ONLY HAVE WATER

Background:

Police in the suburban Virginia county started arresting customers who appear drunk in a bar or restaurant. People are getting scared to pa­tronize bars and restaurants lest they would be arrested.

Read the supporting article and provide detailed answers to the case questions below.

Drinking alcohol in bars has become risky business in Fairfax County¹ — especially for those who totter² or slur their speech³. Police in the suburban Virginia county have taken to arresting³"³ people who ap­pear drunk in a bar or restaurant. Over the Christmas holidays⁴, police raided twenty bars in the towns of Herndon and Reston, and arrested nine people for intoxication⁵.

Under Virginia law, a bar or restaurant qualifies as a public place⁶ and officers can arrest people for merely seeming drunk — without even confirming with a breathalyzer⁷ test. Bar owners complain that the raids are keeping customers away⁸, and note that the people arrested were not driving⁹. In a nod to the public outcry¹⁰, Virginia's Alcohol Beverage Con­trol Agency reminded agents to get approval for big undercover raids¹¹ [6].

Notes

1. country – адм.-террит. Единица: графство, (в Англии) или округ (в США)

2. totter – идут неверной, шаткой походкой

3. slur their speech – говорят заплетающимся языком, досл. – произносят слова невнятно (будучи в подпитии), 3-а. have taken to arresting – стали арестовывать  (to take to doing smth=start doing smth)

4. over the Christmas holidays – в период Рождественских праздников

5. intoxication – опьянение, интоксикация

6. a bar of restaurant qualifies as a public place -  бар или ресторан считается общественным местом. Возможен перевод и в пассивном залоге без изменения смысла: «бар или ресторан квалифицируется [считается, рассматривается..] как общественное место».

7. breathalyzer -   аппарат для получения пробы на содержание алкоголя в крови (у водителя). Ср. русск. «трубка гаишника»;

8. are keeping customers away - отпугивают клиентов, досл. держат клиентов на отдалении

9. were not driving – не были за рулем, досл. не вели машину

10. in a nod to the public outcry – уступая бурным протестам общественности

11. undercover raids – внезапные, без предупреждения проверки (с целью застать врасплох, «застукать») [6]

Case questions:

1.Why has drinking alcohol in Fairfax County bars become risky business?

2.Why do bar or restaurant customers all over the world sometimes totter or slur their speech?

3. What sort of people have police taken to arresting?

4. What did police of Virginia county arrest nine people for?

5. How many bars did police raid in the towns of Herndon and Reston?

6. What do bar owners complain about?

7. Were those arrested driving cars?

8. What agency reminded agents to get approval for big undercover raids? Why?

Role-play:

Pretend you are a bar owner in Nizhny Novgorod. Earlier this month, militia have already raided your bar twice and arrested five cus­tomers who seemed to be drunk. Your bar is going to be underpa-tronized, and therefore it won't be able to operate at a profit. What measures would you take to improve the situation?

While making your decision consider the following issues:

• militia have taken to arresting people merely seeming drunk only recently;

• potential customers would be scared of such big undercover raids;

• drinking alcohol is a centuries-old tradition in Russia;

• it is fairly natural that bar customers are not quite sober;

• the customers arrested were not driving;

• installing soft drink machines;

•   to complain about militia's raids.