Char Restaurant and Bar Crisis Communication Plan - Appalachian ...

Char Restaurant and Bar
Crisis Communication Plan
By Cam Rogers, Josie Wood, and Lauren McCarthy
Last Updated 12/7/2012

Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Executive Summary 2
Introduction to Char and Communications
Crisis Team’s Purpose and Mission 3
Char’s Values and Vision 3
Role of Communication at Char 4
Introduction to Crisis Communication Plan
Purpose and Objective of Crisis Plan 5
Char’s Organizational Policies 6
Past Crises and Potential Crises 8
Probability Table of Crises 9
List of Prodromes 10
Procedures for Handling Minor and Major Crises 11
Crisis Plan for Underage Drinking Accident
Stakeholders and Publics #
Primary and Secondary Publics and Research #
Organizational Chart #
Crisis Communication Team Members and Responsibilities #
Best Practices for Media Relations and Spokespeople #
Contact Information for Emergency Personnel and Local Officials #
Media List #
Spokespersons for Related Organizations and Guidelines #
Crisis Communication Control Center #
Strategies, Tactics, and Timeline #
Best Practices for Implementation #
Website and Social Media Information #
System for Contacting Publics #
Key Messages #
Important Documents
Fact Sheet #
Press Release #
Company Information #
Templates
Inquiries #
Press Releases #
Fact Sheet #
Crisis Statement to Media #

Crisis Statement to Employees #
Sample News Release #
Potential Media Questions #

Introduction
The following crisis communication plan includes important information that may be
needed in the event of a crisis. This plan outlines all basic company information, crisis
team information, goals of the crisis plan, and relevant policies and procedures. It also
includes important documents such as sample news releases, fact sheets, press releases,
potential media questions, and templates for all of these documents. This crisis plan also
includes a specific plan which only applies to a hypothetical accident in which a security
guard accepts a bribe from an underage drinker who drives under the influence of alcohol
and harms a pedestrian. This hypothetical crisis includes a plan and specific documents
and statements that would handle that crisis. This crisis situation can serve as an example
for future crises and their handling.

Executive Summary
The following report begins by stating the crisis team’s mission: to accurately and
appropriately represent Char in the face of a crisis in a timely manner. The plan also
explains Char’s vision and values, as well as the role of communication in the organization.
The second section of the plan goes more into detail about the goal of the crisis plan,
communication policies and policies regarding Char “After Hours,” and possible crises.
Included is a table that lists the most probable crises and rates the damage each crises
could cause to the company. The crises include fire, disorderly customers, underage
drinkers, employee safety hazards, food related illnesses, and robbery. A list of prodromes
is also provided so that employees know what to lookout for in order to prevent a crisis
from happening. A list of procedures for handling minor and major crises is also provided,
and always begins with contacting Colton Lenz or appropriate emergency personnel.
The third section of the document relates more to a hypothetical crisis in which a security
guard accepts a bribe from an underage customer who leaves the bar intoxicated and
ends up harming a pedestrian while driving down King Street in Boone. In this section there
is a list of primary and secondary publics, a list of the employees on the crisis team, and
lists of emergency personnel and key media. The rest of the section lists specific
strategies and systems for contacting publics. In the event of this crisis, our key messages
would involve expressing empathy to the victims and their families, stating the facts of what
happened, admitting responsibility, and making a statement of commitment to find ways to
decrease drunk driving in Boone by potentially making a partnership with Appalcart or Safe
Ride.
The last section of the document includes important documents that would be needed in
the event of a crisis, such as:
● fact sheets
● press releases
● company information
● menus
● press release templates
● fact sheets
The goal of this document is to make it easier for the crisis team to be prepared and
respond quickly in the event of a crisis.

Crisis Team’s Purpose and Mission
The Crisis Team at Char has many responsibilities. The team’s mission is to accurately
and appropriately represent Char and its values to all stakeholders in the face of a crisis.
The team’s main goals are as follows:
●
●
●
●
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●
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Prepare plans and policies for possible crises
Detect crises as soon as possible
Gather accurate information about crises quickly and stay informed throughout the
duration of the crises
Release accurate and relevant information or respond to media attention in a timely
manner
Determine the best appropriate action for Char at the time of the crisis and keep
stakeholders informed of that action
Determine appropriate ways to rebuild reputation should it be damaged in the event
of a crisis
Evaluate past crisis and find ways to improve Char’s crisis plan and try to prevent
crises from occurring
Char’s Values and Vision
Char’s first priority is our employees. Char strives to provide a clean, friendly, and well
organized work environment for all employees. Char also strives to keep the staff well
trained on current policies and procedures.
Once we have ensured that our employees are well taken care of, we provide phenomenal
customer service to our guests. We strive to provide our customers with quality food and
service, as well as a comfortable and fun atmosphere.
Char also strives to be honest and transparent about all of the practices of the organization.
Char would like to maintain a good relationship with the Boone community and provide a
welcoming and comfortable dining experience to tourists and locals.

Role of Communication at Char
Internal Communication
At Char, the roles of internal communications are to train the employees, keep employees
updated on any new or changing information about the organization, and to make sure that
all employees understand the vision and values of our organization. Char strives to keep
the lines of communication clear, so that all employees feel comfortable talking with the
managers, security, and owners about any necessary information regarding the restaurant
and bar. We will keep all of our communications as open and honest as possible.
External Communication
External communications include our communication with the public via press releases,
local or regional media, social media, our website, etc. The role of Char’s external
communications is to promote or advertise the restaurant and bar and inform of updates,
crises, or changes. The goal of our external communication is to promote a positive image
of Char in the Boone community.

Purpose and Objective of Crisis Plan
This crisis communication plan should help the organization effectively manage
communications to respond and resolve a crisis, and to maintain a reputation of
transparency, quality food and service, and care and respect for our employees and
customers.
When speaking to the public or to the media, Char will only release information that is
accurate and factual, or messages that are true to Char’s Values and Vision. When
responding to a crisis, communications should be responsive to the situation and should
include actions that are being taken to solve the crisis.
This crisis communication plan is meant to help the organization and crisis team
● respond to a crisis as quickly as possible
● respond with clearly defined, unified messages to reinforce Char’s reputation of
transparency
● improve or maintain the public’s understanding of the organization and its values
● administer important information to the employees, media, and public
This plan also includes documents that can be used in the event of a crisis such as fact
sheets, company information, press releases, statements to media and employees, and
potential media questions. There are also templates for press releases, fact sheets, and
inquiries so that the crisis team can respond more quickly to the public in the event of a
crisis.

Char’s Organizational Policies
Crisis Communication Policy
If any employee detects a prodrome or suspects a crisis in the organization, the employee
must contact Colton Lenz as soon as possible. Colton or the crisis team should decide
together what other emergency personnel or local officials should be contacted. However, if
the crisis could cause immediate danger or harm to anyone, the employee should call 911
immediately. Please refer to the “Procedures for Handling Minor and Major Crises” for
more information.
College Night Policies
On “College Night,” it is the responsibility of the security guards (from Praetorians Inc.) to
check everyone’s ID before they are let into the restaurant. Anyone who wishes to consume
alcohol must get a wristband that indicates that they are 21 or older.
If a person cannot provide identification, the identification does not look real, or if
the ID states that the person is under the age of 21, they are not to be given a
wristband or allowed to consume alcohol under any circumstances. Any
employee who does not uphold this policy is breaking the law and risks being
arrested, as well as losing his or her job. Please refer to the “Fake ID Policy” below if
the customer presents a fake identification card.
Servers and bartenders should not serve alcohol to anyone who is not wearing a wristband
and should ask to see the customer’s ID if they suspect that the customer is not of legal
drinking age.
Policy Regarding Intoxicated Customers
Servers and bartenders should stop serving alcohol to any customer who appears to be
intoxicated to a dangerous level, is disruptive or violent, or acts inappropriately toward
employees or customers. Servers and bartenders should consult the security guards on
duty if they need assistance with a disorderly customer, or if a customer needs to be asked
to leave. In case of an emergency, employees should contact Boone police.
After Hours Policies

During “After Hours” on all nights other than College Night, customers must present
identification which proves that they are over the age of 21. Anyone who is not able to
produce an ID will not be allowed into the restaurant. Should a customer presents a fake
identification card, please refer to the “Fake ID Policy” listed below.
Any employee who allows a person under the legal drinking age into the restaurant or
serves alcohol to an underage customer risks their job, and possibly being arrested.
Fake ID Policy
If any employee suspects that a customer is attempting to use a fake identification card in
order to consume alcohol, the employee should contact Boone Police and note the
customer’s real and false name so that the customer will not be able to commit the crime
again.

Past and Potential Crises
Past Crises
“Roofies suspected after student is hospitalized”
Reported October 10, 2011 by The Appalachian
Two female ASU students blacked out, became very ill, and were hospitalized after
drinking about four drinks each at Char. One girl was admitted to the hospital while she
was unconscious. The Appalachian was the only source to report the incident. No blame
was ever put on Char; it was suspected that a predator at the bar was responsible for the
incident. The report said that security would be increased, but the incident did not appear
to affect Char’s reputation.
“Drunk man accused of assaulting an officer”
Reported by WCNC on January 20, 2012
A man was arrested outside of Char on many charges including “assaulting a government
official, obstructing a law enforcement officer, assault on a female, damage to property,
and being drunk and disruptive.” Char was not blamed for the incident and it did not appear
to harm the organization’s reputation.
Potential Crises
In any restaurant, there is always a risk of food contamination, or causing a food­related
illness.
Employee safety can be a concern if an employee gets hurt while using or carrying
cooking equipment.
Because the food in restaurants is cooked at high temperatures, there is always a risk of a
fire.
At any establishment that serves alcohol, there are many possible risks. Underage drinking
is a huge concern, as well as customers becoming inebriated and causing harm to
themselves or others.
In any establishment that accepts cash, there is always a risk of robbery or larceny by

people inside or outside the establishment.

Probability Table of Crises at Char
The table below illustrates the probability of the potential crises discussed on the previous
page, as well as the amount of damage the crises could cause the organization. The
probability and damage are rated from 1 to 5, 1 being the least likely or the least
damaging, 5 being the most likely or the most damaging.
Crisis
Probability
(1­5)
Damage
(1­5)
Food Contamination or
Foodborne Illness
2 4
Employee Safety Hazards 2 4
Robbery or Larceny 2 3
Underage Drinking 3 5
Disorderly Customers 4 2
Fire 4 1­5

Prodromes
Prodromes are warning signs that a crisis is likely to occur in the near future. Below is a list
of prodromes to lookout for. Some crises do not have clear prodromes, so this list only
covers things that are likely to signal a crisis before it occurs.
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Negative Reviews or Comments from Social Media
Negative comments about Char may appear on local restaurant review websites, on
Char’s facebook or twitter accounts, or on other websites. Char employees should
also take note if anyone should make a post stating that they “snuck in” or used a
fake ID to get into Char.
Reviews from Local Media
Sometimes the local media or ASU student media will review restaurants and bars
in the area. Char employees should be aware of any negative comments about
Char.
Customers Driving to Char
Employees, specifically security guards should attempt to monitor which customers
drive to Char at night to make sure that they do not attempt to drink and drive.
Although it is ultimately the customer’s responsibility to get home safely, Char is
dedicated to helping to ensure the safety of our customers and the community.
Should an employee notice an increase in customers driving to Char at night,
security should monitor the parking lot more closely to ensure that a crisis does not
occur.
Failure to Uphold Char’s Policies
If any employee should see another employee breaking any of Char’s policies, he or
she should contact Colton Lenz as soon as possible. Breaking any of Char’s
policies could lead to a crisis for the organization, and should be avoided.
Customers Using Fake ID’s
If any employee notes that any customer is attempting to use a fake identification
card, the employee should contact Boone police and note the customer’s real and
false name so that the customer will not be able to commit the crime again. If a fake
ID is not noted, the customer could cause a crisis to the organization.
Complaints of Illnesses
If Char should receive complaints of illnesses after customers eat at the restaurant,

the employee should immediately contact Colton Lenz. If several complaints come
in, the crisis team should assemble and determine the best plan of action.
Procedures for Handling Minor and Major Crises
Minor Crises
1. Contact Colton Lenz and describe the prodromes or crises to him.
2. Colton will determine whether or not to assemble the crisis team.
3. Colton or the crisis team will determine how to resolve the situation and decide whether
or not the situation calls for a press release.
4. If the situation calls for it, the crisis team will create a plan to rebuild the company
reputation and correct any mistakes that were that caused the crises.
Major Crises
1. Anyone present during the crisis should contact emergency personnel or the Boone
police if the crisis could cause immediate danger or harm.
2. Employees should contact Colton Lenz and describe the situation to him. Colton will
then decide if the restaurant should close or remain open.
3. The crisis team should meet either at the restaurant or at Colton’s residence.
4. The crisis team should determine what immediate action should be taken.
5. At least one person on the crisis team should monitor the situation and see what
reports come in from local media and social media.
6. After the immediate action has been taken, the crisis team should decide if legal action
needs to be taken and what other image restoration actions should be taken.
7. The crisis team should put make sure that the legal actions and image restoration
actions get done in a timely manner.
8. After the crisis, the team should review the crisis and evaluate how the organization
responded and determine if anything should have been done differently.

Stakeholders
●
Char Customers
● Char Management
● Praetorians Inc.
● Char Employees
Publics
● King Street Businesses
● King Street Residents
● Boone Residents
● ASU Students

Primary Publics
● Praetorians Inc.
● Victim(s) of Crisis
● Char Employees
● Boone Police
Secondary Publics
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Families of Victims
Other King Street Establishments
Boone Residents
ASU Students
Watauga Medical Center

Organizational Chart
Colton Lenz
↓
Manager on Duty
↓
Security Manager
↓
Security Staff
↓
Police
↓
Restaurant Staff

Crisis Communication Team
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Colton Lenz­ will serve as spokesman as well as making sure victims of families
involved have as much access to their loved ones as possible. As the Owner of
Char he makes all final decisions from media relations to press releases. Nothing is
done during the handling of a crisis without his say so.
Head of Praetorians Inc. ­ will serve as a constant contact with the police letting
them know of any new information and vice versa.
Night Manager on Duty­ their main job will serve as the monitor of social media.
Checking Facebook and Twitter and constantly posting updates for our publics.
They will also keep Colton constantly informed on the developing scenario.
Security Staff­ their sole purpose will be to evacuate Char and allow the Crisis
Team to have full realm of resources through the restaurant so that they may be in
constant contact with families and other publics.

Best Practices for Media Relations/Spokesperson
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Always be available to anyone from the media so that we can provide constant
updates on the crisis situation not only so that we keep our publics up to date but to
build good media relations.
Always answer questions honestly when asked by the media whether it is pertaining
to the crisis or not. We need to be as transparent as possible and honesty is a great
step towards that.
Understanding our publics whether they be the college kids on the weekends or the
media personal we interact with is essential to our organization's image and
reputation in the community.
Monitoring social media to make sure no one is slandering us and also to make
sure we haven’t posted anything ill advised that could affect our transparency with
the media.

Emergency Personnel & Contacts
● Mayor Loretta Clawson: 828­268­6200
● Chief of Police Dana Crawford: 828­268­6920
● University Police Chief Gunther Doerr: 828­262­2150
● Chancellor Kenneth Peacock: 828­262­2040
● Watauga Medical Center: (828) 262­4100

Key Media
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http://www.facebook.com/char179?fref=ts
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Char­Bar­after­hours/103485696379961
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Char­Restaurant/126427045039
https://twitter.com/CharRestaurant
● The Appalachian (828) 262­6149
● Watauga Democrat (828) 264­3612
● High Country Press: (828) 264­2262
●
●
WASU
WATA

Crisis Communication Control Center
●
The Control Center will be Char itself after it is evacuated and will have all
necessary essentials to handle any crisis Char is faced with.
Supplies & Equipment
● Copies of Crisis Plan
● Computer with High­Speed Internet Access
● Television
● Landline Phones
● Fire Extinguisher
● Flashlights
● Batteries
● Templates for Press Releases & Crisis Statements
● Generator incase of power outage
● Extension Cords

Specific Strategies and Tactics
Communicate Early, Often, and Fully­ Char will keep all stakeholders and involved
publics informed from the beginning of a crisis until the end, updating the public as new
information becomes available. If no new information becomes available in a timely manor,
Char will let the public know that the risk is still being assessed.
Know The Audience­ Identify who the primary publics in the specific crisis are and use
multiple methods of communication to reach them most effectively.
Image Restoration Theory­ Char must address any possible reputation or organizational
threats from the crisis and work with the public to restore their image. This should be done
through the fifth category of this theory: Mortification (Char confessing and begging
forgiveness).
Excellence Theory­ Through two­way symmetrical communication, Char will maintain a
good relationship with its stakeholders at all times so that in the event of a crisis, the
business will suffer less financial, perceptual and emotional damage.
Mental Noise Approach­ Char will implement no more than three key messages, which
must be repeated frequently.

Timeline and Implementation of Hypothetical Crisis:
November 29, 2012­ 10:45 pm: "College Night" at the bar and an underage student gets
a 21 wristband by paying the bouncer extra money and proceeds to drink until highly
intoxicated.
1:15 am: Student drives home and hits a pedestrian on King Street. They are promptly
arrested and taken to jail for a DUI while the pedestrian is rushed to the hospital. Police
question where the student got alcohol and they say Char. Char is notified immediately.
2:00 am: The bar closes for the night and a staff meeting is held regarding the incident for
staff members working that night to recall events. Security guard who accepted bribe was
promptly fired.
November 30, 2012­ 6:00 am: Press release is sent to all media. ASU Info email is sent
to students.
11:00 am: Press conference held outside Char. All local and regional media invited.
Statement given by Colton Lenz regarding incident.
12:00 pm: Internal meeting with security staff and head security manager of Praetorians
Inc. and all Char employees.
Sunday, December 2, 2012: Restaurant is closed for employee and security staff
retraining on underage drinking policies and procedures.

Best Practices for Implementation
Implementing:
Communicate Early, Often, and Fully­ ASU Info email sent to all students at 8:00 a.m.
on Friday, November 30, 2012. A press release is sent to all relevant media and a press
conference is held less than 24 hours after the crisis.
Know the Audience­ Students, faculty and staff must be notified, as well as all employees
from Char. All King Street businesses should be notified as well, as a secondary public.
Image Restoration Theory­ Char requires all employees and staff of Praetorians, Inc. to
be retrained and brought up to speed on underage policies and procedures. Use
mortification to confess for the breach in security and beg forgiveness from the public.
Advertise to the public the upgrade in security measures and contact media outlets for
interviews about the upgrades.

Website and Social Media Information
Website: www.char179.com
Facebook: Char ­ Bar Afterhours & Char Boone
Login­ char179@live.com
Password­ howardstreet
Twitter: @charrestaurant
Login­ Char179@live.com
Password­ howardstreet
Implementation:
Social Network Contagion Approach­
In order to avoid rumours, the on­duty night manager will tweet directly from the Char
account. After the crisis, he will issue a tweet apologizing and admitting wrong. Tweet:
“Char offers our deepest apologies to those affected, we recognize safety is the greatest
concern.”
Environmental Scanning­ Char will monitor all social media outlets for mention of the
crisis in order to know what’s going on around their name and reputation. If enough people
are talking about one specific aspect of the crisis, then we will address it in order to quell
all rumours.

System for Contacting Publics
Primary:
­ underage student in jail
­ hit pedestrian
­ Char employees and management
­ Praetorians Inc. (Security co.)
­ Boone Police
Colton and the head of Praetorians, Inc. will individually contact each of the primary publics
to recap the crisis and follow up on damages and/or compensation for each primary public
affected.
Secondary:
­ Families of victims:
will receive individualized phone calls, sympathy cards and compensation where
necessary
­ local after hours bars:
will receive notice of incident on Char letterhead, calling for them to monitor designated
drivers closely
­ ASU students and faculty:
ASU Info email
­ surrounding King St. Businesses:
will receive notice of incident on Char letterhead apologizing for security breach
­ Watauga Medical Center:
will receive phone call and keep in close communication with to monitor the status of
patients from crisis
­ Home communities of hurt student:
public apology through subscribed email that addresses home community

Key Messages
●
●
●
●
Primary
Expression of empathy for families
and students affected.
Facts: student drank underage at
bar due to security failure and
security guard involved was fired
immediately.
Char will accept full responsibility for
incident.
Statement of commitment: Char is
fully committed to our customers
and is currently investigating better
methods of security and ways to
alleviate the probability of drunk
drivers in Boone.
Secondary
● Questions, concerns or facts about
the incident: Call (828)266­2179
● Referrals to others for more
information:
● Watuaga Medical Center (828)262­
4100
● Boone Police (828)268­ 6900
● We will update via email as more
information on the student's
condition is available. To subscribe
to our emails, go to
www.179Char.com

General Press Release Template
Char
179 Howard Street
Boone, North Carolina 28607
(828) 266­2179
www.179char.com
char179@live.com
We would like to express our deepest sympathy for the accident that occurred on
____________. To all of those families and friends involved, we are saddened by the
injuries and wish the victims a speedy recovery. _____________ happened and we
assume all responsibility for the incident. ___________ (what Char is doing to fix the
wrong doing).
Char is fully committed to our customers and we are currently investigating better
methods of security and ways to alleviate the probability of drunk drivers in Boone. We
welcome questions, concerns or facts about the incident through calling (828)266­2179.
We will update the public via email as more information on the xxxxxxx’s condition is
available. To subscribe to our emails, go to www.179char.com.
Colton Lenz, owner
Additional contacts:
________________
__________________

General Fact Sheet About Underage Drinking Crisis
From Char for release to public on December 1, 2012
Char
179 Howard Street
Boone, North Carolina 28607
(828) 266­2179
www.179char.com
char179@live.com
● The underage girl was let in at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Thursday, November
30, 2012. She was with a group of 4 girls and she was the only one who paid the
security guard to get in as over 21.
● The security guard on duty was paid $50 to give the underage girl a wristband and
accepted the bribe.
● The student hit by the girl on King St. around 2:00 a.m. was in critical condition at
Watauga Medical Center. She suffered a broken leg and 2 broken ribs but is
currently stable.
● Char will pay all medical bills.
● Retraining of all Char and Praetorians Inc. employees will be on Sunday, December
2nd. Char will be closed that entire day.
● The bar will operate at new standards once it is reopened for business on Monday,
December 3, 2012.

Crisis Statement to Media
Char
179 Howard Street
Boone, North Carolina 28607
(828) 266­2179
www.179char.com
char179@live.com
“We would like to express our deepest sympathy for the accident that occurred on
Thursday night. To all of those families and friends involved, we are saddened by the
injuries and wish the victims a speedy recovery. The underage student consuming alcohol
at the bar was, in fact, due to a security failure on our behalf and we assume all
responsibility for the incident. The security guard involved was fired immediately and all
Char employees and security staff will be retrained on proper procedures for underage
drinkers this Sunday. We welcome questions, concerns or facts about the incident through
calling (828)266­2179. We will update the public via email as more information on the
student’s condition is available. To subscribe to our emails, go to www.179char.com.”
Colton Lenz, owner

Crisis Statement to Employees
Char
179 Howard Street
Boone, North Carolina 28607
(828) 266­2179
www.179char.com
char179@live.com
To all employees of Char and Praetorians, Inc.:
The events that transpired on Thursday, November 29 were unfortunate. This crisis
was thankfully, not a fatal one, but easily could have been. We are proud of our employees
and rely on you to keep this restaurant's image and reputation polished in the Boone
community.
We believe in our staff and we hope that the events of Thursday were a wake up call
to every employee at Char. We must be alert and honest at all times. We expect the best
out of our staff because we know you are the best employees. However, things happen but
we move forward. From here, we must only look up and continue to foster a positive and
empowering environment. Every employee will be retrained on all procedures, with an
emphasis on “College Night” and how to handle underage drinkers, this Sunday,
December 2, 2012.

We know that our employees and restaurant cannot be dismayed by this crisis and
ask any employee who has concerns or questions, to come by my office anytime.
Sincerely,
Colton Lenz
Sample News Release
Char
179 Howard Street
Boone, North Carolina 28607
(828) 266­2179
www.179char.com
char179@live.com
We would like to express our deepest sympathy for the accident that occurred on
Thursday night. To all of those families and friends involved, we are saddened by the
injuries and wish the victims a speedy recovery. The underage student consuming alcohol
at the bar was, in fact, due to a security failure on our behalf and we assume all
responsibility for the incident. The security guard involved was fired immediately and all
Char employees and security staff will be retrained on proper procedures for underage
drinkers this Sunday.
Char is fully committed to our customers and we are currently investigating better
methods of security and ways to alleviate the probability of drunk drivers in Boone. We
welcome questions, concerns or facts about the incident through calling (828)266­2179.
We will update the public via email as more information on the student’s condition is
available. To subscribe to our emails, go to www.179char.com.
Colton Lenz, owner

Additional contacts:
Watuaga Medical Center (828)262­ 4100
Boone Police (828)268­ 6900
Potential Media Questions
1. What is the status of the student who was hit on King St.?
2. Will Char cover their medical expenses?
3. Will you hire a new security company?
4. Are you concerned that the ALE may take away your license to serve alcohol?
5. What do you plan to do about the ALE?
6. How can you ensure that this won’t happen again?
7. Why did the security guard at the door let the underage student in? Were they bribed?
8. What greater security measures do you plan to implement?
9. Are you prepared to accept a lawsuit?
10. Was anyone else involved, besides those you mentioned?
11. Do you plan to compensate the families in any way?
12. How do you plan to reimage the bar after the crisis?

13. Are you going to do anything to prevent drunk driving in the future?
Relevant Documents:
Fact Sheet: About Char
Located at 179 Howard St. Boone, NC 28607
“Upscale casual dining in a cosmopolitan setting”
Under new management in 2012. Colton Lenz now owns the restaurant.
Hours: Sunday 10 a.m.­ 10 p.m.
Monday­ Saturday 11:00 a.m.­ 2:00 a.m.
Char uses locally grown and organic foods whenever possible
Sponsors “An Appalachian Summer Festival”, “Merlefest” and “Art Crawl” in the local
community
Logo:

Picture of facility:
Char in the News
The Appalachian:
‘Roofies’ suspected after student is hospitalized
Created on Monday, 10 October 2011 23:20
The Boone Police Department is working with Char Restaurant and Bar after allegations of
suspicious activity were reported by patrons last month.
Senior graphic design major Rachel Johnson and senior criminal justice major Kaylynn
Prough believe they may have been exposed to Rohypnol, Gamma­Hydroxybutyric (GHB)
or a high­proof grain alcohol Friday, Sept. 16 at Char.
Johnson and Prough said they went to Char around 11 p.m. after consuming about four
alcoholic beverages each.
Prough and Johnson each purchased a shot of Southern Comfort and lime sometime after
arriving.
Each said she experienced unusual symptoms almost immediately after taking the shot –
blacking out and becoming incoherent much faster than one typically would from alcohol
consumption.

A third friend, who accompanied Prough and Johnson, drank a bottled beer instead of a
shot and did not experience unusual symptoms.
“As soon as I took the shot and it was all kind of starting to gray out for me, is when I
blacked out,” Johnson said. “And [our friend] didn’t take the shot and she had her Bud Light
and she didn’t black out.”
Johnson woke up later at home, after vomiting and “crying uncontrollably” throughout the
night. She checked her phone and saw a text message from Prough, which asked why she
was in the hospital.
Prough said she woke up at Watauga Medical Center with respiratory tubes, an IV in each
arm and a bracelet reading “Jane Doe.” She had been admitted to the hospital without
identification.
“It was terrifying,” Prough said. “I mean, and the last thing I remembered was dancing at
Char.”
Boone Police said that although there are no cases in which a victim has been tested for
Rohypnol or GHB, they are taking the threat of a predator seriously.
“We’re certainly examining the possibility that it could be happening, but at this point we
don’t have any confirmed cases, and in the cases we do have there has been a lot of
drinking involved,” Sergeant Matt Stevens said.
Char is working with the police department to tighten security and keep bar staff and
patrons aware of potential dangers.
“They had a couple reports where some people made some claims,” said Colton Lenz,
Char General Manager. “They were clear that nobody had tested positive, but they wanted
to kind of get ahead of this thing.”
Lenz said he met with Praetorians Boone, the company contracted for security, to increase
awareness among its staff.
“It could be nothing, it could be something, but we all felt like it would be a good idea to kind
of be on guard,” Lenz said. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Prough and Johnson said they continued to experience negative side effects throughout
the week following the incident. Prough forgot two tests – something she said is entirely out
of character – and Johnson continually felt drained and out of energy.
Prough said the worst part of the situation is imagining the misconceptions her family
would have had if something worse had happened.
“My parents would have thought that I was that stupid college student that died of alcohol
poisoning,” she said. “Everything I’ve worked for my entire life, everything I’ve built until this
point would have been gone and I would have been just another number.”
Prough said she encourages anyone in a similar situation to speak up.
“Don’t sit at home and say there’s nothing the police can do,” she said. “Yes, it’s extremely
hard to investigate, but the more cases they have, the more the legitimate this investigation
is.”
Story: MEGHAN FRICK, Associate Editor, Editorial Content and JUSTIN HERBERGER,
Editor­in­Chief
High Country Press:
Boone Saloon, Char File Civil Complaint in Watauga County Superior Court Last
Week Over Noise Ordinance
By Paul T. Choate
March 30, 2012. BOONE – On Thursday, March 22, Boone Saloon and Char filed a civil
complaint with the Watauga County Superior Court about changes to the noise ordinance
that was put in place in February.
“We think that the town didn’t act correctly with all the hearings we had with the noise
ordinance,” said Stephen “Skip” Sinanian, owner of Boone Saloon. “Also, we had a
petition with 1,200 signatures that was completely disregarded.”
According to Sinanian, the two restaurants are being represented by attorneys Jak
Reeves, Tamara DiVenere and Anné Wright.
The three attorneys came to Sinanian wanting to represent them in the lawsuit, and
Sinanian then went to Char about it, where the owners of Char agreed to join the legal
battle.

“We didn’t want this to be a huge class action, but we wanted to make it larger than just one
restaurant,” said Sinanian.
Boone Saloon has had police come three times since the noise ordinance was passed.
The first two times, they were within the legal decibel level. Last night they were ticketed
during the Jahman Brahman show. Sinanian said during the first four months of the noise
ordinance no fines will applied during the “trial period” and therefore Boone Saloon will not
have to pay anything for the ticket.
The changes Boone Saloon and Char want to see with the noise ordinance are higher
decibel limits and decibels measured from complainants’ residences rather than near the
building the noise is coming from. The lawsuit is not attempt to sue the town for any
monetary gain.
“Emphatically, we’re not trying to get any money from the town,” said Sinanian. “We just
want a legitimate and reasonable law passed on this issue.”
He added that he thinks raising the decibel limits during the week to 70 to 75 would be
“fantastic.”
Dinner Menu
We also have a gluten-free/vegan menu available
appetizers
Thai Beef Tidbits 9
Sautéed flank steak in a soy/butter sauce served with a creamy sweet Thai chili sauce.
Fried Green Tomatoes 8
Panko encrusted green tomatoes topped with a smoked paprika & crawfish cream sauce.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip 8
Our house recipe topped with asiago cheese & served with flour tortilla chips.
add crab meat 4
Edamame 5
Steamed soybean pods topped with Kosher salt.

Plantains 7
Sweet plaintains fried and served with a cilantro lime dipping sauce
Ahi Tuna 9
Seared & chilled sashimi­grade Ahi tuna served over fried wontons topped with Asian slaw
& dressed with our citrus­ginger vinaigrette.
Fried Calamari 8
Panko encrusted & lightly fried, served with basil aioli.
Crab Cake 10
Lump crab meat served over a basil aioli & topped with organic micro greens.
Pesto Flatbread 8
House­made flatbread with basil pesto & topped with chopped sun dried tomatoes, black
olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers & mushrooms. Topped with goat cheese & a
balsamic reduction.
Baked Brie 11
Served with house­made toast points &a raspberry coulis.
Bruschetta 8
A mélange of marinated tomatoes, onion, garlic & basil. Served on garlic toast points with
goat cheese & finished with a Tuscan herb­infused olive oil.
salads
add grilled/blackened chicken 4 add shrimp or crab cake 6
7
add salmon or tuna
Mediterranean Grilled Salmon 13
Baby spinach, black olives, artichoke hearts, tomato, red onion & goat cheese.
Wedge 8
Chilled organic iceberg topped with chopped bacon, red onions, diced tomatoes, blue
cheese crumbles & our house­made blue cheese dressing.

Grilled Caesar 8
Grilled & chilled romaine heart topped with our signature Caesar dressing, croutons,
anchovies & shaved parmesan.
Grilled Shrimp Salad 14
Grilled & chilled shrimp, bacon, baby spinach, strawberries, roasted corn & pecans tossed
in a strawberry vinaigrette.
Black & Bleu 12
Romaine & spinach topped with marinated flank steak, red onions, granny smith apples,
blue cheese crumbles & candied pecans. Served with our house made blue cheese
dressing.
entrées
all entrées except shrimp & grits served with vegetables d’ jour
Grilled Filet 4 oz ~$19 / 8oz~$29
Beef Tenderloin topped with a sautéed wild mushroom, shallots, garlic & red wine
reduction. Served with roasted fingerling potatoes tossed with Swiss chard.
12 oz Rib­Eye
Grilled hand­cut black angus beef topped with blue cheese cream sauce & onion hay
over mashed sweet potatoes.
N.C. Trout 19
N.C. Trout broiled with smoked paprika served with creamy cheddar cheese grits.
Veggie Plate 14
Wilted Swiss chard, mushrooms & roasted garlic sautéed with our vegetable du jour
served with mashed sweet potatoes & chopped romaine tossed in our house made white
balsamic vinaigrette.
Potato Encrusted Tilapia 19
Tilapia with house made vegetable ravioli tossed in a baby spinach cream.

Lemongrass Scallops 21
Perfectly seared scallops with a lemongrass sauce served with grilled asparagus and
fried shoe­string potatoes
Roasted Chicken Quarter 16
Hormone free Brined seasoned & Roasted Chicken Leg & Thigh quarters topped with a
sweet vermouth chevre cream sauce. Served with garlic mashed potatoes & sauteed
seasonal vegetables.
Cedar Plank Salmon 21
Topped with lemon & butter served over roasted fingerling potatoes tossed with wilted
Swiss chard.
Shrimp & Grits *our signature dish 21
Jumbo shrimp, bacon, roasted red peppers, mushrooms & scallions sautéed with a
Cajun gravy,
served over cheddar cheese grits.
Ravioli du Jour 16
Featuring Pasta Wench’s locally made ravioli. Ask your server about this evening’s dish.
Dijon & Herb Encrusted Rack of Lamb 29
1/4 Rack of Dijon & herb encrusted baked New Zealand Lamb topped with cabernet
reduction with garlic mashed potatoes & sauteed seasonal vegetables.
Wild Mushrooms & Linguini 16
A blend of wood ears, shiitakes & hen of the woods sautéed with spinach & tossed
with linguini in a pimento cream sauce.
add a char house salad to any entree for $4
_________________________________________________________________________________________
___

We also have a gluten-free/vegan menu available. Please ask your server for
details
_____________________________________________________________
Tazo Hot Tea $2.25 • San Pellegrino Sparkling Water $4
Expresso News Coffee · Pepsi Products • Sweet and Unsweet Tea
RedBull & Sugar Free Redbull $4 • Voss Artesian Still Water $4
_____________________________________________________________
A Special Thanks to:
Lett-Us-Produce · Boone Meat Center · New River Organic Growers · Sunshine Cove
Farms Zydeco Moone Farms. Art of Oil · Watauga Arts Council ·SOS Printing
•Expresso News Coffee
Finally and most importantly, YOU, our GUEST.
______________________________________________________________
_
**charcooks with 0 trans fat oil** we proudly use local and organic produce when
available
we only serve USDA choice grade hormone free beef and hormone /antibiotic free
poultry
Evaluation and Assessment
●
●
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Char fired the security guard who took the bribe immediately.
Char will investigate new methods for an outreach program for transportation,
possibly partnering with Appalcart or Safe Ride.
Char is prepared to pay compensation or lawsuit if victim's family should sue.

Assessment of response:
Char responded to this crisis in a timely and efficient manner, addressing all publics the
day after the crisis. The expression of empathy and complete transparency were
well­received by the community. Employees have been retrained and are up­to­date on all
ALE procedures and policies. The crisis plan has been updated and all policies have been
reviewed.