When enough is enough! Alcohol servers’ refusal styles and key antecedents

Abstract

While alcohol servers' play a critical role in managing customers' intoxication in hospitality settings,there is little research that investigates actual server refusal behaviors within hedonic interactions. Thisstudy is an in-depth exploration of the key styles alcohol servers use to refuse alcohol service and thedeterminants of these behaviors. Fourteen interviews conducted with service staff reveal four stylesof alcohol refusal behaviors: assertive, hedonic, avoiding, and compromising refusal. Four determinantsof supervisory/organizational support, efficacy in enacting behavior, perceived responsibility, and perceivedcustomer characteristics and behaviors appear to relate to these refusal behaviors. The paper addressesmarketing and policy implications for hospitality managers, and concludes with limitations and futureresearch directions.