Serving alcohol at sponsored events such as fundraisers comes with inherent risks.
Here are ten ways to reduce your liquor liability exposure:
- Hire a licensed and insured vendor to serve the alcohol and obtain a certificate of insurance naming your organization as an “Additional Insured” for the event.
- Pass out a pre-determined number of drink tickets per person. This will help to limit the number of drinks any one person could consume.
- Hire an off-duty officer to oversee your event.
- Serve food! Adequate amounts of food slow down the effects of alcohol. If you are selling alcohol, keep the drinks moderately or above moderately priced. Low priced alcohol means more alcohol consumption per person.
- Stop serving drinks early.
- Offer non-alcoholic drinks for free.
- Hold the event earlier in the day to discourage excessive drinking.
- Pass out taxi cab phone numbers to all guests encouraging them to call a cab service if they feel like they shouldn’t drive.
- Have a policy for intoxicated guests. This can be touchy and must be handled tactfully. An intoxicated VIP may prove to be a challenge.
- It would be in the best interest of the organization to only allow adults over 21 years of age in the same room where alcohol is being served.
