Right: the suggestion that alcohol might be served in outlets where children are patrons is denied by KFC.
 Found a word you're not familiar with? Double-click that word to bring up a dictionary reference to it. The dictionary page includes an audio sound file with which to actually hear the word said. |
Arguments in favour of selling alcohol at fast food outlets like KFC
1. Consumers should have a choice of different types of licensed restaurants
Sydney and Melbourne have each moved to encourage smaller outlets to sell alcohol with meals so as to offer a diversity of eating and drinking experiences to patrons.
OPEN Sydney, Future Directions for Sydney at Night, Strategy and action plan 2013-2030 calls for changes to the current pattern of alcohol consumption in the city, stating, 'Sydney's current drinking culture and the associated anti-social behaviour is an issue and left unchecked will continue to exclude many from the night-time economy and present a reputational risk.'
In 2013, Alex Greenwich, the Independent member for Sydney stated, 'Small bars first began appearing in Sydney in 2008 after widespread community campaigns for a more civilised kind of drinking culture through smaller venues. Prior to that Sydney's late-night scene was dominated by beer barns and large nightclubs. Since then around 70 new small bars have opened in the inner city.'
Mr Greenwich further stated, 'Successful night-time cities offer a variety of entertainment catering for different tastes. They are also places where people feel safe.'
The type of venue proposed by KFC for Parramatta would suit this style of eating and drinking. The new venue will cater for 49 people, 33 inside and 16 outside and will operate from 11am to 9pm.
2. Alcohol will only be sold at specialised fast food outlets, not those that also cater to families
KFC has stressed that it is engaged in niche marketing and that it is not seeking to attract children, teenagers and families into the Parramatta outlet that will also sell alcohol.
A KFC spokesperson has stated that the new standalone outlet selling beer and cider as well as a specialised range of food products would be aimed at customers who are 25 years and over.
The spokesperson stated, 'To better cater for our customers aged 25 plus, we have developed a new store concept which has a menu to reflect the market. It will not be serving our family meals, children's meals or snacking products. We would like to be very clear, that we have no intention of introducing beer into our existing KFC outlets.'
KFC has claimed that Parramatta was chosen as the pilot site for the new restaurant given its central location in Sydney and the large number of people over 25 living and working in the area.
The new store is being designed by award-winning architects The Great Indoors who will aim to create a new ambience for the restaurant that is intended to attract older consumers. It will be able to seat 49 people, 33 inside and 16 outside and will operate from 11am to 9pm. It is hoped that these hours will suit the lunching and dining requirements of young adult consumers who would also like to have a beverage with their meal.
3. Selling alcohol with fast food is an attempt to emulate the success of 'fast-casual' food outlets
From 2010, fast-food chains, such as Burger King and Sonic, began adding beer and wine to their menus. Sonic, which sells burgers, corn dogs and hot dogs, started selling bottled and draft beer along with ten varieties of wine to customers who eat on the outdoor patio at their Miami location. They also started selling alcohol at their Fort Lauderdale location. Burger King set up at least six Whopper Bars selling beer with their food products in the United States, as well as at locations in Singapore, Venezuela and Spain, while Starbucks sells beer and wine at four locations in Seattle.
These ventures appear to be in response to the success of a new mode of dining in the United States sometimes referred to as 'fast-casual'. The companies that sell this type of dining usually target the young adult market and sell both fast food and alcohol in a more sophisticated environment. A fast-casual restaurant does not offer full table service, but promises a higher quality of food with fewer frozen or processed ingredients than a traditional fast-food restaurant. In the United States the category is exemplified by outlets such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Culvers, Zaxby's and Panera.
On February 24, 2015, Commercial Appeal ran a report stating, 'The market for fast-casual food [in the United States]...has grown by 550 percent since 1999, more than ten times the growth seen in the fast-food industry for the same period.'
4. The fast food outlets will be licensed and will abide by the regulations governing the sale of alcohol
Supporters of KFC's application to be granted a liquor licence for its Parramatta stores have noted that such a licence will only be granted if the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) judges that the outlet's selling of alcohol would great no risk of harm to the community.
The ILGA has released a statement after KFC's Parramatta application was announced which states, 'Before giving approval, ILGA will need to be satisfied that the overall social impact of the proposal will not be detrimental to the well-being of the local or broader community.'
If an application is granted, the licensee then has to abide by the terms of the licence. In the KFC instance, a small bar licence limits the number of clientele a premise may serve to 60; requires that only trained staff can serve alcohol and prohibits minors being on the premises when alcohol is served.
5. Regulating the behaviour of alcohol consumers is the responsibility of the law and public education campaigns
The primary responsibility for regulating the behaviour of alcohol consumers resides with state lawmakers who determine the terms under which alcohol can be sold and the penalties that apply to those who do not sell it appropriately or who offend while intoxicated.
Thus, new laws have recently been announced governing the sale and consumption of alcohol in Sydney. 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks laws are now in force across the new Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct. The new precinct stretches from parts of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst to The Rocks, and from Kings Cross to Cockle Bay.
The new laws are part of the New South Wales Government's crackdown on drug and alcohol-fuelled violence and also include a New South Wales-wide ban on takeaway alcohol sales after 10pm.
The new precinct laws include: Lock outs and last drinks: 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks at hotels, registered clubs, nightclubs and licensed karaoke bars.
Small bars (maximum 60 people), most restaurants and tourism accommodation establishments are exempt. Venues currently licensed to stay open after 3am can do so without alcohol service.
There will be temporary bans of 48 hours for troublemakers.'
Takeaway alcohol sales are to stop at 10pm for bottle shops, hotels and clubs. This law is New South Wales-wide.
Liquor licenses application face a two year freeze on approvals for new and existing licenses. Revoking of Competency cards and disqualifications: (up to 12 months) for bar staff breaching responsible service of alcohol requirements.
Fines of up to $11,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 12 months, as well as strikes under the Government's Three Strikes disciplinary scheme will be applied against those who fail to comply with the new laws.
It has further been noted that there is also a need for public education campaigns to inform drinkers about safe drinking behaviour.
Sydney Council's OPEN Sydney, Future Directions for Sydney at Night, Strategy and action plan 2013-2030 states, 'We support the delivery of education for at-risk drinkers about safer drink levels, via a long-term New South Wales campaign. This wider approach is important as Sydney's night-time economy attracts local, intrastate and international visitors.
We will advocate to New South Wales Health for a guide to brief interventions for people who have come into contact with police or medical services as a consequence of alcohol use, and trial Hello Sunday Morning in Sydney, a program aimed at reducing binge drinking.'
There are many who believe that the onus should not be on the alcohol outlet to regulate consumer behaviour beyond not selling to inebriated customers and not selling alcohol outside those hours for which it is licensed. The responsibility is a broader societal one, lying with lawmakers, law enforcers, public educators and ultimately the individual consumer.