Liquor in movie theaters, takeout cocktails expansion included in New York budget agreement

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The state Assembly passed measures earlier this week which could allow movie theaters to sell liquor as well as continue to let patrons buy takeout cocktails from bars and restaurants as part of the larger state budget agreement.

Most New York movie theaters are currently only allowed to sell beer and wine but staff at Rochester theaters say the new legislation would add liquor and new opportunities to the mix.

“It is exciting and it’s nice to see the state thinking about independent movie theaters, and how we can be helped out and how we can help the community,” Scott Pukos, Director of Communications at The Little Theatre told News 8.

Pukos says while The Little Theatre has a selection of alcohol for sale, having a wider selection could allow for more creativity.

“I think anytime something like that is added, if we’re able to serve liquor, it allows us one for creativity you can come up with cocktails, and pair them to different movies,” Pukos said. “An example of that was Barbie you can come up with a fun cocktail to serve with that.”

According to officials, Patrons would only be allowed to purchase one alcoholic beverage per transaction, and theaters must stop selling alcohol once the credits start rolling in for the last showing of the day.

Other Rochester movie theaters like ROC Cinema on South Clinton Avenue owned by Krisitina Dinino-Jeffords, are ahead of the game.

“When we first opened and we rebranded the original Cinema Theater to ROC Cinema, we knew the cinema industry was a changing industry and we knew in order to survive in this climate that we were going to have to do something different,” Dinino-Jeffords said. “That’s why we came up with the idea of doing a dine in movie theatre with a full bar and a full kitchen. We were the first one in Rochester, we pride ourselves on that.”

Dinino-Jeffords also owns The Mad Hatter Restaurant and Bakery on Park Avenue which serves to-go mimosas. She’s been part of the encouragement of legislation to pass the first bill to allow alcohol to-go and is happy to see it proposed to be extended for the next five years.

“We think it’s definitely something that’s needed, and it’s just a nice little added revenue, and a nice little perk for anyone that’s enjoying a meal and taking it home to add on a cocktail!,” Dinino-Jeffords said.

Restaurants and movie theaters alike, business owners hope if the legislation passes, it will help them continue to thrive.

“We welcome everyone else to the club, I feel like we want to make the cinema experience stay alive,” Dinino-Jeffords said. “We don’t want that to go away we want all of these small little theatres throughout the US to stay alive.”

Scott with the little theater told me if this does pass, it will be a while before the theater starts serving liquor, as it will await its liquor license. And while they wait, Pukos says they will continue to make fun drinks for special screenings with punch.

Lawmakers voted Thursday to push the state’s budget deadline again, though they are expected to vote on package of budget bills Friday and into the weekend.

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