Kitchen closed: Arlington Heights changing longstanding requirement for liquor service

In a town that’s long required food to be served alongside drinks at local establishments, Arlington Heights is changing municipal code to allow liquor license holders to end food service at 8 p.m. nightly.

Mayor Jim Tinaglia, who also serves as the local liquor commissioner, said most downtown restaurants already flout the rules, which require kitchens to be staffed and remain open until 11 p.m., after which a limited late-night menu must be available until closing.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to go eat something at 9:30 or 10 (p.m.) after an appointment, after a meeting, and there may just be one restaurant downtown that’s still serving food,” he said.

Under an amendment to the liquor code, restaurateurs could close their kitchens by 8 p.m. and continue serving booze the rest of the night. They wouldn’t have to have a bare-bones, late-night menu, either, though they could continue food service as late as they’d like.

Tinaglia called the time change “more sympathetic” to the needs of businesses. It would affect 78 liquor license holders in town.

“What I’ve heard again and again and again and again is that it is extremely expensive and sometimes fruitless to have a kitchen chef and all of their equipment operational past 9 or 10 o’clock and no one’s ordering food, just so they can have their bar open to serve alcohol,” Tinaglia said.

The time change was one of four amendments to the code proposed by Tinaglia and endorsed by trustees Monday. They will vote on a final ordinance as soon as Aug. 3. Three additional changes will be discussed in the coming weeks, seen as part of a broader strategy to keep Arlington Heights competitive with its neighbors.

On July 30, the village uncorks its new “sip and stroll” outdoor downtown social district, which will allow people to purchase drinks from bars and restaurants within the boundaries of the existing Arlington Alfresco outdoor dining zone.

Tinaglia initially proposed a 10 p.m. food service cutoff, but it was amended on the village boardroom floor Monday night by Trustee Colin Gilbert, a former owner of Tuscan Market & Wine Shop. Gilbert’s amendment came after testimony from Chip Brooks, owner of the Hey Nonny music club and bistro, who said his own survey of downtown businesses found 8 p.m. to be the “right time.”

“During what period of time do we want businesses to operate unprofitably for their food service?” Brooks said. “Because if it’s profitable, we’re going to be there with the food.”

Trustee Greg Zyck was the sole board member to express the long-held view at village hall that liquor sales should be paired with food.

“It absorbs the alcohol. It helps the person not to be over the limit,” Zyck said.

He, too, voted for the 8 p.m. mandate, but trusts business owners to keep their kitchens open longer if needed.

“They’re going to make the right decision on what they need to do,” Zyck said.