Responsible Alcohol Establishment Best Practices

House Rules

What are they and who can use them?

Guidelines for Writing Policies could include:

• Soliciting ideas from your location manager(s) and experienced employees.
• Making policies clear and specific to your business.
• Giving all employees a copy of the policies.
• Ensuring employees understand the house policies and reinforce these policies with regular training.
• Discuss the rules, any recent problems or situations that have occurred, and tactics to prevent future issues at staff meetings.
• Conducting occasional compliance checks while letting employees that these checks occur, not to trick them, but to remind them to be vigilant.
• Rewarding employees who follow the house rules and do a good job.

Some House Rules Examples

Minors & IDs

• Make it everyone’s job to ensure that all customers buying or drinking alcoholic beverages are 21 years of age and older.
• Request proof of ID from anyone who may appear 30 years or younger, even if they claim they have already been checked.
• Refuse service to any customer who does not provide proper ID. Post this as your establishment’s right and policy.
• Card all individuals at the table when selling pitchers if you think there might be an underage drinker present.
• Use separate styles of glassware to distinguish alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Notify a manager/supervisor and document in the Incident Report Logbook if service is refused.

Advertising, Promotions, and Pricing

• Do not use promotions to encourage over-intoxication.
• Do not offer or promote drinking contests or “all you can drink” or “bottomless drink” advertisements.
• Do not offer free alcoholic drinks to customers.
• Do promote a special cocktail, wine, or beer with a non-alcoholic drink option as well.
• Do offer the option of available food or snacks or provide menus from nearby restaurants when you don’t have food available on site.
• Do offer free nonalcoholic drinks for designated drivers.

Drink Service

• Management supports servers’ decision to stop service to any customer with reason.
• Servers deny service to any person who looks or acts drunk, even if they have a designated driver or taxi. It’s still against the law.
• Servers communicate with each other when a customer is “cut off”.
• Service be stopped to any customer(s) who are showing signs of intoxication.
• Drinks are only provided to those customers who present and have provided the proper ID.
• Customer must finish the first drink before being sold a second one.
• Drinks created only in standard drink size utilizing a jigger; no “free pouring” or “four-count pours”. This can save money.

Safe Rides

• Provide ride options for customers.
• Contact the authorities (done by a manager) if a customer refuses a safe ride home.
• Use the “Designated Driver” Program and provide free non-alcoholic drinks and/or food options.

Staff Training

• All staff are trained in Responsible Alcoholic Sales and Service (RASS) or other Montana state-approved courses.
• Staff training is updated regularly.
• Management provides extra training for any employee needing to practice serving alcohol.
• Management is encouraged to invite ABCD to talk to employees and managers about server training and alcoholic beverage laws and rules.

Food

• Food is offered during the late afternoon and evening hours.
• Appetizers are available in the bar until closing time.
• Food or snacks are available, or menus are provided from nearby restaurants when you don’t have food available.

Crowd Control and Security

• Work with local law enforcement for assistance by creating a partnership with them.
• Don’t allow overcrowding. It can result in sales to minors, over-intoxicated customers, fights, injury, and property damage.
• Follow the Fire Department’s legal capacity limit.
• Track the number of customers, during busy times, coming in and out of the business.
• Ensure ample employees are on duty; if more staff is needed, notify management.
• Keep the lights from getting too dim and the music too loud. Location managers have control over all lights, music, audio, and cooling.
• Be mindful that customers are guests in your establishment. Loud, unpleasant, obnoxious, or disruptive behavior should not be permitted. Management is notified of such behaviors.
• Keep a record of any and all incidents in the Incident Report Log Books.