Smart Serve Practice Test (Ontario) 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 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
Two guests drink the same amount at the same speed. Who is likely to have the higher BAC?
- The smaller, lighter guest
- The larger, heavier guest
- The guest who is drinking beer instead of wine
- They will always have exactly the same BAC
Show answer
Answer: A. The smaller, lighter guest
A smaller person has less body water to dilute the alcohol, so the same amount gives a higher BAC.
Question 2 of 25
In a licensed establishment, may an adult buy a drink and give it to a friend who is under the legal drinking age?
- No. Supplying alcohol to a minor is against provincial law
- Yes, if the minor is 17
- Yes, if it is only beer
- Yes, if the adult pays for it
Show answer
Answer: A. No. Supplying alcohol to a minor is against provincial law
Selling or supplying alcohol to a minor is an offence in every province and territory. Watch for drinks being passed to young guests.
Question 3 of 25
In which provinces is the legal drinking age 18?
- Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec
- Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta
- Nova Scotia and New Brunswick only
- All provinces and territories
Show answer
Answer: A. Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec
The legal drinking age is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and 19 in the other provinces and the territories.
Question 4 of 25
Which sign means a guest may have alcohol poisoning and needs emergency help?
- Asking for the bill
- Laughing loudly with friends
- Talking a lot about sports
- Slow or irregular breathing and they cannot be woken up
Show answer
Answer: D. Slow or irregular breathing and they cannot be woken up
Trouble breathing, being unable to wake up, seizures, vomiting while confused, and pale or bluish skin are signs of alcohol poisoning. Call 911.
Question 5 of 25
A regular heavy drinker shows few signs after several drinks. What is true?
- Their BAC is lower than other people's
- They cannot become intoxicated
- Their BAC can still be high even if they seem sober
- Tolerance removes alcohol from the blood faster
Show answer
Answer: C. Their BAC can still be high even if they seem sober
Tolerance can hide the signs, but it does not lower BAC. The person is still impaired and can still be dangerous behind the wheel.
Question 6 of 25
What should you compare when you check a photo ID?
- Only the colour of the card
- The photo and description with the person in front of you
- Only the name on the card
- The address on the card with their phone
Show answer
Answer: B. The photo and description with the person in front of you
Check that the face, height and other details match the guest, and that the date of birth shows they are of legal age.
Question 7 of 25
How much spirits at 40% alcohol makes one standard drink in Canada?
- 43 ml (1.5 oz)
- 85 ml (3 oz)
- 100 ml (about 3.5 oz)
- 25 ml (less than 1 oz)
Show answer
Answer: A. 43 ml (1.5 oz)
One standard drink is a 43 ml (1.5 oz) shot of 40% spirits such as rum, vodka or whisky.
Question 8 of 25
What does Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health say about drinking during pregnancy?
- Wine is safe but beer is not
- One drink a day is safe
- No amount of alcohol is known to be safe
- It is safe after the first three months
Show answer
Answer: C. No amount of alcohol is known to be safe
The guidance says there is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy, and not drinking is the safest choice.
Question 9 of 25
A young-looking guest shows a college student card with a photo. What should you do?
- Accept it if a friend says the guest is of age
- Accept it if the guest seems confident
- Accept it because it has a photo
- Ask for valid government-issued photo ID instead
Show answer
Answer: D. Ask for valid government-issued photo ID instead
Student cards are not government-issued proof of age. Ask for a driver's licence, passport or other government photo ID.
Question 10 of 25
A guest's driver's licence expired last month. What should you do?
- Accept it if a friend vouches for them
- Accept it if the photo matches
- Accept it because it only just expired
- Do not accept it as proof of age
Show answer
Answer: D. Do not accept it as proof of age
Expired ID is not acceptable proof of age. Ask for another valid government-issued photo ID.
Question 11 of 25
Which behaviour shows a guest's judgement is impaired?
- Speaking quietly with a friend
- Choosing a meal
- Asking for directions
- Buying rounds for strangers or making rude comments
Show answer
Answer: D. Buying rounds for strangers or making rude comments
Poor judgement includes careless spending, rude or risky behaviour, and drinking faster than before.
Question 12 of 25
A 750 ml bottle of wine is 12% alcohol. About how many standard drinks does it hold?
- About 10
- About 2
- About 5
- About 8
Show answer
Answer: C. About 5
One standard drink is 142 ml of 12% wine, so a 750 ml bottle holds about 5 standard drinks.
Question 13 of 25
A guest you have cut off asks a friend to buy them a drink. What should you do?
- Ignore it, because it is not your table
- Refuse to serve a drink meant for the cut-off guest
- Serve it, because the friend is sober
- Serve it but make it a double so they leave sooner
Show answer
Answer: B. Refuse to serve a drink meant for the cut-off guest
Serving the friend so they can pass the drink on is still supplying alcohol to an intoxicated person.
Question 14 of 25
A guest orders a double (86 ml) of 40% rum. How many standard drinks is that?
- 4
- 1
- 2
- 3
Show answer
Answer: C. 2
One standard drink of spirits is 43 ml, so 86 ml is two standard drinks.
Question 15 of 25
After you stop serving a guest, who should you tell?
- The guest's friends, so they can order for them
- Only the cook
- No one, to avoid embarrassing the guest
- Your manager and co-workers, so no one else serves them
Show answer
Answer: D. Your manager and co-workers, so no one else serves them
Team communication stops the guest from getting alcohol from another server or bartender.
Question 16 of 25
Which kinds of consequences can follow irresponsible alcohol service?
- Only a bad online review
- Only lost tips
- Civil lawsuits, charges under the law, and penalties against the liquor licence
- Only a verbal warning
Show answer
Answer: C. Civil lawsuits, charges under the law, and penalties against the liquor licence
Over-service or serving minors can lead to lawsuits, charges, fines, and licence suspension or cancellation.
Question 17 of 25
What is the only thing that lowers a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC)?
- Black coffee
- A cold shower
- Exercise
- Time
Show answer
Answer: D. Time
Only time lets the liver remove alcohol from the blood. Coffee, cold showers and exercise may make a person more alert, but they do not lower BAC.
Question 18 of 25
A guest has their last drink at 11 p.m. What can happen to their BAC after that?
- It can keep rising for a while as alcohol is still absorbed
- It stays the same until the guest eats
- It falls quickly if the guest drinks a coffee
- It drops to zero within 15 minutes
Show answer
Answer: A. It can keep rising for a while as alcohol is still absorbed
Alcohol still in the stomach and intestine keeps moving into the blood, so BAC can rise after the last drink. A guest may look fine at last call and be more impaired later.
Question 19 of 25
Why do women often reach a higher BAC than men after the same number of drinks?
- Their livers cannot process alcohol at all
- They absorb alcohol through the skin
- They always drink faster
- They usually have less body water to dilute the alcohol
Show answer
Answer: D. They usually have less body water to dilute the alcohol
On average, women have less body water and more body fat than men of the same weight, so alcohol is less diluted and BAC is higher.
Question 20 of 25
A guest arrives already showing clear signs of intoxication. What should you do?
- Do not serve them alcohol and do not let them in to drink
- Serve them one drink only
- Serve them light beer
- Serve them food first, then alcohol
Show answer
Answer: A. Do not serve them alcohol and do not let them in to drink
Provincial liquor laws forbid serving a person who is intoxicated, no matter where they did their drinking.
Question 21 of 25
A guest seems far more intoxicated than the two drinks she had would explain. What should you suspect?
- She is pretending to be drunk
- Her drink may have been spiked, so get help and keep her safe
- She has a high tolerance
- Nothing, this is normal after two drinks
Show answer
Answer: B. Her drink may have been spiked, so get help and keep her safe
Sudden, severe impairment after a small amount can be a sign of drink spiking. Do not leave her alone; tell your manager and call 911 if needed.
Question 22 of 25
What is the legal drinking age in most provinces and in the territories?
- 21
- 20
- 19
- 18
Show answer
Answer: C. 19
Most provinces and all three territories set the legal drinking age at 19. Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec use 18.
Question 23 of 25
What must acceptable proof-of-age ID have?
- It is government-issued, not expired, and has a photo and date of birth
- It has a school logo and a photo
- It shows the person's name and bank
- It is a clear photocopy of a driver's licence
Show answer
Answer: A. It is government-issued, not expired, and has a photo and date of birth
Proof of age should be original, valid, government-issued photo ID that shows the date of birth.
Question 24 of 25
Which of these is one standard drink in Canada?
- 473 ml (16 oz) of beer at 5% alcohol
- 1 litre of beer at 5% alcohol
- 750 ml of beer at 5% alcohol
- 341 ml (12 oz) of beer at 5% alcohol
Show answer
Answer: D. 341 ml (12 oz) of beer at 5% alcohol
One standard drink is a 341 ml (12 oz) bottle of 5% beer, cider or cooler.
Question 25 of 25
While you wait for help, how should you place an unconscious person who is still breathing?
- Flat on their back
- On their side in the recovery position
- Sitting up with their head tipped back
- Standing, held up by two people
Show answer
Answer: B. On their side in the recovery position
Lying on their side keeps the airway open and helps stop them from choking if they vomit.

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