Threatened by coronavirus, city’s restaurants turn tables
Creativity and customer support, along with government aid, helped Portland restaurants stay in business at a higher rate than other parts of the country, but dozens have yet to reopen their doors and almost all have losses to recoup.
This is the first of five parts in our series on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Portland’s restaurants.
In mid-March 2020, the staff at Becky’s Diner in Portland feverishly prepared for St. Patrick’s Day, an extraordinarily busy time at the waterfront restaurant when everyone wants corned beef and cabbage.
The Wrap: Extend cocktails to go? Plus new restaurants in Yarmouth and Portland
And more Valentine s options for all of you procrastinators.
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Maine lawmakers on Monday held a hearing on a bill that would extend sales of beer, wine and cocktails-to-go from restaurants and bars until April 15, 2022.
The bill, which was before the Maine Joint Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs, would also allow licensed Maine distilleries and small distilleries that operate tasting rooms to continue to sell spirits through takeout and delivery services until that same date.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States testified in favor of the bill. In his testimony, Jay Hibbard, senior vice president of government relations for the council, said that during the pandemic, cocktails-to-go have “provided a meaningful source of revenue to the many struggling hospitality businesses across the state of Maine, and extending those privileges will help these businesses recover while prov