Continue to Site

How many serve beer? Opinions please.

W

wiseguy

New member
Would like to serve bottled beer but afraid to do so in the bible belt. Don’t want the majority of the population (who are religious fanatics) to have a poor opinion of my establishment and boycott me. Don’t want to be a bar…no liquor etc…just beer. How many of you are selling beer currently? Has it helped your business? Do you think it would be worthwhile?
 
Last edited:
I used to work in a pizza shop that served beer. It was in a rough city so please understand that my opinion of serving beer was formed in this type of enviorment.

It was set up like a normal pizza shop except for a 6 door cooler behind our counter. Customers would point out which beer that wanted and were not able to get it themselves. The ‘type’ of people that came in were not the nicest. The place really had a feeling of being a beer store than a pizza shop.

The guy that owned the shop also had two others that were in even worse areas. The both got robbed all the time.

I think it might be something that would work out in a better area. You might not have as much beer sales as you would in other parts of the country but that might be a good thing.

Personally I’d rather stick to selling pizza and soda rather than a 40oz of Old English.
 
Last edited:
Well, I’m not talking 40’s and stuff like that. I’m talking like somebody comes in with their buddies and they order a couple large pies…they want a couple 12 ouncers of Coors Light or something to go with it…Super Bowl Sunday…wing and beer specials…etc…you get the point. I’m not talking about selling beer for the sake of selling beer. I’m talking about selling it as a beverage, just as you would a large coke from your fountain.
 
Last edited:
When we first opened we served beer. We actually served all kinds of bottled and a couple of different ones on draft.

Our conviction to stop selling alcohol was when a guy came in with his 2 girls and we served him 2 beers. He probably had some before he came. He asked for a 3rd and the girls begged him not to order it. We served him the third and all the while I was thinking hmmmm for 2.5o I am helping to destroy his life and the life of his two girls. Not to say they would have an accident or anything but he was clearly an alcoholic.

He ended up trying to order a 4th. We refused. He threw a fit and began screaming profanity in our family restaurant. His girls were crying. By the end he knew I was the one who cut him off and he picked up a parm chz shaker and threw it at me.

After the police left I realized then…it was not worth it…to me.

We haven’t sold it in years and the business we have lost was worth it. Every now and again we will have people get up and leave because we don’t serve it…Oh well. We also have found support from those who appreciate the fact we don’t serve it.

Kris
 
Last edited:
I will be serving beer and wine in my new place, and I see nothing wrong with it at all. I think the most important thing is to serve it very, very responsibly. Make it known that you are a place where a person can enjoy a glass or two with their meal, but by no means can they get anywhere near drunk. I will also not have any beer signs in order to keep it very low key, and slide right under some peoples radar entirely. I wish you luck.
 
Last edited:
Pizza and beer go together like wine and cheese. You just gotta have beer if you serve pizza. Good beer too, of course you have to offer the budweiser crap, but I would have at least two or three premium beers. If the religious people don’t want beer, they don’t have to order it.
 
Last edited:
hey i am a little late in responding to this but i was bored at work and decided to scroll down a few pages and found this thread. i am moving to bigger place and am going to serve beer & wine. my feelings on this is that i hope no bull comes from this activity and my thoughts are to sell the alcohol at a premium to customers. those that balk at the price are the trouble makers in most cases. that is what i have learned in my 12 years of owning pizzerias & restaurants.
 
Last edited:
Have you thought about BYOB?
That’s what we do at our store.

Then, people can just bring it if they want it. It’s worked out for us. Customers bring a 6 pack, or a bottle of vino and enjoy their pizza or pasta dinner.

We are across from a restaurat/bar and sometimes they go across the street, buy a 6 pack and come back to our place!
 
Last edited:
Sweet,
What it the liability if someone get’s drunk on their booz drinking in your establishment? I don’t currently serve alcohol, but have been asked by several people if they can bring their own in. I told them NO, because I was afraid of what could happen. With BYOB, there’s no way to control the amount that someone consumes.
 
Last edited:
M husband called our Insurance Agent, our Lawyer, the Township, and the County Police - so we covered our bases.

We were told that we could not open it, provide glasses or advertise it, and that way we have no liability.

The regulations may vary where you are, but I would check with the same authorities we did and perhaps it may be an option for you.

We do not have tons of people that do it, but it is a nice option to have. Since we do not advertise, it’s word of mouth, or if someone asks if we sell beer, I tell them No, but you can bring your own!
 
Last edited:
I do not serve beer or wine, but there is an idependent grocery next door that sells a good variety of wine and beer, single cans also.
On AZ, it’s OK, I understand to BYOB to a restaurant, I havetent dining, never had a problem with it.
Mostly senior snowbirds here.

Otis
 
You may not have any liability, however, that will not prevent you from being sued…So you should always have a comprehensive liability policy so your defense costs (which can often be more than claims payments) will be covered…
 
Last edited:
60.png
ADpizzaguy:
Pizza and beer go together like wine and cheese. You just gotta have beer if you serve pizza. Good beer too, of course you have to offer the budweiser crap, but I would have at least two or three premium beers. If the religious people don’t want beer, they don’t have to order it.
Click to expand...
could not have said it better myself. We serve 14 beers on tap and 20 in a bottle. The emphasis is on quality of beer not quantity of beer consumed. It works for us…not saying it works for all.

It is the resposibility of your servers to serve responsible. ServeSafe has an alcohol resposibility class that is relatively inexpensive and educates them on doing the right thing
 
Last edited:
I don’t know if your Christians are any more devote than my Christians, but every Sunday after church, my restaurant fills up about noon, with a bunch of church-goers, many who have come straight from church, they come to get lunch, have a beer, and watch a little NFL, or Baseball on the the Big Screen. I am sure you will always, have a few tea-totelers, but for the most part a couple of beers doesn’t hurt anyone.

My Step-father was a Minister, and growing up in with him, was an eye opener, cause as devote as he was every Sunday after church, he would sit back with a six-pack, and a bag of chips and watch 6 hours of Football on Sunday Afternoon.
 
Last edited:
We recently opened a pizza restaurant in MN (also in the Bible belt) and obtained a 3.2 license to sell beer. We sold very little, but we didn’t promote it either. We quit selling it because of the hassle. Noone under 18 is allowed to sell it or touch it and if I am not mistaken, employees under the age of 16 aren’t even supposed to be in the same room where it is consumed. Before we opened we had several people ask if we would be selling beer so we assumed there was quite a demand, but we did not find that to be the case. We no longer sell it and it doesn’t seem to be missed.

Best Wishes
 
wiseguy,

Complete your due diligence. Then purchase the license. I sell draft, bottles, & wine. In NC…home of to Billy Graham part of the year. You will not go out of business because you are selling beer. You may get hurt if you let your beer drinks scream & curse at the TV’s (even w/o selling the beer). Again, due diligence you’ll be suprised how it will add another level to your business. By the way do you think a person who opposes drinking will not go to a grocery store or big chain restaurant because they sell beer?
I say go for it.

As far as Kris’ comments, I never would have served the guy the first beer, & beer or no beer he was an as*s so why worry. Call DSS about the kids and make another pizza!

-Doug
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top