Case study - The essential ingredient for a successful business lunch

Yes, breathalysers plural.

Robinson has them everywhere. In his office, in the glove box of the numerous cars he drives regularly and in his pocket when he goes out to lunch or dinner. He’s also given personal breathalysers to all of his family, including his five children/step children.

“I’m happy to drive with alcohol in my system, but not happy to break the law,” Robinson said.

Robinson is CEO of The Butcher Club, which is owned by three families and has 18 locations across Victoria. Since opening its doors in 2014, The Butcher Club has become a go-to place for people seeking old-fashioned service, delicious meats and pre-prepared dishes.

“I meet regularly with suppliers and this is nearly always over lunch,” he said. “If I’ve had a few beers and a couple of glasses of wine, I will bring out my AlcoSense breathalyser and check my BAC every ten minutes to make sure I’m under the limit and it’s not going up, but coming down.

“If it’s above 0.04 I’ll start drinking water and that will usually do the trick. But if it’s been a very long lunch, I may have to wait for an hour or so before the level reduces to below .050 and I’m prepared to drive.

Not going to risk it

“Even when I’m over the limit such as .080 I feel like I’m in control and could drive safely, but I’m not going to risk it. Without checking my alcohol level, I wouldn’t know that I was over,” Robinson said. “I think about the TV show called RBT on Channel 9 where road police pull over drivers and test them for drugs and alcohol, with most being charged, fined and losing their licence. Why would you want to subject yourself to this when you don’t have to?”

Peter shares a story about his 20-year-old daughter who called him one morning after she had been out with her girlfriends the night before and had a few drinks. “Brodie said she blew .01 and had to leave for work. What should she do? I said don’t drive, you can’t drive. Call your boss and explain the situation and that you’ll be there as soon as you are registering zero. Drink plenty of water and keep checking on the Verity breathalyser until it reads .00. And that’s what she did. “Who’s to say she wouldn’t have met a police RBT unit on the way and then she would have lost her licence, something she just can’t live without. “It’s important for me as a parent to make the kids responsible and I was really pleased Brodie called me that morning to discuss the situation.