No More 'Cuomo Chips' For NYC Coronavirus Alcohol Orders

NEW YORK CITY — Buying bag of chips or popcorn no longer will get you an unlimited drinking ticket at New York City's recently-reopened bars and restaurants.

Alcohol orders must not be served alongside "substantial food," according to updated guidance by the State Liquor Authority.

The guidance closes a loophole in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's recent order that establishments can only serve alcohol to people ordering food. The loophole was exposed by enterprising upstate bar that sold $1 "Cuomo Chips" to patrons.

Cuomo frequently railed against boozy crowds in New York City and made clear the return to outdoor dining is just for eating, not parties. The updated state guidance echoes his statements.

"As a restaurant or bar owner, in determining whether a particular item is substantial enough, please keep in mind the purpose of this policy: to ensure that patrons are enjoying a sit-down dining experience among a small group with drinks, i.e. a meal, and not a drinking, bar-type experience," the guidance states. "A drinking, bar-type experience often involves or leads to mingling and other conduct that is non-compliant with social distancing and the use of face covering and is therefore not yet a safe activity during the current health emergency."

Examples of "substantial food" in the guidance are sandwiches, soups, salads, wings or hot dogs. "A bag of chips bowl of nuts, or candy alone are not," the guidance states.

So long, "Cuomo Chips."