Should a zoo be able to sell beer and wine?

by Bob Sassone (Subscribe to Bob Sassone's posts)
Posted Apr 26th 2007 2:01PM
Filed under: Wine, Beer, Business

Lincoln Park Zoo

Sure, just keep it away from the lions. Ha! Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week!

The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is asking the city council for a license to sell beer and wine. Not in carts in the middle of the zoo but at the restaurants on the zoo site (they already serve alcohol at a restaurant just outside of the zoo). They want to be able to serve beer and wine at the zoo's cafeteria and the Big Cat's Cafe, which is near the lion's cage (and I swear I made the above joke before I even read that part).

Is this a good idea? Sure, revenue would increase to $300,000-400,000, but shouldn't there just be some places in this country where alcohol isn't a part of the equation?

Tags: alcohol, animals, beer, beer and wine license, BeerAndWineLicense, big cat's cafe, cages, chicago illinois, chicago zoo, lincoln park zoo, serving beer at zoos, serving wine at zoos, wine

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

4-26-2007 @ 2:30PM

David said...

Haven't you ever read a "beer and pizza" economics book? Alcohol is part of EVERY equation!

4-26-2007 @ 2:51PM

Dave said...

Why? Why shouldn't they serve alcohol in the food establishments? They aren't wanting to start a bar, or sell to minors. This would just allow an adult to have a beer with lunch while enjoying the zoo.

In every other part of the world daily alcohol imbibment with food is a norm. Only here in puritanical US is it frowned upon. Now, I am not advocating getting drunk at lunch, but short glass of beer with my Pastrami and Rye is a whole lot better tasting than that short can of RedBull and nowhere near as dibilitating.

4-26-2007 @ 2:52PM

Foodie Bride said...

There already are those places - schools and churches. I get annoyed when we end up in a place where I don't at least have the option of having a glass of wine.

4-26-2007 @ 2:58PM

Chris Furniss said...

When you don't have it there, it is making it even more taboo. If you have it everywhere and regulate it, it becomes less of a problem.

Everywhere else in the world is cool with alcohol. America is just full of people who want to inflict their morals on others. Yes, even in Zoos. Of COURSE they should be able to sell alcohol in their restaurants. After a long day of walking around the zoo with screaming children, mommy and daddy would probably benefit from a glass of wine and some time to relax.

4-26-2007 @ 4:11PM

Erin said...

They sell beer at the San Diego Zoo. *shrug*

4-26-2007 @ 4:29PM

Adri said...

Yep. I've been to one such place. It calls itself the 'Analcoholic restaurant'. If you really don't want any mention of alcohol whatsoever around you, go to one.

Instead of legislating against people's civil liberties, governments should create initiatives for people to make 'Ansmoking restaurant's.

4-26-2007 @ 4:34PM

Lisa said...

To those who mention alcohol in other countries - Yes, it's true that drinking alcohol with a meal is common and accepted outside of North America. The difference is... in many of these places, a glass of beer or wine is seen as a complement to a meal. ONE glass. In North America, a lot of people simply drink to get drunk. I've seen too many bad parents at zoos. They barely give a crap about their children when they're sober. I'd hate to see them drunk.

4-26-2007 @ 4:35PM

Karen said...

Yeah...this really does seem a non-issue. I had forgotten that alcohol was so limited until a recent trip to GA when I was ot allowed to purchase alcohol on Sunday.

Just not an issue. Why NOT serve beer and wine?

4-26-2007 @ 5:05PM

marquisem said...

The people who are going to get drunk at the zoo would likely show up that way anyway. Extremes don't make good guidelines. I say treat the adults who can handle it responsibly (as most can) as adults and let us have a lovely beverage.

4-26-2007 @ 5:08PM

lindseyQuinn said...

"Yeah...this really does seem a non-issue."

I think Slashfood posts are almost exclusively non-issues, these days.

4-26-2007 @ 7:59PM

Richard Leaf said...

Serving wine and beer is a practical way for the zoo to help meet operating expenses. This can shift some of the public funding burden to other social priorities.

The idea that the zoo restaurants would become places where alcohol abuse could become a problem is quite laughable.

4-27-2007 @ 5:39AM

mmm said...

Meh, they could start by changing the habitat for those lions. I'm normally no treehugger but Kovler house at lpzoo made me feel real sorry for those poor bastards.

4-27-2007 @ 8:36AM

Miranda said...

The Lincoln Park Zoo is free. If selling alcohol will help keep it that way I'm all for it.

4-27-2007 @ 4:31PM

monica said...

The Lincoln Park Zoo is more than a zoo, it's a beautiful outdoor space. It would make a lovely place to have a cold beer in the sun. And to echo a previous user's comment, Lincoln Park Zoo is free, and if this will help keep it that way, then bring on the booze!

4-27-2007 @ 9:42AM

Michael said...

Milwaukee County Zoo, WI serves alcohol. I've never seen it as a problem every time I've been there. I'd rather drink a been than a soda with my meal.

4-27-2007 @ 10:09AM

S said...

St. Louis Zoo also serves beer (we are Busch country). It is even sold in "carts in the middle of the zoo." When I worked there, there was never a problem with underage drinking or rowdiness.

For places that want to do conservation work, why not let them raise more money this way?

4-27-2007 @ 12:08PM

Lisa said...

Sodexho at Zoo Atlanta sells beer, wine, AND liquor. /shrug.

4-27-2007 @ 1:07PM

jamie said...

#6, not just beer... the San Diego Zoo also pours a nice margarita. Pandas, koalas, and margaritas - oh my!

4-27-2007 @ 2:59PM

MJ said...

Nope,maybe hazardous to your health. Dont want to lose a limb. Wait to go to a bar!!

4-28-2007 @ 7:20PM

Chef JoAnna said...

:: raises her glass to lindseyQuinn ::

*hic*

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