Are bars and restaurants closed during the temporary business shutdown?

UPDATE: On June 17, 2020, Phase II of ReOpen CT allowed restaurants to provide both indoor and outdoor dining as long as they are following strict safety guidelines. For all the latest guidance on restaurants, please visit the business sector rules for indoor dining here.--

As of noon on March 19, 2020, any business with an active restaurant, café, or tavern liquor permit issued by the Department of Consumer Protection may sell sealed containers of alcoholic liquor for pick up under the following conditions:

• the sale shall accompany a pick-up order of food prepared on the premises;
• the type of alcoholic liquor sold for off-premise consumption shall be the same as what the permit type would have permitted for on-premise consumption prior to this emergency situation;
• the hours of such sales that include alcoholic liquor as part of the take-out order shall be the same as those for a package store.
• Delivery of alcoholic liquor by licensees with these permit types is not permitted. 

Businesses with manufacturing permits, such as craft breweries and similar establishments, may sell alcohol for off-premises consumption according to the existing terms of their permits.

Holders of the following alcoholic liquor permits may deliver directly to consumers any sealed alcoholic liquor under the same conditions as Executive Order 7G permitted for pick-up and off-premise consumption sales:

Restaurant, Café, Tavern, Manufacturer Permit, Manufacturer Permit for Beer, Manufacturer Permit for Farm Winery, Manufacturer Permit for Farm Brewery, Manufacturer Permit for a Brew Pub, Manufacturer Permit for Beer and Brew Pub, Manufacturer Permit for a Farm Distillery.

Please refer to the Department of consumer Protection Website for further information: https://portal.ct.gov/dcp

Bars that do not serve food will be required to temporarily close to the public.

Cafeterias at hospitals may remain open. 

Onsite workplace cafeterias are not required to close or stop serving food. Employees in general are encouraged to bring their own meals to work if possible, rather than using such facilities. 

To the extent feasible, employers are encouraged to permit or require employees who order food at workplace cafeterias to eat those meals in private workspaces. If employers permit employees to eat food within workplace cafeterias, they should implement appropriate social distancing measures and make every effort to minimize the number of people congregating within a confined space or area. 

In addition, workplace cafeterias should stop or limit self-serve food and drinks such as:

• Buffets

• Salad bars

• Soups

• Fountain sodas

• Coffee

• Reusable food and drink containers 

Breads, muffins and pastries and other similar items should be pre-wrapped.

Food trucks can still operate but should take steps to practice social distancing/line management.

Farmers’ markets and farm stands in Connecticut can remain open during the civic preparedness and public health emergency. These entities are not covered by the executive order on restaurants the governor issued earlier this week. A number of farm stands and farmers’ markets have already integrated online or order-ahead options with home delivery or curbside pickup. 

The agency is working with producers to compile an updated listing of farmers’ markets and farm stands on www.ctgrown.gov