RESTAURANTS / RETAIL

Deal for Designated Drivers: That warnings about the dangers of drunk driving are being posted in anticipation of New Year’s Eve is nothing new. Worth noting is one Tustin restaurant manager’s year-round designated-driver program that has been adopted throughout the chain.

Brian McDonough, who manages Marie Callender’s Restaurant and Bakery in Tustin, started offering free soft drinks to the designated drivers in groups of four or more. To sweeten the deal, the restaurant also gives that designated driver a free dinner on his or her next visit.

About seven to 10 groups a week take advantage of the offer, McDonough said. The program is also getting notice from law-enforcement agencies, which are trying to make contributions of their own. The Orange County division of the California Highway Patrol has been offering tips to bartenders and servers to help them spot intoxicated customers before they get behind the wheel.