Broward Extends On-Site Food and Alcohol Service to Midnight

A new emergency order is giving Broward County restaurants and other establishments an extra hour to serve food and alcohol.

The order issued Friday extends on-premise consumption of food and alcohol until midnight at all Broward establishments. The service is prohibited from midnight to 5 a.m.

Establishments can operate at a minimum of 50% indoor capacity and up to 100% if they can maintain 6 feet of distance between occupied tables, limit tables to no more than 6 people and ensure face coverings are worn except when eating or drinking, the order says.

Alcohol consumption in open containers or to-go cups remains prohibited in public spaces such as beaches, beach boardwalks, parks, streets, parking lots and other areas identified in the order. Take-out and food delivery is still permitted.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an emergency order last month moving the state to Phase 3 of reopening and essentially lifting all COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and other businesses across the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted all restrictions on restaurants and other businesses in Florida on Friday in a move to reopen the state's economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the governor's order, Broward and Miami-Dade have issued their own orders to comply while also keeping certain restrictions in place.