State Assemblyman Anthony D’Urso introduced bill, A.8174, at the request of the New York State Liquor Authority, which amends the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law in relation to defining a hotel license. The bill recently passed both houses and awaits the governor’s signature.
“Allowing businesses to offer a wider array of food and dining services to their guests will inevitably allow hotel patrons a more comfortable stay and allows the proprietors of establishments to operate with more flexibility,” said D’Urso. “This bill allows hotel proprietors to increase the scale of their food services without undue burdens, and with greater convenience to their patrons.”
This bill removes the requirement that hotels have a full-service restaurant on the premise in order to obtain a license that permits room service and mini-bars.
Under the previous law, hotels were required to regularly supply food to their occupants by having in a full-scale restaurant on their premises, but provided no other alternatives to food service for hotel patrons.
This bill will grant hotel licensees the flexibility to provide food service to patrons in bars or taverns on their premises in addition to restaurants. The amendment will enable hotel licensees to operate without the need for a full kitchen and restaurant that can prepare traditional sit-down meals for patrons.
