YAKIMA, Wash.- Police and law enforcement aren’t the only ones who want you to get home safely after celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
Many bartenders see their customers as family, but when it comes to one of the most alcohol-focused holidays, Esther Benge is reminded of her lost family due to over serving.
“I really do care about people because my husband was killed because of maybe having one too many,” says Benge who has been bartending for 29 years.
Benge works at The Dutch where she says there’s many regulars who come in and go right for the green beer or Jameson whiskey on March 17.
“Not so much just people coming in to get drunk, more people coming into celebrate the holiday,” says Benge.
In looking out for her customers, Benge recommends eight ounces of water for every alcoholic drink. More than staying hydrated, she recommends planning ahead and doing whatever it takes to make sure no drunk drivers hit the road.
“We’ve even had employees drive people home because we have usually two or three people working,” says Benge. “We always take their keys; we take care of them. This is my livelihood also. So, I’m just as much responsible for them as they are for themselves.”
Rayann Davis, a waitress and bartender with Benge, says this is the first St. Patrick Day she’s worked. She’s expecting a lot of bar hoppers, where patrons will visit multiple bars, meaning she’ll have to figure out first if the customers can be served more alcohol.
“Kinda just go have a conversation with them to assess, see if they’re slurring their words, having a hard time getting their sentence out,” says Davis.
Davis and Benge both are willing to do what it takes to get their customers home. The bar they work at supports that goal.
The Dutch is familiar with the cab companies in Yakima and rideshare opportunities. Davis says the taxi is always ready to pick people up from the bar, and on St. Patrick Day, many are offering discounts to avoid drunk drivers.
