In school, letter grading was straight forward: A+ for excellent, C for average, F for failing. Restaurant letter grades may not be so easy to understand, and implementation of the restaurant letter grading system garners plenty of complaints and criticism, especially in New York City. Serious Eats interviewed a number of chefs, restaurant owners, and […]

Classic cocktails may be making a comeback (see our earlier blog post), but don’t overlook the need for creative mixology as well. For many bar and restaurant patrons, new and different is the name of the game. Sure, there are folks who order the same drink every time or who define variety by ordering something […]

Despite a flat third quarter, projected restaurant job growth is positive and trending in the right direction. According to National Restaurant Association (NRA), the industry added 27,000 jobs in the third quarter, considerably fewer than the second quarter gain; however, restaurant job growth is expected to be above three percent again for the year, as […]

The national drink of Russia is now leading in the U.S. as well. Vodka popularity is growing. In fact, vodka is now the most popular spirit in America. Ten of the top 24 spirits brands in the U.S. are vodkas, according to Bernstein Research and reported by CNBC. More surprising? The top five slots on […]

Fall means football, Octoberfest and, subsequently, beer. The good news for brewers: Beer sales are rising again. The economic downturn and a movement by the Millennials away from beer toward wine and other spirits caused beer sales to lag. However, according to USA Today’s “Beer sales starting to foam up,” the industry’s downward trend has […]

Breathe a sigh of relief – the federal government is open for business again. The restaurant reaction after the shutdown brings relief… to some degree. Delaware North and Xanterra are both rejoicing. Those names may not ring a bell, but they are both concessionaires in some of the nation’s most popular national parks, including Yosemite, […]

Fenway Bar & Restaurant Guide Boston Red Sox fans will find plenty of bars and restaurants near Fenway Park. If you want to raise a glass before or after the game because baseball and beer go together so well, but find beer prices at Fenway to be unreasonable, there are plenty of other choices around […]

Americana is often defined as apple pie and baseball, but don’t overlook the pairing of baseball and beer. And in Boston, it doesn’t get any better than toasting the Red Sox in the World Series with a beer. America’s favorite pastime and beer grew together with the ongoing expansion of the United States. The origin […]

Restaurant employee fraud and theft occur in several ways. Don’t think that the only ways fraud and theft occur is by stealing from the till or eating food without paying for it. There are a number of ways employee theft can occur in your restaurant or bar that may not have occurred to you. Refunds: […]

Certainly there are wine snobs, beer snobs, and coffee snobs. Put them together and witness a growth in coffee cocktails. Irish coffee (with Irish whiskey) or Mexican coffee (substitute Kahlua® or a similar coffee liqueur for the whiskey) simply don’t cut it any longer. Patrons are looking for more creative coffee cocktails and not simply […]

State law went into effect that increases the number of Section 15 liquor licenses (off premise/retail) licenses that one individual or business may own. The increase went from three licenses to five with steps in place to raise that maximum in 2016 and again in 2020. Section 15 Liquor License Regulations Under Massachusetts Alcohol Beverages […]

When you think of Walmart, you probably don’t think of beer… at least up until this point. However, according to Bloomberg, the mega retailer is moving aggressively to grab its share of a U.S. industry worth $45 billion, and Walmart is selling more beer. In fact, the retailer revealed at a September 2012 “adult beverage […]

Effects of the government shutdown have been in all the headlines, and the restaurant industry is not immune. The government shutdown effect on restaurants reaches far beyond Washington D.C. and has even forced some restaurants to close. Of course, with the closure of national parks across the country, famed restaurants inside the parks, including the […]

The classic cocktails of the 1950s are making a comeback. Some believe the impact of the hit TV show Mad Men is the force behind it, in much the same way that Sex and the City created the Cosmopolitan boom in bars and clubs across the country a decade or more ago. Although some cocktail […]

With the Boston mayoral candidate field narrowed to two – state Representative, Marty Walsh and City Councilor, John Connolly – we’d like to share their positions on liquor licensing. As regulation stands today, Boston has been at the maximum threshold for liquor licenses for years, which creates high demand and even higher prices and fees. […]

Say, didn’t that restaurant used to be “insert any name here”? Restaurant failure is commonplace, and throughout the country, there are some locations that see a rotating door of different restaurants attempting to find success where others have failed in the same location. Cursed location? Inexperience in the food service industry?  A combination? A recent […]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, spending at bars and restaurants is on the increase. The restaurant and bar spending increase is 3.9 percent in the first six months of 2013 compared to the same time frame a year ago. It’s feeding restaurant and bar owners’ confidence. Sales in the first quarter were up 4.5 […]

Fake IDs on college campuses are nothing new. It’s an ongoing struggle between students procuring fake IDs to buy alcohol or gain access to bars and clubs, and bar and club owners being extra vigilant to spot fake IDs to protect their liquor licenses. Fake IDs are big business. In August 2013, a Clarke County, […]

Despite all of the confusion and back-and-forth political posturing with threats to defund Obamacare, like it or not, open enrollment begins Oct. 1… unless Congress moves to delay yet another portion of the controversial Affordable Care Act. Regardless, as a restaurant or bar owner, pay attention and comply with current requirements despite the moving target […]

After years of being relegated to the outdoors for an after-dinner smoke, restaurant-goers are lighting up at the table again… or are they? E-cigarettes are becoming more mainstream, and with that, are creating issues for restaurants and workplaces across the country. Electronic Cigarettes The electronic cigarette or e-cigarettes are a type of electronic nicotine delivery […]

Automatic tipping tends to be a hot-button item but is making the news now because of a change in the tax code. The IRS will change the classification of automatic tips to service charges and treat them as regular wages which would be subject to payroll withholding tax starting in the new year. Previously, these […]

US Postal Service Alcohol Delivery Could Raise Much Needed Revenue but is Criticized by Some The United States Postal Service seeks to deliver alcohol reports The Huffington Post.  The Postmaster General, Patrick Donahue, estimates that such a move could bring in as much as $50 million in revenue to the agency.  This is all while […]

Utah adds new liquor license for chains Protection against Liquor License Shortages The Salt Lake City Tribune reports on a new category of liquor license now available in Utah which makes it easier for chain restaurants to sell alcohol.  The new liquor license for chains, which came into effect in May, allows chain holders to […]

Bipartisan Liquor Licensing Boards a Must Massachusetts State Law affects make up of Licensing Boards The Salem News reports on how a little known law in Massachusetts that requires licensing boards in the state to have at least one Democrat and one Republican is affecting the makeup of boards in Beverly and Salem. The state […]

Home Rule Petition to Return Authority of the Liquor License Process to the City of Boston Offered by Councilor Pressley Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 14, 2013 @ 2pm.  During this public hearing, Boston City Council will discuss the recent Home Rule Petition filed by Councilor Ayanna Pressley to change the current Liquor License […]

Pennsylvania may approve out of state direct to home wine shipments The Morning Call of Leigh Valley, Pennsylvania reports that there is growing bipartisan support in the Pennsylvania Legislature to legalize direct shipment of wines from out of state wineries to people’s homes in the state.  The Legislature is currently also in midst of largely […]

Guns in North Carolina Bars Slate.com reports that North Carolina is on the brink of allowing people  with conceal-carry permits to bring guns into the state’s bars, as long as bar owners allow the practice.  The Legislature has passed the bill recently and the state’s governor is set to sign it into law soon, joining […]

Cambridge may raise some liquor license fees Boston.com reports on a proposed liquor fee hike in Cambridge that has some restaurants in the city upset.  The proposed changes would double the annual fees of Cambridge’s “no value” liquor licenses, which the city issued to stimulate restaurant development in areas of the city like Kendal Square.  […]

Massachusetts General Law 101: Tampering with alcoholic beverages Section 16 of the Massachusetts Liquor Control Act (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 138) deals with the tampering with and dilution of alcoholic beverages in Massachusetts by liquor license holders.  The text of the law reads as follows. Any person holding a license under section twelve, thirteen, fourteen […]

Bostonian invents straws and cups to detect date rape drugs WGBH News reports on a Boston man’s invention of a straws and cups that are able to detect date-rape drugs in drinks.  Currently working out of the MassChallenge office space in Boston’s Innovation District, Michael Abramson’s idea, now a company called DrinkSavvy, came after he […]

Revere extending closing time for restaurants and bars The Revere Journal reports that the Revere License Commission voted last week to extend the city’s closing time from 1am to 2am.  In 2007, the same commission, but with two different members, had voted to roll back the closing time from 2am with the change first effective […]

In Wisconsin, a proposed bill allows bars and liquor stores to sue underage buyers A bill working its way through the Wisconsin Legislature would allow bars and other alcohol purveyors to sue underage drinkers reports the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.  The proposed bill, which passed a committee vote unanimously in April, allows bars and liquor stores […]

Sobriety checkpoint laws around the country Most states in the country conduct sobriety checkpoints on their roads throughout the year.  According to data from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, 38 states, including Massachusetts, plus Washington, D.C, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands conduct field sobriety tests annually.   The frequency and timing varies […]

Economic Cost of Hangovers BostInno reports on the economic impact of hangovers.  BostInno cites an article in The Atlantic which pegs the cost of excessive drinking at $1.90 in lost economic productivity per each drink consumed.  That is more than $220 billion per year (from figures in a 2006 Centers for Disease Control study). The […]

Town could begin charging bars for police response Shore News Today reports on special provisions that Cape May, New Jersey recently attached to its approval of the liquor licenses for several establishments in the town.   The regulations require that bars have a specific amount of bouncers on weeknights and weekend nights during the summer months […]

Cancellation of Liquor License after business closes Section  77 of Chapter 138 (Massachusetts Alcohol Laws) of the Massachusetts General Law gives cities and towns the right to revoke liquor licenses of establishments after they cease operation.  The text of the law is as follows: The licensing authorities may, after hearing or reasonable opportunity therefor, cancel […]

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) reports on its website that there are eight “dry” towns in the state.  These “dry” communities do not allow the sale of alcohol in liquor stores or in bars/restaurants.  These towns have no issued liquor licenses, though it is still legal to consume alcohol in a private residence.  […]

MA Liquors stores could open earlier on Sundays Massachusetts Liquor stores could be allowed to open before noon on Sundays if a Legislative proposal is approved reports The Lowell Sun.  The proposal is being offered because liquor stores in Rhode Island and Connecticut are allowed to open before noon. While the Massachusetts Package Stores Association […]

Know the law and  how to successfully pass a liquor sting operation. Brookline Patch reports that the Brookline Board of Selectman last month voted to overrule a Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission ruling that stated an underage alcohol sting program conducted by the town was illegal.  The ABCC had ruled in favor of the store […]

Are you looking to capitalize on your New Bedford Liquor License? SouthCoastToday.com reports that the city of New Bedford is over its state-imposed limit of all-alcohol licenses by 23.  The immediate unavailability of a liquor licenses can be an obstacle in opening or expanding your establishment. Urban Grille at 774 Purchase St. has been looking […]

The Liquor License Quota system & Categories in Massachusetts The Massachusetts Liquor Control Act places a quota or limit on the number of alcoholic beverages licenses a city or town can issue. The quota is based on the population of the community as determined by the most recent federal census of 2010.  The following is […]

A whole new kind of keg party… The Boston Business Journal reports this week on the growth of the Boston-based wine-distributor start-up company Richer Pour.  Richer Pour distributes “high quality, low-cost tap” wine in kegs that are environmentally friendly.  The wine keg is recyclable, reducing the cost for distributing thus lowering the cost of the […]

Baltimore Brew reports on a new blog that has been established in Baltimore to document the activities of the city’s Liquor Board after a scathing State of Maryland audit of the board’s activities revealed many inadequacies in how it functions. Under-performing and yet over-staffed, failing to follow state law in awarding licenses, prematurely closing out […]

Dan Newcomb, Principal of Atlantic License Brokers, recently attended the 2013 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.  Walking many miles of the show floor alongside two current, successful full service restaurant owners provided Dan with a direct perspective of the pressing issues facing operators today. In addition to many new products and restaurant industry trends, […]

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) has adopted a new process, effective May 28th, 2013, to speed up the approval process for retail liquor license applications.  Under the Mass. Liquor Control Act, retail liquor licenses cover three categories:  On-Premise (a pouring license, Off-Premise (a package store license), and Special (a one-day license). One of […]

Eater Boston reports (via Gigaom.com) that researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in partnership with Baccardi and Coca Cola, have invented a Smartphone-controlled robot bartender.  Called Makr Shakr, it was unveiled this week at Google’s  I/O conference. The apparatus has three robot arms, whose movements were modeled after those of an Italian ballet […]

NBC News reports that the National Transportation Safety Board recently voted to urge states to lower the threshold for Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) which constitutes drunken driving.  Currently the limit is .08, but the recommendation is to lower it to .05 to reduce drunken driving incidents.  The article reports that nearly 4 million people in […]

Parkville-Orlea Patch reports on how the local county liquor board is using Skype to improve its liquor licensing hearing process.  The use of Skype started recently and is seen as a way to ease the hearing process for things such as board of director change hearings for liquor licenses holders, particularly large chains with headquarters […]

A New York City bar has recently started to accept a new digital currency called Bitcoins for its customer’s tabs reports Marketwatch.com recently. On Sunday, EVR bar and lounge in New York will start accepting Bitcoins for drinks and food. “We have to train all the waitresses,” says Charlie Shrem, a partner at the club. […]

A new iPhone app called Drizly has recently started to debut in private alpha mode in Boston.  This app allows one to place an order for beer, wine, or liquor and have it delivered to one’s house within 60 minutes or less.  From the Drizly website. In June of 2012, we asked the question “why […]

CBSBoston.com reports that former Patriots quarterback and Washington State vineyard owner Drew Bledsoe was in Boston late last month to lobby the Massachusetts Legislature to allow out of state wineries to ship wine directly to Massachusetts consumers. Current Mass. Law only allows in-state winemakers to make such shipments.   This law was ruled unconstitutional three […]

Boston Magazine’s Steve Annear reports that Boston could soon get a Barcade, a casual craft beer bar mixed with classic video arcade games. The founders have been looking into expanding and a location in Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville is something they’ve been eyeing. The original Barcade started in Brooklyn in 2004 after Kermizian and friends […]

DNAInfo.com in Chicago reports that a proposal to allow the licensing of stores to sell only craft beer was strongly opposed by representatives of Budweiser (parent company AmBev) and has since been changed to allow for the sale of non craft beer in stores holding these licenses as well. The original no-domestics provision in the proposed liquor […]

The Boston Herald reports that the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission has issued a ruling on how “water pong” is defined as a drinking game in Massachusetts.  The ABCC case stemmed from a ruling from the Boston Licensing Board regarding several Boston bars, including The Good Bar on State Street that were cited by Licensing […]

The Boston Globe reported last week that the Boston Red Sox will offer reduced price concession items for the month of April, including reduced priced beer. Kids under 14 will eat free — well, before the third inning, provided they go to specially designated concession stands to pick up their Fenway Frank, Goldfish, and carton […]

Are you aware of recent legal updates that may impact your restaurant or store’s liquor license? Do you have questions about the liquor license approval process? If so, make sure to attend the following valuable seminar panel by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE).   Alcohol, Food & Entertainment Licensing & Liability Update 2013 April 11, […]

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission’s website spells out the mission of the ABCC and what it is authorized to do. …to promulgate regulations clarifying, carrying out, enforcing and preventing any violation of the provisions of M.G.L. c. 138…These regulations (such as “Happy Hour” and “Tap a Keg”)  control the method by which a business […]

Social media giant Facebook has entered the wine selling business.  The wine sales are part of Facebook’s new gift store, which the company has been rolling out since the fall of last year.  When a consumer places an order in the gift store, the recipient receives an email or a notice on their Facebook wall.  […]

The Wellesley Townsman details in a recent article how much the different types of liquor licenses in Wellesley cost per year.  For example, restaurants with an all alcohol license must pay a $3600 annual fee, restaurants with a function room and all alcohol license must pay $5,000 each year, restaurants with a beer and wine […]

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission expressed in its frequently asked questions section (#47) of its website that “a bar, restaurant or hotel cannot offer any free drinks.  However, a bar, restaurant, or hotel can include a drink as part of a meal package under certain circumstances.” The “certain circumstances” section of this regulation was […]

Massachusetts liquor regulations require that the local licensing authorities be notified in a timely fashion of any changes to the name on a restaurant, bar, club, or hotel’s liquor license.  The license holders are also required to petition the board immediately and appear before the local licensing board.   This hearing gives the local licensing authority […]

The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission’s Investigation and Enforcement Division plays an important role in the agency’s enforcement of the liquor laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The division is charged with preventing the sale or delivery of alcoholic beverages to underage individuals, preventing the sale or delivery of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated individuals and […]

Universal Hub reports that the Boston Licensing Board is getting tough with bars with food-serving permits (common victuals licenses) that are not currently serving food.  In some cases the bars have not been serving food for years. At January hearings, bar owners and managers owned up and said they’d stopped serving food because their patrons […]

The Boston Herald reports on the case of a Boston bar that was penalized by the Boston Licensing Board earlier this year for the presence of a drinking game called water pong at the establishment.   The bar was also cited for the presence of underage drinking.   The Herald article refers to a 2009 Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages […]

The Boston Herald reports that state transportation officials have indicated that later public transit service could be in the works if lawmakers find a way to help raise all of the money needed for    system maintenance and other service improvements.  The Herald reports that an extra hour of service could be possible on Fridays and […]

BostInno reports on new invention from the MIT Media lab that helps track the effects of alcohol on consumers.  The invention is electronic ice cubes that glow different colors depending on the amount of alcohol consumed by the drinker at a bar.  The ice cubes can also alert a friend via a text message that […]

BostInno’s Steve Annear reports today on the efforts of elected officials in Massachusetts to change the liquor licensing regulations in the state. One of the main ideas explored is a bill filed by State Senator James Eldrige of Action to allow individual cities and towns, not the state, to determine how many liquor licenses are […]

  As a follow up to our previous post, many prominent restaurant owners voiced support for the current “Happy Hour” law that prohibits drink specials.  Read the following Boston Herald article by Donna Goodison as well as a BostInno post from Dave Eisenberg for the response from the 4th planned public ABCC hearing to discuss […]

The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission is coming to you to discuss the controversial Massachusetts “happy hour” law that has been in effect for 28 years.  Find out about local hearings and what restaurateurs and professional trade organizations think about the pros and cons of updating the bill and the threat of area casinos. Read the […]

The National Restaurant Association key indicators suggest that the restaurant industry continues to “pull the wagon” on the nation’s economic recovery. Read more in the report about the National Restaurant Industry’s Performance Index http://www.rmgtmagazine.com/content/operators-optimistic-about-sales-growth-coming-months    

  When a restaurant has past its prime in the restaurant lifecycle, the worst thing that you can do is hope that things are going to get better. Hope is not a strategy! Read more in the follow open forum article by Barry Moltz: http://www.openforum.com/articles/is-it-time-to-sell-your-business  

  It was just over a year ago that I decided to create a firm that would connect buyers and sellers of Massachusetts All Alcoholic Beverages and Wine & Malt Beverages licenses.  With more than a decade of experience in restaurant transaction work under our belt, I felt that we were well prepared to launch […]

The Massachusetts Restaurant Association announces that the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Ban is being repealed.  This will open up some great opportunities for restaurants that have meeting space available! See press release: Click Here

Massachusetts Bill’s Passing Frees up more Boston Licenses  Just signed by Governor Deval Patrick this week – H. 99, “An Act Authorizing The Licensing Board For The City of Boston To Grant Restricted Airport Licenses For The Sale Of All Alcoholic Beverages and For The Sale Of Wines And Malt Beverages At Logan International Airport” […]