Keeping Your Bar or Restaurant Safe During Holiday Events
It’s one of the most popular times of the year for parties and group events at bars and restaurants with alcohol service. While everything may seem like fun and games during the holidays, safety at your establishment is the main priority for you and your staff.
Learning how to maintain a safe facility for all of your guests is all part of becoming TABC certified. However, in the spirit of the season, TABC On The Fly is here to offer you a “treat” with these simple tips that will keep your patron’s celebration a happy one!
Establish Organized Security
Even just having security present will help deter people from acting out of turn. In a crowded bar, it’s easy for a situation to get out of hand and escalate to unsafe territory. Sadly, even the most well-trained bartender can’t prevent some patrons from starting physical altercations. Add an extra touch of safety with some organized security for these busier months.
Be on the Watch for Fake Identification
Sure, everyone wants to have a good time during the holiday season, but at least make sure it’s done legally. Allowing minors to consume alcohol is a Class A misdemeanor and could leave you with a hefty fine and cause your establishment to lose its license or permit.
Some signs of a fake ID may include:
- Lack of state card features like watermarks and unique fonts
- No security features under ultraviolet lights
- Sloppy spelling
- A photo or physical description that are not consistent with the customer’s appearance
The mistake of allowing an obviously fake ID through at any time of the year is unacceptable. Make sure your staff is equipped to sniff out a fake with information learned from an approved TABC certification course.
Train Your Staff on Spiked Drinks
Whether you know it or not, drink tampering is a problem. Drink tampering refers to one customer tampering with another customer’s drink, usually with a date-rape drug. It happens, and as a seller-server, you need to be alert and observant. You and your coworkers or staff should also be trained on what to do when you have reason to believe a customer has tampered with another customer’s drink. This is another example of how you as a server or bartender play a vital role in public safety.
The first thing to do is remove the drink. Removing the drink immediately will help ensure the victim customer does not consume it. After removing the drink, notify management, get the victim customer a fresh drink, and offer assistance as necessary. This may involve notifying law enforcement.
Say No When Someone’s Had Too Much
Lastly, don’t be afraid to tell someone they’ve had too much. The holidays are notorious for drunk driving, and the last thing your establishment needs is to be a contributing factor.
Training your staff on signs of intoxicated guests will help make the choice to say “no” an easy one. After you’ve refused them further drinks, check to see if they have a ride home, and if not, arrange one for them.
Get Your Team Ready for the Holidays With TABC On The Fly
Whether you need a first-time TABC certification or you’re an industry veteran getting re-certified, TABC On The Fly is a quick, affordable way to cover your bases during the holiday season. Enroll today and reap the benefits of getting certified on your own time
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