--- title: "A Guest Is Choking: What a Server Should Do" description: "Ask “Can you speak?” If they can’t, have someone call 911 and give 5 back blows, then 5 abdominal thrusts, until it clears. First-aid steps from MedlinePlus." url: https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/what-to-do-if-a-guest-is-choking language: en publisher: TipMax (Entermaurs Incorporated) date_published: 2026-09-23 last_verified: 2026-09-23 --- # A guest is choking. What do I do? **Short answer:** **Ask “Are you choking? Can you speak?” If they’re coughing hard and can talk, let them keep coughing.** If they can’t speak or breathe, have someone call 911 and get your manager. NIH’s MedlinePlus says to give rounds of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object comes out or the person passes out. If they pass out, call 911 and start CPR if you’re trained. ## Step by step Say a guest at the bar grabs his throat and can’t answer you (illustrative). 1. **Ask:** “Are you choking? Can you speak?” 2. **Coughing hard and talking?** Don’t hit his back. Tell him to keep coughing, and stay close. 3. **Can’t talk, can’t breathe, weak cough?** Point at one person: “Call 911.” Shout for the manager. 4. **Back blows:** stand behind him, support his chest with one arm, lean him forward, and give 5 firm blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. 5. **Abdominal thrusts:** arms around his waist, fist just above the navel and well below the breastbone, other hand over the fist, 5 quick thrusts in and up. 6. **Repeat** 5 and 5 until it comes out or he passes out. If he passes out, lower him to the floor, make sure 911 is called, and start CPR if you’re trained. **Not tax or legal advice, and not medical training.** These are the steps MedlinePlus describes for adults and children over 1. A first-aid or CPR class is the way to learn them properly. ## Plain English > **Get help first** > > If the person can’t speak or breathe, have someone call 911 right away while first aid starts. MedlinePlus says brain damage can occur in as little as 4 minutes without oxygen. ### How to tell someone is choking MedlinePlus, the National Institutes of Health’s health site, says a choking adult often grabs their throat. Other danger signs: - Can’t speak - Trouble breathing, or noisy, high-pitched breathing - A weak cough that isn’t working - Skin turning bluish - Passing out if the blockage isn’t cleared ### When not to step in If the person is coughing forcefully and can speak or breathe, don’t do first aid. A strong cough can clear the object. Encourage them to keep coughing and be ready to act if it gets worse. Don’t reach into a conscious person’s mouth to grab the object. ### If the person is pregnant or obese MedlinePlus says to use chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts: arms around the chest, fist on the middle of the breastbone, firm thrusts backward, 5 at a time, alternating with back blows. ### If they pass out Shout for help and make sure someone has called 911. Lay them on a firm, flat surface and begin CPR. Before giving breaths, look in the mouth; if you can see a loose object, you can take it out, but don’t try to grab something lodged in the throat. Keep going until help arrives or they start breathing. ### After it comes out MedlinePlus says anyone who has choked should see a health care provider, because the choking or the first aid can cause complications. Let your manager handle the incident report. ## Common mistakes - Slapping the back of someone who is still coughing and talking. - Doing first aid alone without anyone calling 911. - Reaching into the mouth of a conscious person. - Letting the guest leave without suggesting they get checked by a doctor. ## Official sources - [MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine, NIH): Choking, adult or child over 1 year](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000049.htm) ## Last verified September 23, 2026. Checked the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia article on choking in adults and children over 1 year (review date February 10, 2026): signs, back blows, abdominal and chest thrusts, what to do if the person passes out, and when to call 911. **Still open:** The MedlinePlus article used here covers adults and children over 1 year; infants aren’t covered on this page. Your restaurant’s emergency plan is not checked here. ## Related - [A guest says they’re having an allergic reaction. What do I do?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/guest-having-an-allergic-reaction-what-to-do) - [What food safety rules do servers need to know?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/food-safety-basics-for-servers) - [A guest is drunk. Do I have to stop serving them?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/us/answers/do-i-have-to-stop-serving-a-drunk-guest) - [What should I study before my first serving shift?](https://www.tipmaxapp.com/answers/what-to-study-before-your-first-serving-shift) ## How TipMax helps with this TipMax helps you study a menu; for choking, the thing to study is a first-aid or CPR class. TipMax is an iPhone app for servers and bartenders that tracks tips and tip-outs and turns a restaurant menu into study flashcards. - Scan or upload a menu and get flashcards automatically. - Study offline, anywhere. Download TipMax free: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tipmax-study-track-earn/id6744850146 --- TipMax Answers gives practical tips for hospitality workers. Follow your restaurant’s training, allergen procedures, and local alcohol-service rules. It is **not legal, medical, or tax advice**. This page doesn’t give medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.