Exorbitant Cost for Bottoms Up

Aside from the increasing costs for real estate, food, utilities, and labor, restauranteurs are reportedly facing a dramatic increase in the cost of liquor licenses.

In San Francisco, a Type 47 liquor license, which cost only $15,000 a decade ago, can now fetch up to $250,000. The reason for this steep increase is the limited supply of licenses, which are limited to one for every 2,000 people per county.

That means restaurants that want to serve liquor must buy an existing license that another owner chooses to sell…. no cheers on that note.