New law lowers alcohol serving age to 18
Starting July 14, 18-year-olds will be able to serve alcoholic beverages
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Starting Thursday, 18-year-olds will be able to serve alcohol in Kentucky. The new law lowering that age from the current “20 and a day”.
“We’ve been looking so forward to this because as you probably know, it’s a little hard to find good help nowadays,” says Papi’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar owner Marcos Valdes.
Valdes says a lot of his staff is younger which has been frustrating in the past because they’ve needed someone older to run alcoholic beverages to their tables. But by the end of the week, Valdes says all of his servers will be able to fully take care of their own tables.
“I have several of my staff members already lined up, waiting for the moment – Christopher, Jalen, several of them are just waiting, counting the days,” says Valdes. “Two more days! 48 hours!”
Valdes says he learned about the younger alcohol serving age about two months ago and has since been training servers between 18 and 20 for this day.
“I have about 8-10 staff members who are within that age that are going to be able to help themselves and the restaurant in a better position, in a serving position, where they usually typically make better money,” says Valdes.
The new law says while servers will be able to serve alcohol, anyone under 20 still won’t be able to bartend or pour the drinks. You can read the law in full HERE.
