Food safety is an important consideration for restaurant owners and a primary source of food and product liability. The potential for food poisoning, contamination, spoilage and allergic reactions is ever present, making continued customer safety a challenge. In the event that one of your customers becomes ill due to your food or accidently ingests a foreign object found in one of your menu items, your restaurant could face legal ramifications and suffer irreversible reputational damage.

Lawsuits related to liquor liability are filed each day, and it’s increasingly common for victims and their families to file suits against restaurants for their role in serving a customer who is then involved in an alcohol-related accident. Making matters worse, all it takes is a single liquor liability claim to put your entire business at risk. Liquor liability exposures for restaurant owners can stem from selling liquor to underage individuals, overserving patrons and non-compliance with applicable legislation.

Continuity is critical in business, and there are few things more important than continuous revenue and cash flow, particularly for small to medium-sized organizations. In fact, just one brief business interruption can be incredibly costly for an organization, often leading to serious reputational damages or long-term closures. Common interruptions for restaurants can include natural disasters, fires, food recalls, cyber events, staff shortages and supplier issues.

Restaurants are a common target for cyber criminals, as these businesses often process a high volume of credit and debit card information. In addition, employees who are improperly trained on computer and data safety could put your organization at risk to ransomware, viruses, phishing scams and malware. Compounding your exposures, many restaurants offer guest Wi-Fi that, if improperly secured, can put you and your guests at risk of an attack.

Depending on the services your restaurant offers, employees may be required to operate a vehicle on behalf of your business, creating automobile exposures in the process. While important for daily operations, the improper use of a vehicle can lead to potential accidents and major insurance claims. What’s more, if you allow employees to use their own vehicles for work, standard auto policies are often not enough. Additionally, providing valet parking can also create unforeseen challenges should a customer’s vehicle get damaged.

On-the-job accidents at restaurants can lead to costly workers’ compensation claims. Complicating matters, there are a number of risks to account for, including cuts and burns; slips, trips and falls; ergonomic-related hazards; workplace violence; and drive-thru exposures. Things like improper lifting techniques, poor knife safety and inadequate training can all cause your employees to suffer an injury on the job—disrupting your business and negatively impacting your bottom line.