N.S. liquor licence change is good for restaurants and their customers

HALIFAX, Jan. 24, 2017  /CNW/ - Changes to Nova Scotia Liquor Licensing Regulations announced this morning will allow restaurant owners to better serve their customers.

Changes for customers
Restaurant guests can now order up to two alcoholic drinks without buying food. Before this change, customers could only order an alcoholic drink without food in a separate area with a lounge licence.

Changes for restaurant operators
Restaurateurs no longer have to carry a second, costly lounge licence to cater to guests who just want an alcoholic drink. The change also helps restaurants that are prohibited from a lounge licence due to municipal zoning or simply being located in one of the 105 'dry areas' in the province.

"Restaurant owners and their guests are pleased with this change because it removes an unnecessary business barrier and allows better customer service," says Luc Erjavec, Vice-President Atlantic for Restaurants Canada. "Before this change, restaurateurs in some parts of the province couldn't fully meet their customers' needs. The government has reduced red tape, while allowing us to serve our customers in a socially responsible manner."

Restaurants Canada's 2015 Raise the Bar report highlighted the need for this change in liquor rules. Restaurants Canada worked closely with Service Nova Scotia and the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness to bring about this change.

Restaurants Canada is a growing community of 30,000 foodservice businesses, including restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. We connect our members from coast to coast, through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant industry. Canada's restaurant industry directly employs 1.2 million Canadians, is the number one source of first jobs, and serves 18 million customers every day. 

SOURCE Restaurants Canada

MEDIA CONTACT: Luc Erjavec, Vice-President Atlantic Canada at 902-209-0804 or [email protected]; Prasanthi Vasanthakumar, Communications Specialist at 1-800-387-5649 ext. 4254, or [email protected]