Welcome to AM Intel at the time of the coronavirus, a summary of the city’s latest restaurant-related data. Follow Eater on Facebook and Twitter for updated details on how COVID-19 is impacting the city’s food scene.
TABC reverses guidelines on whether breweries can serve beer on patios
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has reversed its previous guidelines that would have allowed breweries to reopen their patios for service, Fox 7 reported in Austin. An email sent to the brewers of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild stated that TABC has reversed its stance on whether the breweries could serve beer venues in outdoor patios. Breweries must now transition to selling take-out beer only. Craft Brewers Guild has said that TABC’s decision making shows a lack of leadership, planning and communication.
Last week, TABC ruled that breweries should count beer sold to distributors in addition to direct customers by determining whether they meet 51% of alcohol sales that distinguishes restaurant bars. That caused breweries like Saint Arnolds, which has a large restaurant and beer garden, to be classified as a bar rather than a restaurant, meaning they were ordered to close under Governor Greg Abbott’s reversal of his Open Plan. from Texas.
Due to TABC decisions like these, several Texas brewers have come together to form the Save Texas Breweries advocacy group.
Houston now has a drive-through strip club, thanks to Covid-19
Necessity is the mother of invention, and many companies have had to swing due to patterns of social distancing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Among those businesses: strip clubs. Houston is now home to the city’s first drive-thru strip club, located on Winrock Boulevard, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Vivid Gentleman’s Club has installed a white tent in which the dancers perform behind metal barricades. Customers must stay in their cars and limit themselves to a two-song performance to make room for the next customer, but they can also order burgers, beer, and even tip dancers, many of whom have had financial difficulties such as bars and pubs. other businesses have closed.
The idea is not entirely new: There is a drive-thru club in Portland, Oregon, and a similar business opened in San Antonio in March.
Famous chef Tim Love opens the Tex-Mex ghost kitchen in Houston
Chef Tim Love, known for his Lonesome Dove Bistro restaurants and Food Network cooking programs, has opened a line of ghost kitchens focused on Tex-Mex cuisine in four Texas cities, including Houston, Austin, Fort Worth, and Denton , according to CultureMap. Burritos, Fajitas and ‘Ritas opened on July 21 in Houston outside the Woodshed Smokehouse at 3728 Wakeforest Avenue. As the restaurant’s name implies, it focuses on all three areas of Tex-Mex cuisine, offering dishes like vegan summer squash burritos, artisan margs, and fresh homemade salsa, all available for delivery and take-away only. Diners can order at ChefTimLove.com.
Luby’s reports $ 25 million loss, continues to push for sale
Luby’s, the Texas-based coffeehouse chain founded in 1947, has reported a staggering $ 25 million loss in sales for the second quarter of 2020, in part due to the closure of the coronavirus, according to a story in the Houston Chronicle. The chain was already struggling due to changes in modern eating habits, and began courting shoppers in June. History says the loss equates to an 80% drop in sales compared to the same time period in 2019.
In 2001, the owners of the Pappas family of restaurants bought a majority stake in Luby’s with the intention of overhauling the beloved cafe chain. But Pappas also struggled during the pandemic, announcing the closure of five Pappas locations in the Houston area in June. It is still unclear what the loss of revenue will mean for Luby’s.
