Serving alcohol in a hospitality setting can be a lucrative business model. Many people enjoy socializing in public with a drink on the weekends or after a long day at work. Once you establish a loyal clientele, your business could provide you with a constant stream of income. Happy customers will also mean that your waitstaff and bartenders make good money.
There is plenty of opportunity when you start a bar or restaurant, but there are also risks involved. What are a few concerns that you need to consider and protect yourself from when starting a business that serves alcoholic beverages?
Getting a liquor license isn’t always easy
Obtaining a liquor license is necessary if you want to serve alcoholic beverages at a restaurant or bar. If you don’t plan ahead for the expenses and possible delays involved in the licensing process, you may not have everything in place when you are ready to open the business. You need to learn about the process of obtaining a liquor license ahead of time so that you take the necessary steps before the business open.
Serving alcohol opens your business up to financial liability
Having a liquor license does not thoroughly protect you from the risks involved in serving alcohol to the public. You also need to train your staff about the limits on liquor licensing and consistently enforce those rules.
If you catch someone serving a minor or pouring another drink for a customer who is already clearly drunk, you need to discipline that worker and remind the rest of the staff about the. Otherwise, if an underage or drunken customer causes a crash after leaving your business, you could face a civil lawsuit and the loss of your license.
Drunk customers are a risk for violence and employee harassment
You may need to invest in security professionals during the busiest times at your business or train your staff and managers who have a zero-tolerance approach to customer misconduct. Drunk customers could sexually harass or intimidate your staff members. They could also become physically violent with your employees or with one another.
Recognizing the risks that come from an alcohol-based business model can help you protect yourself and make the most of your business concept.
