The US State With An Unusual 'Food-Beverage Ratio' Restaurants Must Follow - Tasting Table

"According to the Virginia Alcohol and Beverage Control Authority (ABC) website, regulations for mixed beverage licensees "stipulate that a minimum 45 percent of the total gross sales must be from food and nonalcoholic beverages. Conversely, alcohol sales should comprise no more than 55 percent of these sales." The Mixed Beverage License covers restaurants, clubs and caterers, and this regulation falls under the Mixed Beverage Annual Review, or MBAR, which all licensees must submit annually."

"While that's not as strict as Utah, where every pour is monitored, it isn't too far off, especially when combined with other regulations: Minimum monthly food sales, substantial entrees, and a requirement to prove how much food was consumed at a buffet. Some of it is so complex that the ABC even deploys special agents to help restaurants comply with the food-beverage ratio regulation."

Virginia enforces a strict food-beverage ratio regulation requiring mixed beverage licensees—restaurants, clubs, and caterers—to generate minimum 45% of gross sales from food and nonalcoholic beverages, capping alcohol sales at 55% of total revenue. This regulation, monitored through the Mixed Beverage Annual Review (MBAR) that all licensees must submit annually, is enforced by ABC special agents who help restaurants maintain compliance. Similar to Utah's strict alcohol monitoring, Virginia's regulation includes additional requirements such as minimum monthly food sales, substantial entrees, and proof of food consumption at buffets. This complex enforcement system reflects historical legislative intent, though the original purposes of such regulations often become outdated over time.

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