December Playbook: Holiday Crowd Control Without the Chaos

When footfall spikes, the weak points show up fast: entry lines, unclear authority, and slow escalations. This is a simple playbook you can run every weekend in December.

Before doors open

Holiday traffic exposes weak points fast: entry, queuing, and unclear authority on escalations.

If you do one thing, do this: decide who makes the call when a situation starts to turn—and make sure everyone hears the same language on radio.

Define roles: entry, floor, perimeter, response
Pre-brief radio discipline and escalation phrases
Set clear thresholds for capacity and queue control

During peak hours

Keep movement smooth and decisions fast. The goal is calm, consistent enforcement—no surprises, no “depends who’s on shift.”

When something feels off, you don’t need drama. You need a clean escalation path and short updates that tell the team what to do next.