The BARS Program Blog Page 2>

Across the country, loosened liquor laws and expanded to-go options have potential to reign constant among long-term societal changes brought upon by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Intended as triage for collapsing revenue streams, the novel practices bring with them prerequisites that solicit wide-spread surveillance by regulatory and enforcement agencies. Traditional compliance standards of server and bartender training, scrutiny of photo IDs and refusal of service among intoxicated patrons is now joined with state-specified conformity of to-go... Read More

Inflation affects an entire country s economy, from big purchases, including homes and cars; to daily expenditures, such as food and gasoline. Not immune are financial penalties for violating federal, state and local regulations. Known as Civil Money Penalties (CMPs) and managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), monetary fines issued against retailers in violation of federal tobacco regulations increased 17% in March. The current maximum amount by frequency of violation... Read More

The National Restaurant Association is in the business of much more than just serving food. Together with ServSafe, the two outfits established the ServSafe Dining Commitment in 2020, to showcase devotion to the health and safety of restaurant employees and patrons. At its core, the program is designed to stay on top of ever-changing regulatory requirements for each state. And as customers return to pre-pandemic patterns of life, including dining out, it s the program... Read More

Though it remains illegal at the federal level, a sweeping majority of U.S. states and territories have legalized marijuana for adult recreational-use and/or medicinal usage with qualifying criteria. Last year, the recreational cannabis market hit nearly $15 billion; 1 by some accounts, that industry is on target to surpass $40 billion in revenue by 2026. 2 As for the global medical cannabis market, it reached a value of $26.1 billion in 2021. 3 Marijuana by... Read More

Advances in smartphone technology continue to alter traditional ways of life. From our phones, we make retail purchases, cue our home thermostats and prioritize our days. Adding to surmounting smartphone capabilities, nearly a quarter of all 50 states now allow digital proof of identity, age and address, wherever physical driver licenses and other state-issued IDs are required. Louisiana stakes its claim as the first state to develop and deploy digital state-issued drivers licenses with the... Read More

Finding qualified employees to fill positions at the front of the house, back of the house and everywhere in between is a conundrum plaguing bars and restaurants at present time. As the proverbial door revolves back and forth, the National Restaurant Association reports slow Q1 job-growth right alongside elevated hires and increased departures during the same period of time. Put simply, a sizable number of employees are leaving a job at one restaurant only to... Read More

When it comes to serving alcohol, training requirements are anything but consistent across state lines. Several states require training and proof of completion; others make training completely voluntary; and yet some have no requirements whatsoever. California is one state that requires training. It s Responsible Beverage Service Training was recently amended to mandate that the state s estimated 1M servers take and complete valid training by August 2022; all future hires must complete the training... Read More