Smart Serve Practice Test (Ontario) 2026: Practice test 2

Practice test 2 of 3 for the Smart Serve Practice Test (Ontario): 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Alcohol server
Ontario
83 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
How much wine at 12% alcohol makes one standard drink in Canada?
- 375 ml (half a bottle)
- 75 ml (2.5 oz)
- 142 ml (5 oz)
- 250 ml (8.5 oz)
Show answer
Answer: C. 142 ml (5 oz)
One standard drink is a 142 ml (5 oz) glass of 12% wine.
Question 2 of 25
Why are drinks that mix alcohol with energy drinks risky?
- Energy drinks remove alcohol from the blood
- The caffeine can hide how intoxicated a person feels, so they may drink more
- They lower BAC
- They make the alcohol weaker
Show answer
Answer: B. The caffeine can hide how intoxicated a person feels, so they may drink more
Caffeine can make a person feel more alert, but it does not reduce impairment. They may keep drinking long after they should stop.
Question 3 of 25
You have checked a guest's ID but you are still unsure of their age. What should you do?
- Guess based on how they dress
- Ask for a second piece of ID or ask questions, and refuse service if you are still in doubt
- Serve them anyway
- Ask them to show a photo on their phone
Show answer
Answer: B. Ask for a second piece of ID or ask questions, and refuse service if you are still in doubt
When in doubt, refuse. You can ask for more ID or ask questions about details on the card, such as the postal code.
Question 4 of 25
Under the Criminal Code, what blood alcohol concentration is a crime for a driver?
- 50 mg or more in 100 ml of blood
- 100 mg or more in 100 ml of blood
- 150 mg or more in 100 ml of blood
- 80 mg or more of alcohol in 100 ml of blood
Show answer
Answer: D. 80 mg or more of alcohol in 100 ml of blood
It is a criminal offence to have a BAC of 80 mg or more in 100 ml of blood within two hours after driving. Provinces also have lower roadside limits.
Question 5 of 25
A guest has passed out and you cannot wake them. What should you do first?
- Call 911 and stay with them
- Let them sleep it off alone in a quiet room
- Put them in a cold shower
- Give them a strong coffee
Show answer
Answer: A. Call 911 and stay with them
A person who cannot be woken may have alcohol poisoning. Call 911, stay with them and watch their breathing until help arrives.
Question 6 of 25
Can a bar be sued if it over-served a guest who later injured someone in a crash?
- No, only the driver is ever responsible
- Only if the guest worked at the bar
- Only if the guest was a minor
- Yes. Courts can hold commercial hosts partly responsible
Show answer
Answer: D. Yes. Courts can hold commercial hosts partly responsible
Canadian courts have found licensed establishments partly liable when they served a guest past the point of intoxication and harm followed.
Question 7 of 25
Does your responsibility for an intoxicated guest end the moment they walk out the door?
- Yes, as long as they paid their bill
- Only if they come back the next day
- Yes, always
- No. You may still be responsible if harm, such as impaired driving, was foreseeable
Show answer
Answer: D. No. You may still be responsible if harm, such as impaired driving, was foreseeable
Duty of care can extend beyond the door. Helping the guest get home safely protects them, the public and the business.
Question 8 of 25
Why can edible cannabis be risky for a guest who is also drinking?
- Edibles have no effect when you drink
- Edibles remove alcohol from the blood
- Edibles take effect instantly
- The effects can take 30 minutes to 2 hours to start, so people may take more before they feel it
Show answer
Answer: D. The effects can take 30 minutes to 2 hours to start, so people may take more before they feel it
Edibles act slowly. A person may eat or drink more while waiting, and then feel strong effects all at once.
Question 9 of 25
A 341 ml bottle of strong beer is 7% alcohol. Compared with a 5% beer of the same size, it has:
- Less alcohol
- Exactly 2 standard drinks
- The same amount of alcohol
- More alcohol, about 1.4 standard drinks
Show answer
Answer: D. More alcohol, about 1.4 standard drinks
Stronger beer has more alcohol in the same amount of liquid. 7% is 1.4 times 5%, so the bottle is about 1.4 standard drinks.
Question 10 of 25
Which practice helps prevent over-service?
- Serving doubles automatically
- Offering food and non-alcoholic drinks
- Running drinking games
- Selling drinks very cheaply to encourage fast drinking
Show answer
Answer: B. Offering food and non-alcoholic drinks
Food, water and non-alcoholic options slow drinking. Cheap drink deals and drinking games encourage over-consumption.
Question 11 of 25
Which is an early sign that a guest is becoming intoxicated?
- They ask to see the menu
- They pay with a debit card
- They order a glass of water
- They become louder and more talkative than when they arrived
Show answer
Answer: D. They become louder and more talkative than when they arrived
Lowered inhibitions, such as getting louder, overly friendly or more talkative, are often the first signs.
Question 12 of 25
What happens when a person uses cannabis and alcohol together?
- There is no change in impairment
- The impairment can be greater than with either one alone
- They cancel each other out
- Cannabis sobers the person up
Show answer
Answer: B. The impairment can be greater than with either one alone
Using both at once can increase impairment, including slower reactions and poorer coordination.
Question 13 of 25
When you refuse to serve a guest any more alcohol, what tone is best?
- Loud, so the whole room hears
- Joking, so they do not take it seriously
- Calm, polite and firm
- Unsure, so they can talk you out of it
Show answer
Answer: C. Calm, polite and firm
A calm, polite and firm refusal lowers the chance of conflict and makes it clear the decision is final.
Question 14 of 25
A guest orders a 473 ml can of 5% beer. About how many standard drinks is that?
- About 2
- Exactly 1
- About 1.4
- About 3
Show answer
Answer: C. About 1.4
A 473 ml can holds more than a 341 ml standard bottle: 473 ÷ 341 is about 1.4 standard drinks.
Question 15 of 25
Why is giving an intoxicated guest "one last drink" to calm them down a bad idea?
- It is allowed if the drink is free
- It adds alcohol to someone already intoxicated and increases risk and liability
- It is a good way to end the night politely
- It lowers their BAC
Show answer
Answer: B. It adds alcohol to someone already intoxicated and increases risk and liability
Serving any more alcohol to an intoxicated person breaks the law and makes harm more likely.
Question 16 of 25
How much pure alcohol is in one standard drink in Canada?
- 13.45 g (17.05 ml)
- 20 g (25 ml)
- 8 g (10 ml)
- 14 g (17.7 ml)
Show answer
Answer: A. 13.45 g (17.05 ml)
A Canadian standard drink has 13.45 grams (17.05 ml) of pure alcohol. Other countries use different amounts.
Question 17 of 25
Why is mixing alcohol with sleeping pills or opioid painkillers dangerous?
- Alcohol makes the medication work better and more safely
- It only causes a mild headache
- Both slow the body down, and together they can slow breathing to a dangerous level
- The medication cancels out the alcohol
Show answer
Answer: C. Both slow the body down, and together they can slow breathing to a dangerous level
Alcohol and these drugs are both depressants. Together their effects add up and can stop a person from breathing properly.
Question 18 of 25
Under Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health, how is drinking 7 or more standard drinks a week described?
- Increasingly high risk
- Moderate risk
- Low risk
- No risk for healthy adults
Show answer
Answer: A. Increasingly high risk
At 7 or more standard drinks a week, the risk of harms such as heart disease and stroke becomes increasingly high.
Question 19 of 25
What is the best way to judge whether a guest is becoming intoxicated?
- Count only the drinks you served yourself
- Watch for changes in how they act compared with when they arrived
- Ask them how drunk they feel
- Judge only by their age
Show answer
Answer: B. Watch for changes in how they act compared with when they arrived
People show intoxication in different ways. A change from their normal behaviour is one of the best clues.
Question 20 of 25
What kind of drug is alcohol?
- A painkiller that has no effect on the brain
- A depressant that slows down the brain and body
- A stimulant that speeds up the brain
- A vitamin that the body needs every day
Show answer
Answer: B. A depressant that slows down the brain and body
Alcohol is a depressant. It slows the central nervous system, which affects judgement, reaction time and coordination.
Question 21 of 25
According to Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health, regular drinking increases the risk of which disease?
- Chickenpox
- The common cold
- Food poisoning
- Several types of cancer
Show answer
Answer: D. Several types of cancer
The guidance explains that alcohol causes several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, and that the risk goes up as drinking goes up.
Question 22 of 25
Why is it useful to keep track of how many drinks each guest has had?
- It helps you notice a guest who is drinking fast before clear signs appear
- The law requires you to tell guests their total
- It lets you charge more for later drinks
- It is needed to work out the tip
Show answer
Answer: A. It helps you notice a guest who is drinking fast before clear signs appear
Counting drinks, along with watching behaviour, helps you slow service before a guest becomes intoxicated.
Question 23 of 25
Which sign shows that a guest is losing coordination?
- Reading the menu carefully
- Sitting still at the table
- Holding a conversation
- Stumbling, swaying or dropping things
Show answer
Answer: D. Stumbling, swaying or dropping things
Loss of coordination, such as stumbling, spilling drinks or bumping into things, is a later and serious sign of intoxication.
Question 24 of 25
Why should you record refusals and incidents in an incident log?
- It bans the guest from every bar in the province
- It records what happened and shows the business acted responsibly
- It is needed to fine the guest
- It is used to work out tips
Show answer
Answer: B. It records what happened and shows the business acted responsibly
A written record made at the time can help protect staff and the business if there is a complaint, an inspection or a lawsuit.
Question 25 of 25
Which is a good way to word a refusal?
- "Maybe one more, but don't tell my manager."
- "Ask someone else to buy it for you."
- "You're drunk. Get out."
- "I can't serve you any more alcohol tonight, but I can get you some water, food or a ride."
Show answer
Answer: D. "I can't serve you any more alcohol tonight, but I can get you some water, food or a ride."
Keep the focus on the rule, not the person, and offer something helpful such as food, water or a safe ride.

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