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MPR News Staff
St. Paul, Minn.

Minneapolis eases alcohol restrictions on some eateries

Liquor ratios
Paul Failor and Anya Smith enjoy beer and fried pickles on the patio at Pat's Tap, June 3, 2014 in Minneapolis.
Jennifer Simonson/MPR News

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The Minneapolis City Council Friday scrapped "antiquated" rules that required restaurants in commercial areas outside downtown to generate at least 60 percent of their sales in food and 40 percent or less in alcohol.

The rules and ratios didn't jibe with modern dining habits, restaurant owners argued as they pushed for changes this year.

"This is a manner of regulation that frankly just doesn't make sense any more in today's economic realities and may not be the best way to regulate the businesses anyway" Council Vice President Elizabeth Glidden said.

The council's move doesn't alter the rules regulating the types of alcohol a business can serve or the kinds of entertainment it can have -- a neighborhood restaurant, for instance, could not be replaced by a bar, the city said.

Restaurants are still required to earn "a substantial amount" of their business from non-alcohol purchases.

• June: Mpls. voters will decide whether to ease alcohol restrictions

Friday's council decision is part of a larger effort to restructure the city's alcohol regulations.

In November, Minneapolis voters will vote on a ballot question that would remove rules that required eateries in largely residential areas to earn at least 70 percent of their revenue from food sales, meaning alcohol sales can't exceed 30 percent.