Dec. 5—’Twas the night before Thanksgiving, when all through the state, not a drink could be poured, ’til the next day at eight …
While restaurants and bars across the commonwealth have become accustomed to new rules, regulations and other targeted mitigation efforts related to COVID-19, the news of an early alcohol sales cutoff on Thanksgiving Eve came as a shock, and, quite possibly, an indication of challenges to come.
Just a few days prior to what is widely regarded as the biggest drinking day of the year, Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued a directive cutting off “all sales or dispensing of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption at businesses in the retail food services industry, including bars, restaurants, and private catered events” at 5 p.m. on Nov. 25.
The backlash from the industry was immediate and, in many cases, rather livid.
Owners and operators had expected some changes, but what they were dealt made them worry for their businesses and workers, who were counting on the pre-holiday to at least make up some of the losses they had experienced throughout the season.
“My immediate concern was for my employees,” Philip Abruzzese, general manager of the Pineville Tavern in Wrightstown, Bucks County, said. “As one of the biggest drinking days of the year, it is a night in which a lot of employees — employees, by the way, who have already fallen on incredibly hard times — might have been looking forward to at least making some money.”
John Longstreet, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, felt that the order itself was inherently flawed. Longstreet noted that announcements pertaining to the order didn’t even mention that to-go sales were still permissible, and food sales were not part of the restrictions, leading to many customers simply avoiding going out at all.
While it appeared that the intent was to curtail the congregating normally associated with drinking on the night before Thanksgiving, previous directives — requiring customers to order food with their drinks, eliminating bar seating, etc. — seemingly had that under wraps already.
“Instead, it really hurt dinner business and small group business,” Longstreet said. “I talked to two restaurant operators in the Lehigh Valley, and one said based on the private parties that they lost — this is a full service restaurant, but they had a number of private parties booked for families — they lost 30% of their business; the other one lost 30% just in dinner business.”
Similar losses, and some even greater, were felt across the commonwealth.
Trip Ruvane, president and co-founder of Barley Creek Brewing Company in Tannersville and president of the Northeastern Chapter of the PRLA, also noted 30% losses in revenue for the evening. Taking on-site alcohol sales off the table was…
Read More: Hospitality industry hopes for happy holidays despite seasonal struggles |