Food in tasting room

[jbdavenport1]

For those of you with tasting rooms without full kitchens or are not full ‘bars’, do you serve any food?  If so, what foods do you serve?  What are your best selling items? Do you price for profit or simply as value add?

 

thanks in advance. 

[Falling Rock]

There is a rub in my State.

I can sell or give away packaged food, but if I have to refrigerate, heat or prepare it in any way I have a new set of regulations and permit needed.

[bluefish_dist]

Same here, single serve prepackaged snacks are not food, but once you sever ice or prepared food then you need a restaurant license.  We have not gone that route yet.   Most simply get a food truck to provide the food.  

[jbdavenport1]

Same here. We’re thinking cured meats and cheese, crackers, grapes, etc. that a local deli delivers daily. 

[Huffy2k]

Prepackaged meats and cheese with just a very small profit margin for us.  Mainly as a service to our customers that would like to have a bite with their cocktails.

[bluestar]

Our tasting room is classified as a bar, as such are considered Illinois class 1 food, which is lowest level. We can not prepare food, although we can prepare cocktails (go figure). Food must be prepackaged. We provide popcorn for free. Since we are using microwave popcorn, and provide a single package serving to a customer, our inspector allows that as prepackaged. We also sell cello-packed corn nuts (those Peruvian big corn kernels). We are thinking of adding a few more cello-packed items. We do a brunch bloody mary that stacks a bunch of edibles on a skewer in the cocktail. Since that is part of the cocktail's garnish, it is not food prep.

 

Keep in mind the rules you will have to observe depend on your state requirements, county requirements, and local municipality.

[indyspirits]

We "serve" (as required by law)

• Hot Soup (Packets of Ramen with *FREE* hot water)
• Hot Sandwiches (frozen pizza and hot pockets)
• Coffee (instant)
• Milk (from powder)
• Soft Drinks (we really have this)

[Elixir Distilling Company]

In New Jersey we cant sell food.

People can call for take out or bring it in - but we are by law not allowed to sell food or operate a restaurant.

-Scott