Twice a year, we hear from restaurants and bars about springing forward or falling back for Daylight Savings Time. How does Daylight Savings Time work for last call and closing at Tennessee bars and restaurants?
California Dreamin' by the Mamas and the Papas captures the feeling of fall in Tennessee:
All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray...
There is a silver lining for falling back. On Sunday November 3, bars get a bonus hour and can close at the equivalent of 4 am, when clocks fall back at 2 am. At 2 am, suddenly it is 1 am.
Although hope springs eternal, springing forward makes last call an hour early. At 2 am standard time, when clocks are set forward one hour for daylight savings time, alcohol sales must cease.
About Our Author
Will Cheek is a Partner at Adams and Reese. He leads the Tennessee Retail Team of the firm's Alcohol and Hospitality practice. Often referenced as the go-to liquor lawyer in Tennessee, Will counsels both local and national clients on licensing and regulatory compliance under Tennessee state and local liquor and beer laws. Will counsels distilleries, wineries, breweries and contract manufacturers on production, distribution and marketing, including complex federal and state tied house issues. Will is a founding member of the Alliance of Alcohol Industry Attorneys and Consultants, and he serves as an advisory board member and legal counsel for the National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals.