Pay no mind to the "NO OUTSIDE FOOD ALLOWED" sign in the front of the bar.
According to the Washington Post, a growing number of bars are now allowing patrons to bring in their own food to eat. The move is to avoid the long lines and displeasing servers.
Bar owners told the Washington Post that allowing customers to bring in their own snacks is a double benefit. Customers can save money by not ordering costly food and bars save money by decreasing the use of the kitchen and the need for servers and groceries. One bar following the trend is Board Room, a Dupont Circle bar, which opened a year ago. Beth Lindsay, owner of Board Room said that the trend works well with people who are living on a budget.
"There are so many wonderful choices in Dupont Circle that we thought, 'Why compete with these folks? Let's let them shine,'" Lindsay told the Post. "Plus, with the economy the way it is, people can still have a night out without spending a lot of money."
Lindsay noted that with people bringing in their own food, the bar has to find another way to make a profit, such as marking up the prices for alcohol and hamburgers.
"It's a win-win," Lindsay told the Post. "It cuts back on our expenses and also allows our customers to vary it up every time they eat here."
The Post reported that the Board Room is joined by other bars including Raven Grill in Mount Pleasant and Rocket Bar in Chinatown. Neither bar serves food, but do carry licenses to sell alcohol. In areas of Maryland and Virginia local bars have found a way to make a profit, while allowing customers to bring in their own food.
