LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Slater’s 50/50 on Lake Mead Boulevard is the first restaurant to receive a to-go alcohol license in the City of Las Vegas.
A state law passed last year paved the way for to-go alcohol sales across Nevada. Earlier this month, the Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously to allow mixed drinks to-go, with a requirement that customers also order food.
City requires food with to-go drinks
Nevada law does not require food to be sold with to-go drinks, but the City of Las Vegas does. The city says two restaurants have applied to sell to-go mixed drinks, and Slater’s 50/50 is the first to be approved.
To-go cocktails are not new for restaurant owners. They were sold during the pandemic. Slater’s 50/50 owner said the practice helped the restaurant survive during that time.
MORE ON FOX5: Henderson takes first step toward allowing to-go alcoholic drinks
Packaging rules require tamper-proof seals
Compliance with the to-go program includes following city packaging rules. The seal on containers must be ripped to open.
“You have to rip it. So, once the seal is ripped, it can no longer be put back on to the growler. And so, that makes it tamper-proof,” said Kao.
Henderson drafts its own ordinance
While some owners support the food requirement, the Nevada Restaurant Association said patchwork regulations across the valley could cause confusion.
Henderson city leaders are currently drafting their own ordinance. At a recent meeting, the owner of Las Vegas Distillery pushed back against any mandatory food rule.
“I heard there may be some sort of provision where there might be some sort of food-to-alcohol ratio on this. That was never contemplated in Carson City when the law was passed, and I don’t think it’s necessary,” the Las Vegas Distillery owner said.
Las Vegas officials defend the rule, saying requiring a meal prevents restaurants from turning into de facto liquor stores.
Slater’s 50/50 plans to open a third valley location in Henderson soon and says it will adapt either way. Henderson officials are still working on their draft ordinance, which is expected to come up for a council vote in the coming months.
Other restaurants awaiting neighboring jurisdictions
The city of Las Vegas says several restaurants have reached out about the rules, but most are holding off. City regulations currently prohibit deliveries outside Las Vegas city limits, so many operators are waiting for neighboring jurisdictions to pass matching laws first.
The city says Eureka! Downtown is working on its approval.
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