If Your Favorite Bar is Closed, It May be Back, as a Restaurant

Since the pandemic started, bars have had it tough. Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order mandated that bars that only sold alcohol had to close, while restaurants could stay open with only 50% capacity.

That's about to change.

KOSA-TV CBS 7 reports that the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has approved an amendment that will give bars the ability to open or re-open as a restaurant, even if they don't have a commercial-grade kitchen.

The amendment will allow food that was prepared off-site to be sold, and also gives bars the ability to work with food trucks.

According to the amendment, bars can re-open without having to go through major changes to classify as a restaurant.

The emergency amendments to §33.5 would enable retailers who sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption to more easily qualify for a food and beverage certificate. The amendments remove some of the more difficult and costly requirements for qualification for the food and beverage certificate so that these businesses can qualify without making major changes to their business models or investing in expensive equipment. Making the food and beverage certificate available to more businesses encourages them to operate in a manner more akin to a restaurant, serving food as well as beverages.

Click here to look at the full amendment.

Bars have been among the businesses hardest hit by measures taken to slow the spread of COVID-19. Some have turned to crowdfunding sites to keep afloat, and many have even filed lawsuits against Gov. Abbott.