OMAHA- Many restaurants and customers have taken advantage of the waiver to state law that allows for takeout cocktails. Takeout orders have spiked across the state since the start of the pandemic with nearly 35-40% of meals being from that category. The extra revenue from these carryout drinks is enough to help some restaurants stay afloat.
However, some restaurants in small towns in the panhandle are the only eateries in their towns, making the possibility of their closure much more poignant to their communities. With occupancy being cut, many restaurants were not even making half of what they once did. Once these takeaway waiver's came to play, restaurants were finally able to have a little more breathing room. Laying off employees has also remained an issue for many restaurants, which is obviously a very hard thing to do for restaurant owners and managers.
Ricketts cited the economic hit restaurants and bars endured and are still dealing with due to the pandemic for his reasoning behind waiving this state law. 17% of the nation's eateries have closed since the pandemic began and 9 in 10 of these restaurants have seen an average drop in sales of 36%.
Drunk driving incidents have decreased by 24% from a year ago.