Pizza and beer go together like peanut butter and jelly, but the benefits aren’t limited to customer enjoyment. Adding happy hour pizza to your menu can protect your bar or restaurant from liquor liability. Serving discounted drinks to patrons will certainly keep them in the building longer—but if they’re overserved and get into an accident later, your business could be harmed.

Here’s how adding Giovanni’s Frozen Pizzas to your happy hour lineup can ensure everyone stays safe and happy.

Happy hours and liquor liability

Happy hours are designed to get customers in the door, and then keep them there for a few hours. In fact, if your bar or tavern promotes happy hour pricing on drinks, your business might be perceived as encouraging patrons to drink more in a short period of time. If you’re accused of overserving patrons, this could be used in court to show a pattern of encouraging people to drink more alcohol.

Why is this bad? In 38 states, bars or bartenders who serve liquor to an obviously intoxicated (or close to it) person can be held strictly liable if that person gets behind the wheel and causes an accident. If you live in a strict liability state, you’ve undoubtedly trained your bartenders to recognize when someone is close to their limit, but that’s not foolproof. Owners of establishments that serve liquor, but don’t have full kitchen service late into the evening, may increase their potential liability.

The solution? Just add pizza

There’s an easy solution to strict liability liquor laws: add Giovanni’s Frozen Pizzas to your menu. When your happy hour or last call special focuses on food and snacks, you’re establishing a pattern of encouraging customers to come in for something to eat. Not only will you limit your liability, but you’ll also provide a safe spot for hungry customers to sober up—with delicious food, of course.

Being a responsible bar owner means you have to consider your patrons and the general public just as much as limiting your happy hour liability. Training your servers to closely monitor a customer’s state of inebriation, as well as promoting and encouraging food consumption, isn’t just a safety-focused idea. It’s good business, and will establish you as a conscientious community business owner.

Giovanni’s Premium Frozen Pizza is the perfect food offering in your bar or tavern. Because it’s single serve and ready to bake, it’s a simple solution for a food offering, right up until the end of your establishment’s open hours. As long as your happy hour or late-night staff can operate an oven, they can serve hot, delicious pizza to your customers. Who knew happy hour pizza could do so much to limit your happy hour liability?

Get your frozen pizzas today

Giovanni’s Frozen Pizza is happy to provide tasty pizza at affordable prices. We offer unique flavors, great ingredients and plenty of toppings to keep your customers satisfied. Reach out to us today to place your order and start expanding your happy hour menu!