N.Y. Liquor Authority Clarifies: Boozy Bottomless Brunch Drink Specials Are Probably Okay

(lungstruck)

Everyone in New York City dreading weekends without brunch bottomless drink specials needs to just take a few deep breaths and relax: After the panic that ensued when the New York City Hospitality Alliance pointed out that such promotions are against the law, the State Liquor Authority is clearing a few things up.

Basically, your bottomless booze brunch specials are safe, Eater reports. Because although it’s against the law to sell/serve/deliver/offer an unlimited number of drinks “during any set period of time for a fixed price,” there’s an exception, and that exception apparently includes the occasion of brunch.

The SLA has issued a clarification as to why it likely won’t be on the lookout for brunchers tipping back mimosa after mimosa (bolding ours):

Serving unlimited drinks to a patron is prohibited under the Alcoholic Beverage Control law, and instances of over serving by our licensees will be investigated and prosecuted. However, there is a limited exception in the statute when the service of alcohol is incidental to the event, such as in the case of certain brunch specials. Even under these limited exceptions, licensees still have a legal obligation not to over serve patrons.

Right now a bunch of brunchers are nodding sagely at the inclusion of brunch as an “event.” And so long as that event doesn’t continue on all day long as part of any “special,” your neverending Bloody Marys will continue to refill themselves — at least while you’re dining. Not for all time.

We can all now return to our regularly scheduled brunch programming.

You can follow MBQ on Twitter where she will no doubt tweet about brunch at some point, so don’t judge: @marybethquirk

The SLA Clarifies its Stance on Bottomless Brunch Deals [Eater]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist