Profitable Pouring Guards the Customer & Community

Gregg • January 14, 2025


(3rd in the "It’s Not Magic, It’s Math" series)





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How Overpouring Affects Customer BAC


While it’s easy to appreciate how not giving a customer a more potent alcoholic drink (from overpouring) results in a lower BAC level, let’s take a look at just how much of a difference it makes.


The charts below demonstrate how overpouring increases the average BAC inside a business. The calculations are based on a business full of average-sized males (195-pound) who ordered and consumed, on average, three vodka tonics (a popular one-spirit cocktail) over two hours. 


The left shows a BAC distribution chart when the vodka tonics were properly poured. The mean BAC is .03 percent (standard deviation .02).  Only 4 percent of the customers have a BAC at or above .08 percent. 


On the right is a BAC distribution chart for when the vodka tonics were overpoured by 42%. The mean BAC is .06 percent (standard deviation .03).  Now, 40 percent of the customers have a BAC at or above .08 percent. 


Charts for average-sized females (165-pound) who ordered and consumed, on average, two vodka tonics (versus three for males) over two hours, show similar BAC distributions:


AVG drinks consumed:         2                                                                        3.15

Mean BAC                             .04 percent                                                       .08 percent

Patrons .08+ BAC                    7 percent                                                        50 percent


The charts reflect common sense: When customers get significantly less alcohol in their drink because bartenders properly pour the cocktail, customer intoxication goes way down. When customers are less intoxicated, problems and calls for service go down. 




Why It Matters


Research and experience confirm that overconsumption leads to:

  • Increased aggression and severe injuries: Moderate drinkers are less prone to injury and violence than heavy drinkers.
  • Higher insurance claims: According to insurance broker Sandy Baldinger, 99% of claims from alcohol-serving businesses stem from excessive consumption.
  • More dangerous DUI incidents: In 70% of fatal DUI crashes, the driver’s BAC was 0.15% or higher.



Drinkers Spend Less to Reach Dangerous Levels of Intoxication


The table below shows how many vodka tonics an average-sized male would need to consume (and spend) over three hours to reach a BAC of .15%, if the drinks were properly poured versus overpoured.

Common sense and price elasticity studies tell us that for most people, the more they need to spend to drink, the fewer drinks they purchase. 


If that male customer ordered six vodka tonics and the drinks were not overpoured, his BAC would be .08% (versus .15%), and he and others would be significantly safer when he drove.



Secret shoppers often find bartenders overpouring multi-spirit cocktails, especially the three- and four-spirit ones, by 100% or more.

 

Let’s examine the increased risk an average-sized female (165#) is exposed to thirty minutes after finishing one Adios cocktail.


After consuming one overpoured Adios, she is now four times more likely to be involved in a vehicle crash than an average-sized female who consumed a properly poured Adios.



Upcoming in the It’s Not Magic, It’s Math series:


  • Case Study: Overpouring Eliminated
  • My $14,000,000 Mistake
  • The People Behind the Numbers

People Behind the Numbers

By Gregg • January 17, 2025
(6th in the "It’s Not Magic, It’s Math" series)

My 14-million-dollar Mistake

By Gregg • January 16, 2025
(5th in the "It’s Not Magic, It’s Math" series)

Case Study: Boosting Profits and Safety by Eliminating Overpouring

By Gregg • January 15, 2025
(4th in the "It’s Not Magic, It’s Math" series)

The Staggering Costs of Overpouring

By Gregg • January 13, 2025
(2nd in the "It’s Not Magic, It’s Math" series)

The Industry Plague: Overpoured Spirits

By Gregg • January 12, 2025
(1st in the "It's Not Magic, It's Math" series)

Is Your City Losing $1,000,000 to Its Alcohol Footprint?

By Gregg • January 11, 2025
Most city leaders see alcohol businesses as reliable sources of tax revenue. However, many cities unknowingly carry a financial burden called the Alcohol Footprint —the net cost to the city after accounting for all revenue from alcohol businesses versus the expenses they generate. The Hidden Costs of Alcohol Businesses Take Fullerton, California, as an example. In 2002, the city created a Restaurant Overlay District downtown, eventually housing 49 alcohol-licensed establishments. While this boosted nightlife, it also brought increased demand for city services. A 2006 report revealed the District cost the city $935,500 more annually than it earned. The largest expenses came from police, fire, and maintenance services. The report anticipated the deficit would grow with the need to add four new police officers costing $412,000 per year. Fullerton officials deserve credit for identifying the problem, but what about the Alcohol Footprint for an entire city? The numbers can be staggering. A Broader Issue One client city recently calculated its Alcohol Footprint across all 300 of its alcohol-serving businesses and discovered losses “significantly more than $1,000,000 annually. ” If your city is like most, with alcohol businesses that mostly close by 10 PM, some by midnight, and a few staying open until 2 AM, it likely carries a substantial Alcohol Footprint. Why does this happen? It’s often due to a lack of best practices: Inadequate Conditions of Approval: Many cities fail to include effective regulations for alcohol businesses in permits due to insufficient training in urban planning programs. Limited State Flexibility: California’s Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) is constrained by State liquor laws on what conditions the agency can document for a new licensee. Insufficient Police Training: California police officers receive just two hours of ABC law training in their Basic Academy, which includes no guidance on preventing disorderly alcohol establishments. Knowledge Gaps in the Industry: Most alcohol business operators and food-and-beverage managers lack access to training in best practices. The Solution: Best Practices for Alcohol Businesses Despite these challenges, there’s a clear path forward. Our Best Practices for Nightlife Establishments booklet equips alcohol businesses with strategies to reduce intoxication, lower service calls, and improve community safety. Research by Levy and Miller found every $1 spent on controlling over-service saves cities $260. We’re passionate about supporting well-run alcohol businesses—they bring communities together for meals, entertainment, and memorable moments. But they need to operate responsibly to protect public safety and city resources. Learn more through our Insight series, It’s Not Magic, It’s Math.