Voters scrap alcohol sales restrictions on Minneapolis

Minneapolis residents voted by a wide margin Tuesday to scrap the 70/30 rule, a decades-old code that restricted alcohol sales at some restaurants with beer and wine licenses.

• Election 2014: Local, statewide and national results | Coverage of key races | Photos from around Minnesota

The code required some restaurants with beer and wine licenses to serve food with every order and not derive more than 30 percent of their total revenue from alcohol sales. It applied to about 70 restaurants, mostly located in residential areas.

Supporters of the ballot question argued that the code hadn't kept up with eating habits, which now include more pricier craft beers, cocktails and wine.

The campaign attracted the support of prominent restaurant owners like Kim Bartmann, musicians like Jeremy Messersmith and public figures like former Mayor R.T. Rybak. The former mayor even appeared in a cheeky online video supporting the ballot question.

The Minneapolis Charter Commission approved the ballot question in June.

More than 83 percent of voters approved the ballot question in Tuesday's election.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.