Alcohol awareness training should be required for all management and staff who serve alcohol in any restaurant, bar or other establishment. Effective training allows servers to identify patrons who have had too much to drink, avoid serving under-aged customers, recognize when to make and keep notes and more. Servers also become familiar with the consequences of failing to take responsibility for their patrons as many servers assume that they will not be held personally responsible for serving an intoxicated customer, but this may not be the case (depending on state law).

Security personnel should also be trained. Unfortunately security staff may be overzealous in their duty, using stun guns, mace or physical force to restrain patrons. Such attacks, ironically, endanger rather than protect a business.

Training is essential but only if managers and owners take it seriously. Managers and owners should monitor their staff and make certain everyone is consistently applying the lessons they've learned. Several training programs exist to aid alcohol-serving entities in their quest to become better at protecting their clients and staff and potentially lower their liquor liability premium at the same time:

  • Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol (TIPS): Nine different programs are available depending on the situation;
  • ServSafe Alcohol: Sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (can be done online);
  • Serving Alcohol, Inc.: Offers security training as well (onsite in Wisconsin and Minnesota only);
  • Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM): Endorsed by the National Hospitality Institute offering in-person and online training; and
  • Alcohol Safety Institute of America: An online training program.

This is an excerpt from a Liquor Liability primer run on MyNewMarkets.com earlier this year.