Bars, restaurants could be cited, lose liquor license for continuing on-premises service

Bars and restaurants that continue to serve on-premises food and alcohol could be cited and possibly lose their liquor license, the state Liquor Control Board announced.

“Medical experts and public health professionals from around the world agree the best step we can take to slow the spread of covid-19 is to stop gathering in public spaces,” Board Chairman Tim Holden said. “Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, and this decision is not made lightly. But saving lives and protecting the health and safety of our communities is our highest priority right now.”

Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday asked nonessential businesses to close amid the spread of coronavirus in Pennsylvania.

Any licensee that fails to comply with this mandate now risks being issued a citation by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and could have its license suspended. The order by the PLCB went into effect at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Impacts of this mandate on specific license types are:

• Restaurant, retail dispenser and hotel licensees may not allow the service or consumption of food or alcohol on the licensed premises. Sales to go are still permitted, as are hotel sales of food and alcohol for consumption in a private room.

• Licensees holding wine-expanded permits authorizing the sale of wine to go may not allow the service or consumption of food or alcohol on the licensed premises. Sales to go are still permitted, as are the operation of a grocery store, convenience store or gas station next to the licensed premises.

• Airport restaurant license holders may not allow the service or consumption of food or alcohol on the licensed premises. Sales to go are still permitted.

• Clubs and catering clubs may not allow the service or consumption of food or alcohol on the licensed premises, and such licensees are not authorized to sell any alcohol to go. They may continue selling food to go.

• Permit holders, including special occasion, off-premise catering, exposition and farmers markets may not allow the service or consumption of food or alcohol on the licensed premises or at public gatherings.

• Breweries, distilleries/limited distilleries, and limited wineries may not allow the service or consumption of food or alcohol on the licensed premises. Sales of the producer’s own alcohol for off premises consumption is permitted.

• Sacramental wine licensees may not allow food or beverage consumption on premise but may sell sacramental wine for consumption off premise.

Beer distributors open

Additionally, the PLCB has received a number of inquiries as to how beer distributors should react to business closure guidance. As suppliers to grocery stores, convenience stores and other retail licensees permitted to sell beer to go, distributors’ continued operation will preserve beer accessibility for consumers.

As such, the PLCB is not limiting distributors’ operations at this time, but beer distributors are strongly encouraged to employ social-distancing best practices and avoid public gatherings of 10 or more people.