Fast Food Restaurants & Alcohol: Do They Mix?

I recently read an Article in USA Today which addressed an interesting and growing trend. In an effort to boast sales and attract customers in current sluggish economy, two Sonic restaurants in Southern Florida have added beer and wine to their menu. This move mirrors Burger Kings’ “Whopper Bars”, which recently opened in Las Vegas, Miami, and Kansas City and provide customers with a selection of beer. In similar fashion, a number of Seattle Starbucks have also been selling customers local beer and wine.

So why did your local fast food restaurant become a convenience store? As fast food restaurants continue to compete with sit-down restaurants in an attempt to attract customers, this new wave of booze selling Sonics and Starbucks gives the industry a leg-up in a competitive market.

While some view this change as a brilliant business strategy, others are afraid of the affects such a combination can produce. “Fast food plus fast alcohol equals fast drunks,” warns Michele Simon, research and policy director at the Marin Institute, an alcohol industry watchdog group. Additionally, many fear that this trend will give young people the wrong idea; an idea in which a quick drink along with your quick meal is acceptable and tolerated. Whether this trend with catch on and be successful is yet to be seen, but it’s interesting debate that we should all keep an eye on.

Do you think selling alcohol in fast food chains is a good idea? Why or why not?