One of the many questions that face anyone opening a food service business is whether or not they should serve alcoholic beverages. Once the decision is made, there are a couple of things you must do before serving the drinks on your premises, which involves budgeting, planning, preparation and paperwork. If you are having a difficult time making a decision on whether or not to sell alcoholic beverages, you might find it beneficial to look over the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. 

• When it comes to serving drinks you can find many benefits. One of the biggest benefits is the amount of profit that the sales can bring in. Depending on what drinks you serve, you may see a substantial portion of your profits come from the alcohol sales alone. This can be quite enticing, especially to a business that is starting out and struggling to see a profit. Drinks sell well at competitive prices. The amount you make during regular services might even allow you to offer discounted prices during off-peak hours.
• Another benefit to selling alcohol is that you are attracting customers that may have gone elsewhere. Many people enjoy a good drink with their meal. Some enjoy drinks after work. These customers will find a place they enjoy that offers what they need. If you cannot meet their needs, they will move on to someone who can.
• Selling alcohol has its disadvantages as well. From the beginning it can seem daunting. You will be required to obtain a liquor license, and depending on where you are located, that could be a lengthy and costly process. The regulations to get a license are quite strict and you must adhere to them long after your license is granted. In some areas, you will need a separate license for each type of alcoholic beverage you sell. There are also some places where licenses are limited and if they have maxed their limits, then you will have to wait until a license becomes available. All of this can make it difficult to even start the process of serving drinks.
• You must ensure that you have the proper equipment, supplies and staff for the drinks you are planning on serving which will add costs to your budget. You'll need more than just the liquor, wine and beer. You can't serve alcohol without the equipment needed to serve and mix the drinks. In addition, you will need anything that will have to be added to the drinks.  The staff you have must be trained in all drinks you offer on your menu. If they will be physically serving the drinks, do not forget that they must be 21 years and up to legally serve alcohol.
• When you sell alcohol you will be required to look at identification for every customer. You need to ensure that they are of legal age and the identification is valid. Failure to do so can result in drastic consequences. If you serve alcohol to somebody who is underage, you could receive fines, lose your license to serve alcohol, and possibly have your business shut down.

In the end, you may find that the profit margin and benefits make the disadvantages of serving drinks worthwhile. If you choose to do so, take the time to make the drinks match the theme and food of your business. This will keep customers coming back for the experience they can only receive at your establishment.

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