Valentine’s Day is a day for love, socializing and romance. One industry that will see a lot of business at this special time of year is the restaurant business. 
Often, restaurants plan in special events on Valentine’s Day. Each unique accommodation comes with certain dangers and hazards. As your restaurant prepares for this special evening, remember your operating risks.
Common Valentine’s Day Hazards in Your Business
Think of some of the hazards that might develop in your restaurant when Valentine’s Day rolls around:
- An increase in patronage might lead to overcrowding. This could put a strain on your staff to serve customers safely and expediently. Overcrowding could also violate health and safety codes, making the business unsafe.
- You might use special decorations, such as table cloths or lit candles. Think about the risks associated with these items. The table cloths might pose fall risks if someone trips on one. The candles might pose fire risks. Any special decoration could prove harmful in the right situation.
- Special menu items or normal fare might prove harmful to customers. Unsanitary buffets pose a lot of germ transfer risks. An inexperienced chef might incorrectly cook a special item. Food-born contaminants pose illness risks that could become very serious if not controlled.
- Valentine’s Day often leads to increased alcohol consumption by diners. Intoxicated customers might prove dangerous to themselves and to others.
- These hazards could impact your business any day of the week, not just on Valentine’s Day. However, always recognize how risks change and grow on special days.
Preventing Valentine’s Day Hazards
As Valentine’s Day approaches, you can go a long way towards ensuring your customers’ safety.
- Enforce all local sanitation and alcohol service codes. Remember, to continue serving intoxicated customers, or to provide poorly-prepared food, puts you and the customer in harm’s way.
- Have enough staff on hand to maintain the flow of customers. A fully-staffed business can ensure that customers receive good service, and that occupancy stays within range.
- If customers complain of problems with the food or other experiences, immediately investigate. Stop service as necessary. Give the customer accommodations or reassurances as appropriate.
- Survey your kitchen, dining room or other areas for potential hazards to customers. Keep flames covered and walkways clear. Shut off any areas that pose immediate threats of danger.
Restaurant insurance can help you recoup from losses related to Valentine's Day. It can also help you compensate customers injured from an unpreventable accident. Nevertheless, do everything you can to avoid these accidents in the first place. Not having the accident is always better than having to recover. For more information on restaurant insurance, contact our agents at 708.423.2350.
Also check out: Protecting the Food in Your Illinois Restaurant and Equipment Breakdown Coverage for Your Restaurant