Denver Issues Order Restricting the Operation of Restaurants and Bars to Carry-Out or Delivery Only

The City of Denver today issued an Order restricting the operation of restaurants and bars to carry-out or delivery only.  With few exceptions, onsite consumption of food or alcohol is prohibited for 8 weeks, through May 11, 2020. This is a devastating Order, but one that the City determined was necessary to weeks to minimize the spread of COVID-19, consistent with the CDC recommendations.  Restaurants and bars will need to adapt to a delivery / carry-out only model.  Colorado law permits customers to take home an unfinished bottle of wine, so perhaps we’ll see restaurants and bars offer opened bottles of wine to carry-out customers.  Liquor store and grocery store sales of liquor are permitted, but we believe tastings would be banned by this Order.

Denver also restricted gatherings of 50 or more people.  You can read the entire Bulletin HERE: Denver Liquor Informational Bulletin CORONAVIRUS

The Executive Director of the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (“DDPHE”), pursuant to section 24-16 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code, finds that to minimize the spread of COVID-19:

Liquor, beer, and wine sales in the City and County of Denver are restricted to carry-out, drive-through, and delivery only, to the extent permitted by law. No onsite consumption is permitted.

Any bars or nightclubs that serve food may remain open only for the purpose of continuing to prepare and offer food to customers via carry-out, drive-through, and delivery.

All restaurants and retail food facilities are prohibited from serving food for consumption on premises. Restaurants and retail food facilities may continue to operate for purposes of preparing and offering food to customers via carry-out, drive-through, and delivery only.

All Marijuana Designated Consumption Areas and Hookah bars that do not serve food shall be closed to the public.

Waiting lines for carry-out in these establishments must have an environment where patrons and staff maintain social distancing (six feet away from other people) whenever possible.

The following are exempt from this order:

Cafeterias, commissaries, and restaurants in medical facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or similar facilities.

Grocery stores

Pharmacies

Food Banks

Airport concessionaires

Additionally, the Executive Director of DDPHE hereby orders that all large events and mass gatherings (“MASS GATHERINGS”) of 50 persons or more shall be canceled or postponed for eight weeks to minimize the spread of COVID-19, consistent with the CDC recommendations.

Again, you can read the entire Bulletin HERE: Denver Liquor Informational Bulletin CORONAVIRUS