Utah's liquor regulations can be confusing -- and the changes to club laws that go into effect at midnight are no exception.
It's true that clubs no longer will be required to charge membership fees or ask patrons to fill out applications before they can buy a drink. But here's where it can get bewildering.
Starting Wednesday, there will be two types of new clubs. A dining club, such as Squatters Brew Pub, will be more like a restaurant, while a social club, such as Lumpy's, will be the equivalent of an open public bar.
There are differences in how each treats minors -- they can come into a dining club if accompanied an adult, but cannot enter social clubs. And in dining clubs, 50 percent of all receipts must come from food sales, while the only food requirement in a social club is that it be available.
In both clubs, patrons will be able to order an alcoholic beverage -- with or without food -- from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., with an extra hour to allow people to finish their drinks before doors close at 2 a.m.
Although dining clubs may look like a restaurant, there are differences here, too, said Sharon Mackay, spokeswoman for the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which regulates the state's liquor industry that brings in annual sales of $257 million.
Diners at restaurants (not to be confused with dining clubs) must order food along with their drinks, and 70 percent of restaurant receipts must be for meals. Unlike the two types of clubs, restaurant diners may not wander from one table to another with a drink in their hand. And at restaurants, diners may order a beer after 10 a.m., but they cannot get liquor until noon. No drinks are allowed to be served at restaurants after midnight.
In addition to Squatters, other dining clubs include Market Street Oyster Bar, O'shucks Bar & Grill and Fiddler's Elbow in the Salt Lake Valley, and Wasatch Brew Pub in Park City.
Besides Lumpy's, social establishments include Club Manhattan, Club Sound, Redwood Lounge and Area 51 in Salt Lake County, along with Legends Bar & Bistro in Park City.
If you're not confused yet, here's one more twist. Not all private clubs will go away. Some bars will continue charging fees and requiring patrons to fill out applications to become members. This includes The Trapp, west of Salt Lake City's Gateway district, and Duffy's Tavern in Salt Lake City.
But Donovan's Steak & Chop House in Salt Lake City will have both a restaurant and a social club area.
