Don Tito, Bar Bao honored for weeding out fake IDs in Arlington

Don Tito’s management and security staff receive their Fake ID awards from Arlington County police. (Courtesy Arlington County Police)
Bar Bao’s management and security staff receive their Fake ID awards from Arlington County police. (Courtesy Arlington County Police)
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If you’re hitting either Don Tito or Bar Bao in Arlington, Virginia, you better come with a legit ID.

The two businesses were recognized by the Arlington Restaurant Initiative (ARI) for their work in spotting fake IDs during the Arlington County police’s sixth annual Fake ID awards on March 31.

“We are excited to be recognized for the fake ID awards,” said Joe McDevitt, General Manager of Don Tito. “We want to make sure that everyone in our establishment is allowed to have a great time both responsibly and legally.”



In addition to the recognition by ARI, Responsibility.org and The Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) presented gift cards to these restaurants for being strong partners for their overall commitment to reducing underage drinking.

“Arlington’s ARI program is now being replicated in other cities, and businesses like Don Tito and Bar Bao are national models for going the extra mile to detect Fake IDs and prevent underage drinking,” said Brandy Axdahl, senior vice president for Responsibility Initiatives at Responsibility.org.

ARI has been a partnership between the hospitality industry, law enforcement and county agencies since 2017 in order to increase patron safety, while also providing restaurants with resources to maximize safety.

Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit organization headquartered in Arlington, with a mission is to eliminate drunken driving and work with others to end all impaired driving, eliminate underage drinking and encourage responsible alcohol choices.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program is a public-private partnership focused on preventing drunken driving and underage drinking in the D.C. area.

Matthew Delaney

Matt Delaney is a digital web writer/editor who joined WTOP in 2020.

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