By Noah Rue, Contributor

Across the U.S., bars, pubs, and similar venues are in jeopardy. As a result of the widespread closures and indoor dining bans implemented since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of America’s bars will never re-open. Bar owners who remain afloat during the pandemic have had to incur hefty financial losses, and the recovery process could take years.

Bartenders have been especially hard hit in regards to job loss stemming from COVID-related closures. Since the early days of the virus, hospitality industry leaders worked to actively support the nation’s more than 644,000 bartenders, as well as the venues that employ them. Unemployed bartenders have even resorted to asking for donations from loyal patrons to make ends meet.

Yet protecting restaurant employees and guests from COVID isn’t the sole responsibility of business owners and staff. Everyone must do their part for the sake of public health, and guest responsibility is a crucial part of the process. Even if you’re vigilant about employee safety protocols such as mask mandates and encouraging sick employees to stay home, your efforts could be all for naught if your guests don’t respect the guiding principles of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designed to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 & Bars: What’s at Stake?

What’s at stake with bars being open during COVID-19

The unfortunate reality is that bars are one of the riskiest places for COVID-19 transmission. In fact, a team of 27 epidemiologists determined that bars are “tied with jails as the riskiest place to contract the new coronavirus,” reports Healthline. Bars pose such a dire threat to public health because patrons are likely to spend a prolonged period of time near people not in one’s household or pod.

Alcohol consumption only serves to increase the types of risky behaviors that leads to increased virus transmission. As a business owner, you need to be keenly aware of the specific factors that may lead to increased cases, and understand the potential consequences of reopening. It’s important to balance your economic concerns with those related to public health.

As for your restaurant’s patrons, it’s perfectly acceptable to implement strict policies aimed at reducing transmission, especially if non-compliance could lead to your business being shut down. For instance, you must adhere to any state or local mandates regarding seating capacity and social distancing. It’s also prudent to ensure that no one enters your bar without a mask or similar face covering, including your staff. So be sure to keep up with local restrictions and regulations.

Tips & Tactics for Bar Owners & Staff

Tips for bars & bartenders dealing with COVID-19 business issues.

In the name of staying afloat, some bar and restaurant owners are opting for mindful redesigns that promote social distancing, with an emphasis on outdoor dining. In some states, however, the recent nationwide surge of COVID-19 cases has led to the rollback of reopening procedures. As a result, some savvy bar and restaurant owners are pushing back — by heading to the courtroom.

Outside of Chicago, for example, several venue owners have filed suit against Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who implemented an expanded indoor dining ban in early-November. The order, issued as part of Gov. Pritzker’s 30-day statewide emergency declaration, compromises the livelihood of bar owners and employees alike, according to the lawsuit. Additionally, indoor dining bans are also touted as harmful to bars patrons, who may “need a place to go to have some normalcy in their lives.”

Switching many of your services to curbside and delivery is one of the best ways to keep your business going right now. Creating kits for your regulars to make their favorite pub grub and cocktails can boost interest in not only your bar and its wares but also your staff as customers learn what goes into creating your masterpieces. If it’s easier and cheaper, contract the delivery out to a service that will bring all the ingredients — sans the alcohol — to your customers. Some states have even rolled back alcohol delivery restrictions, opening a new line of revenue stream for restaurants & bars in the form of alcohol to-go programs.

Has your marketing taken a hit during COVID? Time to think visually, if you aren’t already. Is your mixologist particularly adept at trick pours? Go retro and bring back the late ‘80s Cocktail vibes with videos showcasing your bartenders’ skills at mixing. If your bar wants to showcase something else in its marketing, take a look at offering videos that teach old school cocktail making. Who doesn’t need to know how to make an Old Fashioned -- especially with winter rolling in? Use your Cocktails 101 video to tease the newest twist on the Old Fashioned you’re serving at the bar.

Cultivating normalcy in these turbulent times is likely to be of paramount importance to your staff as well, so remain as transparent as possible as you continue to navigate the waters of COVID-19. If you’ve crunched the numbers and decided that downsizing is your best bet for survival, you should share that information with your staff promptly. Organizational downsizing may involve cutting employee hours and/or pay or eliminating certain positions altogether. Consider offering your employees severance pay or exit incentives in the event of any major organizational transition.

There are also numerous restaurant employee relief funds that you and your staff should consider, if it comes time.

The Importance of Guest Responsibility

Bar patrons need to do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Whether you resort to downsizing or you’re able to retain your employees in some capacity, you must also be ready to lead by example. Your guests are more likely to comply with local mandates if they observe the same behavior among your staff. What’s more, implementing a zero-tolerance policy among guests who don’t respect social distancing or similar rules can go a long way in ensuring that your staff and guests stay safe, and your business stays open.

As previously mentioned, much of humanity longs for a return to the normalcy of social experiences and lively conversation over drinks. Yet the national bar scene still has a long way to go on the journey towards something resembling traditional operations. For now, guest behavior is just as important as a bar owner’s safe reopening plan.

Key Takeaways

From nightclubs to dives and sports bars, the national scene in late 2020 looks very different from the previous fiscal year. Take-out alcohol service is becoming an industry standard, for starters, and seating options are more diverse than ever. To stay afloat in a world forever changed by the novel coronavirus, bar owners must be complicit as well as creative and encourage their guests to do the same.