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Breweries Forced to Food Sales in Many States as Only Way to Stay Open

August 3, 2020 By Tom McCormick Filed Under: Business of Beer, Crisis Response

As states look at ways to reduce group gatherings and social interaction to control rising covid cases, the requirement to serve food in order to sell alcohol is becoming more widespread across the country.

Since new guidelines were issued in mid-July, breweries in California can only seat customers outside – no inside service is allowed, and they can only sell alcohol in conjunction with meals.

And now in Florida, a new statewide restriction has suspended the sale of alcohol on-site except by restaurants. Breweries there have started applying for food licenses that would allow them to act as a restaurant and therefore keep the brewery tap room open.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf issued a new mandate that alcohol sales must be accompanied by a meal at a booth or table, forcing breweries to find creative ways to pivot to being more like a restaurant than a brewery tap room.