California says chicken wings, cheese sticks, fried squid, and potato chips are not considered food as it cracks down on outdoor restaurants offering non-food drinks as the state fights a surge in COVID cases -19.
The state Alcoholic Beverage Control agency issued guidelines on what constitutes a ‘meal’ after Governor Gavin Newsom reversed the reopening measures last month by ordering all bars to be closed.
While bars are now closed, restaurants can still offer cookouts across the state.
The alcohol agency published a guide on its website to help licensed locations meet the requirements amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On the list are snacks that include pretzels, nuts, popcorn, pickles, and fries.
California’s alcohol control agency issued guidelines on what constitutes a “meal” after Governor Gavin Newsom reversed the reopening measures last month by ordering all bars to be closed. The photo above is Palm Springs on July 16.
The meatiest foods that don’t count as a meal either include items that are typically served as appetizers or starters, such as cheese sticks, fried squid, chicken wings, pizza bites, egg rolls, stickers, flutes, and soup cups.
According to the agency, potato chips, onion rings, and desserts are also not considered food.
Prepackaged sandwiches and salads do not meet the requirement, but the agency said it acknowledges that many sandwiches and salads are “substantial and may constitute legitimate meals.”
‘Given the wide variety of food available at different licensed locations, this definition provides the flexibility to view the totality of the circumstances to determine whether the food service provided by a licensee is a legitimate bona fide meal offering. way, “reads the agency’s website.
“While multiple dishes are not required to make up a meal, in order for a meal to be served to the customer, there must be a sufficient quantity that constitutes a main dish in a multi-course dining experience.”
Initially, California managed to curb the spread of the virus, but has had a sharp reversal with high rates of COVID-19 infection in recent weeks.
The most populous US state recorded 413,579 cases on Wednesday after adding a record 12,807 spikes in new daily infections to its account.
California residents beginning in March were urged to stay home as much as possible, and state health orders closed all businesses except essentials like supermarkets.
Throughout May and June, California reopened much of its economy, and people resumed shopping at stores and dined at restaurants.
But infections began to rise and a new round of trade restrictions was imposed, including a ban on indoor eating in restaurants and bars.
CALIFORNIA: The most populous US state recorded 413,579 cases as of Wednesday after adding a record 12,807 spikes in new daily infections to its account.
While bars are now closed, restaurants can still offer cookouts across the state. The alcohol agency published a guide on its website to help licensed locations meet the requirements amid the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured is San Diego on July 17.
California Governor Gavin Newsom last week withdrew some of his reopening plans for the state by announcing the closure of some closed places that draw crowds like bars, restaurants, movie theaters, zoos and museums.
It also ordered the closure of gyms, churches and beauty salons in the state’s 30 most affected counties.
The state’s latest COVID-19 figures mean it now has 5,000 more cases than New York, the original epicenter of the nation’s outbreak.
New York currently has 408,181 total infections statewide.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tightened state cookout rules Wednesday to order bars to sell substantial amounts of food, and not just snacks, with drinks.
Cookouts were resumed in New York City on June 22.
Last week, Cuomo tightened the rules to force bars and restaurants to serve food with drinks.
Bars responded with menus of $ 1 or 50 cents, offering items like ‘Cuomo chips’ in a bowl or peanuts to comply with the new rules.
Cuomo took drastic action again this week, ordering that they have to serve a ‘substantial’ amount of food to people in order to remain open.
He also said that he never gave bars the green light to offer outdoor services in the first place.
Governor Cuomo is tightening the rules for bars that he says cannot serve outside dining at the tables if people only drink, and now must enforce ‘substantial’ food orders
Many bars complied with social distancing while allowing people to sit outside and drink
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