Game Plan for Safe Hospitality: Protecting Patrons During the 2023 Broncos Season and Beyond

The start of the 2023 Broncos season — kicking off September 10 against the Raiders — signals traffic that hospitality establishments like bars and restaurants just don’t see over summer. It’s a fact that football season can get rowdy. Unsurprisingly, a survey of NFL fans shows one-third of all NFL fans surveyed report “pregaming” before kickoff, while Denver Broncos fans lead the pack, drinking an average of eight drinks before the game. 

While businesses in the hospitality industry provide a fun and relaxed atmosphere for clientele to briefly escape their everyday routines, it’s also their responsibility to keep their patrons safe. As we all know, excessive drinking can lead to altercations on-site (a fifth of fans admitted they’d gotten into a verbal spat with someone before a game), physical harm to oneself and others, and lead to widespread issues once a patron has left an establishment. 

Ahead of this year’s football season, Society Insurance, which provides coverage to the hospitality industry, has put together the top four tips on how a restaurant and/or bar can protect themselves, their patrons and their employees as well as create a safer environment for football season and beyond.

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Don’t be afraid to refuse service 

Make sure your bartenders know when to stop serving patrons. Potential signs of an intoxicated person include loud or agitated speech, ordering drinks rapidly, slurred speech, stumbling, spilling drinks, appearing drowsy, aggressive behavior and/or bloodshot eyes. Don’t cut anyone off in front of others if you can help it. The manager should request the person to accompany him or her off to the side or a somewhat quieter place to break the news (but never alone. Take a buddy). Keep it calm and state the facts. Do not be accusatory or aggressive. “I think you should call it a night. We are not serving you anymore. Do you have a ride, or can I call you a car?” Instruct your bartenders to not serve the patron anymore. Don’t negotiate.

Double down on conflict resolution

Each patron who enters your establishment brings different ideas, interpersonal skill sets, prejudices and emotions with them. Add alcohol to the situation and your business is at an increased risk of an incident. Eventually, conflict can happen. Shockingly, the average cost of a bar fight claim is $109,678.25 (based on Society Insurance information). This ranges from a few hundred dollars for some altercations to up to several million dollars for a single altercation. This can dramatically impact the bottom line for bar owners, which is why conflict resolution training is critical for bar owners and staff. 

Recommended conflict resolution techniques include:

1. Capable door staff in place. The door staff is the first point of contact for patrons. They are among the first who have the task of determining if guests are of a proper age to enter and do not show signs of intoxication. They can also monitor for conflicts that may already be developing between customers before they enter. The actions you take at this point can resolve a potential conflict before it ever arrives. 
2. Closely monitor alcohol service. Bartenders can help minimize the risk of a conflict developing by monitoring alcohol service using drink counting methods, observing patron physical and cognitive behaviors, pouring accurately measured drinks to avoid over-service and employing a good cut-off policy.
3. Remain vigilant, especially during peak hours. Security and floor staff see what is happening throughout the operation. They are the eyes and ears of the operation and get the best view of what might be bubbling up throughout the night. This is when good conflict resolution skills can help to step in, de-escalate and manage the situation.
4. Implement comprehensive standard operating procedures and policies. The owner and management team can provide proper training to all staff including conflict resolution skill development training. Don’t overlook implementing good policies and procedures for the staff to act on, such as a strong cut-off policy, effective ID and non-entry policy, patron ejection policy, training and exercise for emergency situations, use of force policies and more. Provide regular training to ensure the staff possesses a clear understanding. Having the proper policies and training in place will help to minimize the impact of a conflict and maximize the effectiveness of everyone’s response when an issue arises.

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Obtain liquor liability insurance

It is highly advisable to purchase liquor liability insurance if you operate a business that sells alcohol. It’s no secret that alcohol service creates unique risks and exposure. Liquor liability insurance is critical for costly claims and litigation that arise because of alcohol service and damage or injury caused by an intoxicated person. Even if your bar is not liable in these complicated situations, your legal defense costs can add up quickly.

Preparation, good policies and good training help to minimize incidents all year long. By obtaining proper insurance coverage, understanding Dram laws, refusing service when applicable and practicing conflict resolution training, you and your staff will be more empowered to safely address challenges that arise during holidays, sports’ seasons and other celebrations. 

This information is provided as a convenience for informational purposes only. It is provided to assist you in recognizing potential unsafe work problems or conditions and not to establish compliance with any law, rule or regulation. This information does not constitute legal or professional advice. For a legal opinion, please seek legal counsel from a qualified attorney.