Best Way to Minimize Drunk and Disorderly Behavior in Your Bar or Restaurant
The safety of your employees, customers, and those who they may come in contact with is paramount no matter what kind of establishment you’re running. But most bar and restaurant owners and managers know they have a higher responsibility thanks to the lowered inhibitions alcohol can inspire.
Let’s look at ways you can keep things calm, fun and danger-free.
Train Your Workers
Bar and restaurant safety starts at the door. All employees, especially those working the door, should be trained to always be looking for signs of intoxication. Is it reasonable to assume that some of your customers may have consumed alcohol before they even arrived to your establishment? Absolutely, and employees should be on the lookout for customers who need to be cut off or even asked to leave.
Security should scan the crowd for threats before they develop. Workers and patrons alike will look for security first when anything suspicious starts to happen. The faster they can get to the incident the easier it will be to smooth things over.
Servers and bartenders are often the last line of defense against drunk or disorderly conduct, and must be trained through a state program like BASSET, in Illinois, to keep themselves and others safe.
Watch for Overservice
The quiet customer who just sits and drinks may well be a time bomb ready to explode. But that’s just one of the ways you can end up with a conflict among guests or an accident after they leave. Servers and bartenders should keep an eye on every tab, looking for patrons who continually reorder drinks or otherwise show signs of intoxication, like ordering rounds more quickly.
The door attendant shouldn’t let anyone into the establishment who already seems intoxicated, and security and other employees should keep a watchful eye out for the danger signs of too much alcohol consumption.
Patron Safety
It’s a shame it has to be said, but the world isn’t always the safe place we’d like it to be. Your patrons deserve to drink and dine in peace, and a good manager makes sure that they can. The whole staff should be on the lookout for people being repeatedly pestered, especially if they are showing polite signs of disinterest.
Always be on the lookout for drink tampering as well. If you observe or suspect drink tampering, then immediately remove the drink, alert management, and contact law enforcement.
Listen for Belligerence
Loud or slurred speech, stumbling, spilling drinks or food, and aggressive behavior are all signs of intoxication, and it’s up to you and your team to de-escalate things as fast as you can. As an owner, manager, or employee at an establishment that sells or serves alcohol, you play a vital role in public safety and are legally obligated to cut people off if they show signs of intoxication or you have reason to believe that serving them one more drink will cause them to be intoxicated.
Get Your Illinois BASSET Card Today
Havoc doesn’t necessarily have to come with the territory for bars and restaurants. A well-managed and well-run team knows the danger signs, have been trained properly, and communicate well. They’ll check IDs diligently, always be on the lookout for signs of intoxication, and keep an eye out for unattended drinks and belongings.
BASSET On The Fly is licensed by the state of Illinois to provide the BASSET certification course, which stands for “Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training.” Our course is 100% online, self-paced, and just $12.99.
Register online today!
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