New guidelines issued late last week by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will allow some bars, breweries and wineries to reopen as restaurants, as long as they meet certain requirements, NEWS4 reports.
Thousands of establishments across Texas were forced to close under Governor Greg Abbott’s June 26 shutdown order, which affected establishments whose alcohol sales made up more than 51% of total revenues.
Now, the TABC has changed the way it tallies that 51% and is allowing restaurants to use sales figures from April 2020 to apply for a new status, which would let them reopen at limited capacity.
These figures are a more accurate representation of the current climate, Texas Restaurant Association CEO Emily Williams Knight told NEWS4.
“Everything from steakhouses to coffee shops [were shut down,] which was not the intent,” Williams Knight said. “They now can use their sales based on April, which is a much better reflection of what the environment is for restaurants now.”
Bar and restaurant owners can also apply for a food and beverage certificate if they’ve added a permanent food truck or an on-site kitchen and can show projected on-premise alcohol sales will equal less than 51% of revenue.
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This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 11, 2020.
