Mary Ann Mantes opposed population quotas for restaurant liquor licenses "because people don't go to dinner to get drunk." She conceded that the Utah Legislature, the majority of whom are nondrinking Mormons, likely would not pass such legislation.

Mantes did ask commissioners to recommend that the Legislature raise population quotas to create more restaurant liquor licenses.

"No way," said Commissioner Bobbie Coray, who added that increasing the number of licenses would pressure restaurants to serve liquor to keep up with their competitors.

Coray instead proposed juggling population quotas to free up more limited service licenses in which restaurants may sell beer and wine - without increasing the number of retail outlets selling alcohol.

The juggling came at a time when the state has only one limited-service license left. Because of that bottleneck, restaurants are being forced to obtain the more expensive full-service licenses to sell beer, wine - and spirits.

On Friday, Rita and Tetsuro Abe were among the restaurant owners forced to buy a full-service license when they open Ginza Japanese Cuisine & Sushi in Draper next week.

"We'll see if our customers like the stronger drinks," said Rita Abe. "But at our downtown restaurant we've done well serving beer and wine."

The Abes are required to pay $1,750 for the full-service license - compared to $500 for the permit to sell only beer and wine. And they'll have to renew the new license next month, when all licenses expire, for another $500.

"We need the license now," said Rita Abe. "We don't want to have disgruntled customers."

More limited-service licenses won't become available unless the Legislature approves. The next session won't start until January and bills usually don't become law until the spring.

The commission is asking the Legislature to decrease population quotas for private club and tavern licenses to free up more limited-service permits. The proposal includes:

* Increasing limited service permits from one license per 11,000 statewide population to one per 9,300 population.

* The quota for full-service would not change, at one per 5,200 population.

* Reducing private club licenses by decreasing the quota from one to 7,300 population to one per 7,850.

* And reducing tavern quotas from one to 25,000 population to one license per 30,500.