FITCHBURG, Wis.– Chef Dave Heide’s dining room inside Liliana’s has been empty since March. His restaurant’s liquor cabinet, however, has remained full.
“If we were to take the alcohol that’s currently in the restaurant, and we were to sell it as cocktails, there are $200,000 worth of cocktails sitting in my building right now,” Heide explained. “We’re just sitting on all this inventory. It’s in boxes collecting dust.”
While Liliana’s and other Madison-area restaurants have been able to scrape by on carryout and delivery orders, they’re only making a fraction of what they used to because they can’t sell cocktails to-go.
“When this shutdown happened last March, I still had enough alcohol inventory to do the normal $140,000 a month in sales we were doing pre-COVID,” said Heide. “And now we’re doing, if we’re lucky, maybe $50,000? Maybe.”
The National Restaurant Association estimates than, on average, restaurants with a liquor license make 30-percent of their revenue through alcohol sales. That’s why local owners, like Heide, are lobbying for House Bill 32, which is expected to hit the floor this week.
The bill would allow Wisconsin restaurants, bars, and taverns to sell cocktails to-go, as long as the drinks have a tamper-evident seal across the top.
“Here’s a way you can really help restaurants without us having to take on federal funds and federal grants,” said Heide. “Let us support ourselves, but give us the tools to be safe.”
The bill has bipartisan support. Heide’s biggest frustration is that it’s taken this long.
“Part of the reason is, we didn’t have our assembly meet for six months,” said Heide.
More than 30 other states, including Illinois, already have similar laws in place. Most were passed last March.
Wisconsin’s version would go into effect immediately, once passed, and would last only until the pandemic is over and President Joe Biden declares the U.S. no longer under a state of national emergency.
“I’m not asking for a handout,” Heide added. “Just let us use the tools we have to continue to sell in the way we have been safely. All you’re doing by not having this law is encouraging bars to say, ‘I guess we have to open,’ because, even though it’s not safe, they don’t want to lose their house, their cars, and their lives.”
The Wisconsin Restaurant Association helped draft the bill. Kristine Hillmer, President and CEO of the WRA, agreed with Heide that the bill is long overdue. However, as soon as it’s passed, she said the WRA is ready to help all Wisconsin restaurants follow the new guidelines and start selling as soon as possible.
Even Mothers Against Drunk Driving has come out in support of the legislation, since it encourages drivers to wait until they get home to drink.
So far, Costco and Sam’s Club are the lone opponents, according to Heide. News 3 Now reached out to them to find out why, but they have not yet responded.
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