In the wake of Sunday's highly anticipated football game, San Antonio bar staff played defense in the battle against drunk driving, diligently working to ensure their patrons got home without the added risk of a DWI arrest. According to a report by FOX San Antonio, local establishments like Mad Dogs British Pub and Lucy Cooper's Ice House implemented strict measures to monitor and prevent overconsumption of alcohol during the game festivities.
On what usually marks a high point in DWI arrests due to large gatherings and celebrations, total vigilance was the play called by bar staff, patrons, like one Lenard Hopkins from Illinois, planned ahead, affirming, "We just won't drive, just say no, We’ll take Uber or walk back to the hotel," Hopkins and his friends, understanding the gravity of responsible drinking, had their strategy set before their first sip, according to the same FOX San Antonio coverage.
Eva Sandoval, a manager at Mad Dog’s British Pub, outlined her bar’s approach to safe service, indicating that every pour of alcohol was measured and signs of intoxication were closely monitored, stating, "Slurred speech, bloodshot eyes if they’re spilling drinks, of course not getting loud because we want everyone to get loud for the Super Bowl but those are some of the things we look for," her comments were documented by FOX San Antonio.
Meanwhile at Lucy Cooper's Ice House, owner Braunda Smith disclosed that her staff conducted regular audits on customer tabs to maintain a close watch on alcohol consumption; she explained, "The managers on staff will go through and open up tabs to do audits and see who’s drinking what, how much they’re drinking, that way there are multiple eyes that are accountable for what's being served to patrons," which was related in the same FOX San Antonio report.
These precautionary tales echo across the city as outlined in a brief by Navbug, which confirms that various San Antonio bars were on a mission to curb overindulgence among game day patrons, a critical effort following the city's distinction as one of the top 10 cities for DWI arrests in 2022 and a recent surge in such arrests over Thanksgiving week 2023. San Antonio's bar staff seem to have huddled around a common goal: keeping their patrons, and the streets, safe on one of the biggest nights for sports and drinking.
