Who Do You Sue
...to get a drink around here?
In California, the department of Alcoholic Beverage Control requires restaurants to get a liquor license -- even if they're just uncorking patrons' wine without charging. Brooke Williamson, owner of Venice's new Amuse Cafe, found this out the hard way, when her liquor license was pending. Williamson had been doing the free uncorking thing until an investigator told her she'd be subject to arrest -- that day -- if she didn't stop. When patrons called to make reservations, she had to tell them "no drinkie" -- and business dropped off precipitously because of it.
The "logic" behind this is the notion that the restaurant might serve alcohol to a minor, and sans license, they wouldn't be legally liable for any drunk driving accident the minor might have. Hello? Like the LA Times' David Shaw says, "This all seems pretty ridiculous to me. The person responsible for serving alcohol to a minor in a restaurant with no alcohol and no license is the person who brought it in and poured it for him. The person responsible for getting into a drunk-driving accident is the jerk who drank too much and drove the car." Duh.