Virginia Proposes Lowering Food Sales Requirement for Restaurants with Liquor Licenses

The new bill aims to help restaurants stay compliant as cocktail prices rise.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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A proposed bill in Virginia could lower the required percentage of food and non-alcoholic beverage sales for restaurants with liquor licenses from 45% to 30%. The current law has become increasingly challenging for restaurant owners as cocktail prices have risen, making it difficult to maintain the high food sales ratio. The bill's sponsor believes the change will provide more flexibility for restaurants to remain compliant.

Why it matters

The current 45% food sales requirement has been criticized as outdated, especially as restaurants offer more high-end cocktail options that can skew the sales ratio. Lowering the threshold could help struggling restaurants stay in compliance and avoid potential penalties, supporting the local business community.

The details

The proposed House Bill 975 would reduce the required percentage of food and non-alcoholic beverage sales from 45% to 30% for Virginia restaurants with liquor licenses. Restaurant owners have said the current law is challenging as cocktail prices have risen, making it difficult to maintain the high food sales ratio. The bill's sponsor, State Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, believes the change will provide more flexibility for restaurants to remain compliant, as a $20 cocktail order could previously fail to meet the 45% food sales requirement.

  • The proposed bill has passed both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly and is now headed to the governor's desk for signature.

The players

Debbie Lou Hague

The President of the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, who says the current law is outdated and that the food sales requirement should be eliminated entirely.

Elizabeth Bennett-Parker

The State Senator who introduced House Bill 975 to lower the food sales requirement from 45% to 30%, believing the current law is an uphill battle for restaurant owners.

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What they’re saying

“To get that food ratio up to those high price items, it's a big concern; the whole thing seems a little antiquated.”

— Debbie Lou Hague, President, Virginia Beach Restaurant Association (13newsnow.com)

“If somebody ordered two $20 cocktails and a $25 burger, that order would not meet the ratio. Similarly, a $5 pour of bourbon, compared to a higher-end $25-or $50 pour, could be the same amount of alcohol, but the restaurant must sell five or ten times as much food for the latter to stay compliant with the law.”

— Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, State Senator (13newsnow.com)

What’s next

Once the bill is signed by the governor, the new 30% food sales requirement for restaurants with liquor licenses in Virginia will go into effect.

The takeaway

This proposed change to Virginia's liquor license laws recognizes the evolving landscape of the restaurant industry, where high-end cocktails have become a significant revenue driver. Lowering the food sales threshold could provide much-needed relief for restaurant owners struggling to maintain compliance with an outdated regulation.