Some Pittsburgh bars offering early happy hour, others not opening on Thanksgiving Eve due to alcohol ban

PITTSBURGH — During any regular year, bars and restaurants would typically be packed on the night before Thanksgiving -- or Thanksgiving Eve.

But 2020 is no ordinary year. Gov. Tom Wolf and Dr. Rachel Levine ordered all alcohol sales at bars and restaurants to stop from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving.

Because serving will have to stop at 5 p.m., some local business owners told Channel 11 it’s just not worth it to stay open at all. Others said they will try to make the most of it and open up early.

Len Semplice owns both Redbeards locations -- in downtown Pittsburgh and Mt. Washington. Since the pandemic hit, both locations have struggled.

However, he is still hoping to make a profit on Thanksgiving Eve by opening up early at noon and offering happy hour specials until 3 p.m.

“I don’t want to have a deserted place, and I’m paying this labor for the back of the house and the front of the house. I want my help to make money. They’re hurting, let’s be realistic,” Semplice said.

In the South Side, the owner of Cupka’s Cafe -- Rich Cupka -- is taking another approach by simply staying closed.

“There’s no sense. We wouldn’t get busy till 3 (p.m.) or 4 (p.m.) anyhow, and then you have to close at 5 (p.m.),” Cupka said.

Even though bars and restaurants aren’t allowed to serve alcohol inside their businesses Wednesday night, you can still pick up takeout and to-go orders.

New COVID-19 guidelines in Pa. have grocery stores even busier than normal ahead of Thanksgiving New COVID-19 guidelines in Pa. have grocery stores even busier than normal ahead of Thanksgiving

Cox Media Group