If a guest spills a drink, what is the first action you should take?

When a drink is spilled in a food service environment, the priority is to ensure the safety of all guests. The most effective first action is to have a co-worker warn people while you retrieve caution signs, allowing immediate attention to the safety hazard created by the spill. This approach minimizes the risk of slips and falls, which can lead to serious injuries.

Having a co-worker alert others serves to prevent accidents in a busy environment where people may not be aware of the danger. Meanwhile, retrieving caution signs is essential for providing a visible warning about the spill once you return. This two-step process ensures that safety is prioritized without compromising the quality of service.

While cleaning up the spill immediately may seem like a direct response, doing so without any warning can lead to much greater risk if someone slips while you manage the cleanup. Simply notifying a manager without putting safety measures in place does not effectively address the immediate hazard. The use of signs alone does not adequately mitigate the risk if guests are still moving around the area. Thus, having a co-worker warn others while securing signs is the best course of action in this situation.