While the economics of the plan is “puzzling”, one entrepreneurship expert says that even if the applications were to be approved, the licensure would not be a threat to businesses, big or small, within the restaurant industry.
Ryan Mallough, the director of provincial affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, said that small businesses are concerned about whether the move may change how a province defines a restaurant, and if so, what rules would apply to 7-Eleven.“If we’re defining what 7-Eleven offers as a qualifying restaurant, in addition to the other things they offer, that’s going to raise a lot of eyebrows,” he said.
But if lockdowns were instituted again, would the chain have to shut its indoor dining space or could it offer takeout in the same way as restaurants, alongside their usual products, he wondered. “I’m just skeptical about whether they do get the same dollars of sales per square foot out of the space they have to allocate for someone to sit as they can if they just dedicated that to more convenience products,” Poulos said.
Several of the stores are also connected to serivce stations, which road safety advocates say could lead to impaired driving. Murie said that often while staff may apply their training, they may not get the support they need from their manager, which could “break down” the system. He recommended that the stores emphasize that management be supportive of staff when deciding to serve alcohol to a customer as “that could be the decision that stops the impaired driver”.Regulation of alcohol, while worth a conversation, should not be enough of a reason to prevent 7-Eleven from obtaining a liquor licence, Poulos said.
Sell it sure, but to serve it is well, odd.
Does anyone have a sense how it would work? Like a velvet roped off area by the washroom? It's just so weird! 'Honey, do you want to go to 7-Eleven for a drink afterwork'?
Who the hell wants to crush a pint in the 7-11?
I totally get wanting to sell booze in stores, like most of the rest of the world. I don’t at all get the part about in-store consumption. Is anyone really demanding to be allowed to stand inside a 7-11 drinking with the clerks? What 13 year old wrote this plan?
Will the 14 year old be serving my Chardonnay chilled or right out of the bag..
In store consumption at 7 11? Why would anyone want to stand in a 7 11 and drink other than homeless people?
They have this in USA. Not a big deal
Good idea seeing most of the clients that shop at 7-11 are living in poverty and many suffer from addiction! Good plan!
No brains government cheers
In store consumption for people to then go out to the lot and get back in their cars.? No fucking way.
I don't know about anyone else, but when I find myself eating at 7-11 it's usually because I've already had enough to drink.
So....implement a policy to drive up the robbery crime rate in Toronto. Then announce confiscation of guns from law abiding citizens outside across Canada to “solve the problem”. Gotcha