I'm in Victoria, Australia and I started a new job today as a waiter, and I was told that because I'm under 18 I'm not allowed to take any alcohol to people's tables. The majority of people order alcohol, so this really pisses me off. Would anyone here know why I'm not legally allowed to take alcohol to the customer's table? I'm not actually selling it to them, just taking it to their table.

Because you probably don't have an RSA and thus aren't permitted to serve them.

What's an RSA? :o

RSA is a cert called responsible service of alcohol. its a course that takes a day (at least here in WA) that tells you all the common sense stuff, like don't serve alcohol to toddlers. you do a simple test at the end and then you can work with alcohol.

its a simple reason why you can't sell it underage. the state considers people under 18 not capable consume alcohol. if you aren't allowed to drink it then there is no reason why you should be allowed to sell it. i could think of many reasons why a 15 year old (for example) should not be in charge of serving alcohol.

Ive had waiters tell me they have to get someone else to serve me in a restaurant for this reason. its not a big deal, and i am willing to bet it annoys you far more than it annoys the customers.

Ah ok, thanks RAOVQ, that explains everything. :)

actually with an RSA under eighteens can serve alcohol.

I worked at this Basque restaurant that had me serving booze when I was 15. Completely illegal but no one died or anything

I look like I'm over 18 so it's not like the customers will know I'm not allowed to be handing out alcohol. I even purchased some alcohol the other day from a local liquor store and I wasn't asked for ID.


actually with an RSA under eighteens can serve alcohol.


How difficult is it to get an RSA then? Do they ask difficult questions, or just easy shit that any random person should be able to answer correctly?

I am 99.99% sure that you need to be over 18 to do the course, or even if you can do the course you are not allowed to serve alcohol (technically your not allowed in a licensed venue without a responsible adult, but there are exceptions for waitstaff and the like).

You have to be over 18 to do the course at tafe, looking at the sydney one.

My course was paid for by the bottle shop i was working for at the time, run through one of the random training organisations that roam the country. If you are curious you could give a tafe centre a call or look up your states alcohol laws.

The questions they ask are extremely basic. 75% is common sense, the rest is remembering penalties and the like. If you listen to what the person says you pass.

Its easy as shit and takes about 3 hours.

Awesome, thanks a lot guys. :)

its fucking peasant, and I did it when i was 16.

what state are you in?