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For Bars

Home  |  Making the Switch  |  Get Help

Ready to go smoke free? Or at least give it a trial run? We can help make the transition smooth. We have tips on making a plan, promoting your business and involving key players. Click on the below links to learn more.

Make a Plan

The following checklist is a guide to assist you in taking the necessary steps in going smoke free.

PRE-PLANNING

  • Contact your local Public Health Department for personalized assistance.

ASSESSING CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE RESPONSE

  • Call your local Public Health Department to request a copy of the customer assessment questionnaire.
  • Complete customer assessment with help from public health staff.
  • Complete employee assessment.
  • Review employee feedback.

ASSESSING THE FINANCIAL IMPACT

  • Read the financial pros and cons list.

TIMETABLE FOR MAKING THE SWITCH

  • Make decision to go smoke free.
  • Pick a day to go smoke free.
  • Read the planning suggestions.
  • Use the promotional ideas.

EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF GOING SMOKE FREE

  • Calculate the financial impact of smoke-free policy on your business.
  • Get involved in policy making. Click here to learn how.
  • Keep track of your sales. Compare the same months from before and after you establish a smoke-free policy.
  • Add up the total number of months and average the sales rung per month. Then, compare the average difference between the smoke free and the comparison revenues.
  • Adjust for price changes, if applicable.
  • To get a better idea of financial impact, keep track of revenue over multiple months.
  • Give the smoke-free policy a chance to get a reputation (e.g., to spread by word of mouth or advertising).

Assessing Customer and Employee Responses

The most important people to involve in this decision are your customers, your employees and your business partners. Your neighbors also play a role — don’t forget them!

CUSTOMERS

They have the most important input. It is crucial to know how customers feel about your bar going smoke free. Knowing what percentage of your customers are smokers and how they feel about smoke-free policies is integral.

As a bar owner, you may want to get a better feel for the reaction your patrons will have to a smoke-free policy. An informal discussion with clientele is one approach. And, if you’re interested in conducting a patron survey, Tobacco Prevention is glad to help.

EMPLOYEES

Employees are the ones who have to work in a smoky environment. Find out what they feel and how strongly they feel about a smoke-free policy. Talk with them or give them a questionnaire to fill out. Sometimes people answer more honestly when they know their name won’t be attached to their answers. You could place the questionnaire in paycheck envelopes or distribute it at a meeting.

Click here for a sample employee questionnaire.

NEIGHBORS

When you plan to go smoke free, contact your neighbors. Give them your contact information, and ask them to notify you if there is a problem with noise levels. Work with neighbors to designate a smoking area that will satisfy your customers and the neighborhood without any intervention from law enforcement.

Weighing the Financial Pros and Cons

Only you can weigh the financial pros and the cons of your business going smoke free. Here are some factors to consider:

$ Gained:

  • Projected number of customers who will start coming because of smoke-free policy
  • Money saved in cleaning and repair costs due to secondhand smoke
  • Sick time/absenteeism savings
  • Ventilation costs
  • Avoided liability costs
  • Business insurance (fire insurance)
  • Less time cleaning ashtrays, more time selling drinks
  • Potential liability costs

$ Lost:

  • Percentage of smoking customers who will leave if there is a smoke-free policy
  • Tobacco industry incentives

Click here to calculate the financial impact of going smoke free.
(pdf - 14K)

Workers’ Rights

Smoke-free workplace policies are a workers’ rights issue. Many people feel that bar workers should have the same protection from secondhand smoke that the Washington State Clean Indoor Air Act requires for other employees.

This lack of equal protection can have negative health consequences. A study showed that bartenders have about a 50% higher death rate than all other workers for lung cancer, heart disease and overall mortality, even after adjusting for smoking use, alcohol consumption, and socioeconomic status [5].

WHAT BARTENDERS SAY ABOUT SECONDHAND SMOKE

Bartenders are the best source of information about what it is like to breathe secondhand smoke at work. The quotes that appear in the sidebar were gathered by B.R.E.A.T.H.E. (Bar and Restaurant Employees Advocating Together for a Healthy—smoke free—Environment) in New York City before the state went smoke free

Promoting Your Business Once You Go Smoke Free

You can draw attention to going smoke free and encourage new customers by promoting special events or nights. Here are some ideas are:

  • Smoke-free day of the week; offer drink specials to encourage new customers
  • Try a smoke-free night for the Great American Smoke-Out (Third week of November)
  • Smoke-free charity event; invite a charity to host a fundraiser at your bar
  • Smoke-free holiday theme for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, or New Year’s Eve
  • Smoke-free happy hours with drink specials
  • Smoke-free sports event like a football, basketball, baseball, soccer, or hockey game
  • Smoke-free wine night with wine specials

Success Stories

Photo of Bar Owner

Since going smoke free the Whistle Stop Ale House has attracted quality staff and loyal customers. Their bottom line increased by 40 percent in the first six months after they made the switch.
Read my story »
Read all stories »

Membership

Join the many others who have successfully made the smoke free switch and become a member of the Seattle Smoke Free Coalition.
Read about the benefits of
membership »