Bottomless Brunch Is Illegal In Ohio, Making It One Of The Weirdest Laws In Cleveland
By Nikki Rhoades|Published March 05, 2020
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Bottoms up! If you’ve ever traveled, you’ve probably noticed that liquor laws vary from state to state. In some places, you might spot a drive-through margarita bar. In other destinations, like Las Vegas, for example, you can find happy hour somewhere at almost any given time. One of the most unexpected liquor laws in Cleveland, however, is actually one that’s enforced throughout the state: no bottomless brunch. Now, is brunch itself prohibited? Well, not exactly. But the bottomless drinks that come with your breakfast-lunch mashup are prohibited here in The Buckeye State. Wet your whistle at brunch, but find out why bottomless drinks are prohibited here:
What is bottomless brunch? Quite simply, it's the pairing of a number of courses with unlimited alcoholic drinks. Sounds like fun, right? Here in Ohio, it's illegal.
Every single place has laws in place that prohibit the sale of alcohol to visibly drunk patrons, but it turns out Ohio wants to limit your consumption of those watered-down mimosas, too. Why? To be frank, it boils down to your personal safety.
According to Ohio Administrative Code Section 4301:1-1-50, there are limitations to how restaurants may serve alcohol to patrons. First of all, an individual may only have one drink at a time.
Want to put in an order for a second cocktail? That is perfectly fine, but don't expect it to come out until your drink is gone or is just about gone.
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Ohio Administrative Code Section 4301:1-1-50 also states that no liquor permit holder may serve, "An unlimited number of servings of alcoholic beverages during any set period of time for a fixed price."
To sum it up, this law means that it is illegal to offer unlimited alcohol for $25, for example. Rest assured that you're not actually missing much, however. Most bottomless mimosas offered around the nation are not made with champagne, but a cheap bubbly wine.
Happy hour may be offered before 9 p.m., but thereafter drinks must be sold at the published price. Ohio is one of a handful of states to limit happy hour... some states prohibit it altogether! (Seriously, there are several states between Hawaii and Maine that don't allow happy hours.)
Wondering what most local bottomless brunches actually are? Restaurants are able to sell you a bottle of wine (or any other fixed amount of alcohol) and unlimited juice, which is why many "bottomless mimosas" come out in two pitchers -- one full of juice and one with sparkling wine.
Additionally, many restaurants will actually limit how long you have to get another round of drinks. Sometimes it is one hour, sometimes two. All in all, however, these laws are in place to prevent you from overdoing it in public and, potentially, choosing to drive drunk.
Fortunately, Ohio isn't as strict as some states. Others prohibit happy hour, and many prohibit restaurants from giving away free birthday drinks, for example.
Can you imagine?! That first free drink on your 21st birthday is practically a landmark event. For more on Ohio's happy hour limitations and liquor laws, click here.
In many cases, this old school law isn't strictly enforced. Remember, however, that there is a reason it's on the books!
Typically, cheaper drinks lead to an increase in drunk driving. Drunk driving leads to accidents and death, so... better safe than sorry, right?
Did you know that bottomless drinks are prohibited in Ohio? What is the weirdest liquor law you’ve encountered in another state? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This isn’t the only weird law in the state… Greater Cleveland has several oddballs! Check out our list of super weird laws that, for the most part, aren’t enforced.
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