Buying Beer On Sundays In Kansas: What's The Deal?

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States, with a long history of prohibition. The state has recently made moves to relax its alcohol laws, including the sale of beer on Sundays. Previously, retailers were required to sell alcohol on Sundays only if food made up at least 30% of their sales. However, recent bills have removed this requirement, allowing more bars to open on Sundays. Beer sales are prohibited before noon on Sundays, and off-premise locations can sell beer from 9 am to 8 pm.

Kansas is not a dry state, but it has three completely dry counties

Kansas is not a dry state, but its alcohol laws are among the strictest in the United States. The state has a long history of prohibition, being the first state to enact a constitutional ban on alcohol from 1881 to 1948. Even after the Twenty-first Amendment ended nationwide prohibition in 1933, Kansas continued to prohibit the sale of alcohol until 1948, and on-premises liquor sales until 1987.

As of March 2023, Kansas has one dry county, where on-premises liquor sales are prohibited, but the sale of 3.2% beer is permitted. However, this does not mean that Kansas is a dry state. The state has 105 counties in total, and three of them are completely dry: Wallace, Stanton, and Haskell. In these counties, you cannot buy any alcohol.

The remaining 102 counties are either "wet" or have a food sales requirement. Sixty-three counties require 30% food sales with the purchase of alcohol, and 39 counties do not require an accompanying food purchase. The "wet" counties include those with Kansas's larger cities, such as Douglas, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Wyandotte, and Johnson County.

The sale of alcohol in Kansas is highly regulated, with specific hours and days for off-premises and on-premises sales. Off-premises beer sales can be made from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. On-premises sales can be made from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. any day. Additionally, there are restrictions on where liquor stores can be located and who can be licensed to sell alcohol.

Off-premise beer sales in Kansas can be made Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 11 pm

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state had a long era of prohibition, lasting from 1881 to 1948, and continued to prohibit general on-premises liquor sales until 1987.

On-premise beer sales, where you consume beer on-site, can be made from 9 am to 2 am any day of the week. This includes bars, restaurants, and breweries or taprooms.

It's important to note that Kansas has 105 counties, and three of them—Wallace, Stanton, and Haskell—are completely dry, meaning no alcohol can be purchased there. Of the remaining counties, 63 require that food sales make up 30% of alcohol purchases, while the other 39 do not have this requirement.

Kansas has been making changes to its alcohol laws in recent years, including allowing more bars to open on Sundays and expanding common consumption areas. However, there are still many restrictions in place, and the state's alcohol laws can be complex and vary from county to county.

On-premise beer sales can be made from 9 am to 2 am any day

On-premise beer sales in Kansas can be made from 9 am to 2 am any day, including Sundays. This applies to bars and restaurants, breweries and taprooms, and any other on-premise purchase locations where you consume beer on-site.

The rules for on-premise sales are the same every day, and there are no longer any restrictions on Sunday sales before noon. However, beer sales on Sundays are different from weekdays for off-premise locations. Off-premise beer sales can be made Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 11 pm, and on Sundays from 9 am to 8 pm.

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States, and the state had a long history of prohibition. Kansas had statewide prohibition from 1881 to 1948, longer than any other state, and continued to prohibit general on-premises liquor sales until 1987. Even after the repeal of prohibition, Kansas maintained a strict and highly regulated approach to alcohol.

In recent years, Kansas has made some changes to its alcohol laws, including allowing more bars to open on Sundays. Previously, retailers were required to sell alcohol on Sundays only if food made up at least 30% of their sales. This requirement has been removed, giving local businesses more flexibility.

Beer sales on Sundays are different from weekdays for off-premise locations

The state's alcohol laws are among the strictest in the US, and Kansas had statewide prohibition from 1881 to 1948—longer than any other state. This history of prohibition has left a lasting impact on the state's alcohol regulations.

Kansas divides alcohol into six categories, each with distinct rules. "Alcoholic liquor" includes spirits, wine, and beer containing over 3.2% alcohol by weight. Spirits encompass beverages like brandy, rum, whiskey, and gin. A "cereal malt beverage" (CMB) is defined as beer with an alcohol content of 3.2% or less by weight. A "nonalcoholic malt beverage" is beer with less than 0.5% alcohol by weight.

"Domestic table wine" is wine containing 14% or less alcohol by volume, produced by Kansas farm wineries using local ingredients. "Domestic fortified wine" has an alcohol content between 14% and 20% by volume, also made in Kansas. "Domestic beer" is beer with 8% or less alcohol by weight, crafted by microbreweries using Kansas-grown agricultural products.

The sale of alcoholic beverages in Kansas is subject to various regulations. Off-premise liquor sales are limited to licensed liquor stores, while grocery stores and gas stations can sell CMBs. Retail liquor stores must adhere to specific location requirements, maintaining a distance of at least 200 feet from schools, colleges, and churches. They are also prohibited from providing entertainment, such as pinball machines.

The state's laws regarding alcohol sales on Sundays have evolved over time. In 2003, the District Court of Wyandotte County ruled that the ban on Sunday liquor sales was unconstitutional due to its uneven application across communities. Subsequently, the Kansas Supreme Court upheld this ruling, and by then, two counties and 23 cities had already permitted Sunday liquor sales. In November 2005, the Legislature amended the Liquor Control Act to give cities and counties the authority to allow Sunday liquor sales, except on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Kansas has strict alcohol laws, stemming from its long era of prohibition

Kansas has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the United States. The state's long history of prohibition, lasting from 1881 to 1948, has left a lasting impact on its alcohol regulations. Even today, Kansas has one dry county where on-premises liquor sales are prohibited, and the sale of beer with a low alcohol content (3.2%) is only permitted. Notably, Kansas has yet to ratify the Twenty-first Amendment, which ended nationwide prohibition in 1933.

The state's strict approach to alcohol regulation can be traced back to the 19th century temperance movement, which gained significant support from Puritans immigrating to the territory. Saloons, which were exclusively male spaces, were seen as divisive to family life, and the temperance movement also aligned with the abolitionist cause in Kansas. Even before statewide prohibition, several Kansas towns, including Topeka, Emporia, and Baldwin, implemented local liquor laws restricting alcohol sales.

In 1880, Kansas voters approved an amendment to prohibit the manufacture and sale of "intoxicating liquors" across the state, becoming the first state to enact a constitutional prohibition on alcohol. This set the stage for Kansas's prolonged era of statewide prohibition. During this period, the sale and consumption of alcohol were illegal, and Kansas played a central role in the national temperance movement.

After the end of nationwide prohibition in 1933, Kansas voters chose to continue statewide prohibition and maintain strict regulations on alcohol. It wasn't until 1948 that an amendment was approved to authorize the regulation, licensing, and taxation of alcoholic beverages. However, the sale of liquor by the drink in public places, or on-premises sales, remained prohibited.

It wasn't until 1987 that Kansas finally repealed the prohibition on open saloons, allowing the sale of liquor by the drink in bars and restaurants. Despite this progress, Kansas still has stringent rules governing alcohol sales, including restricted hours and days for retail liquor sales. Sunday liquor sales, for example, are prohibited in some counties and allowed only until 8:00 pm in others.

Kansas's alcohol laws also dictate where alcohol can be purchased. Off-premises liquor sales are limited to licensed liquor stores, while grocery stores and gas stations can only sell cereal malt beverages (CMB) or beer with a low alcohol content. Additionally, there are dry counties in Kansas where no alcohol sales are permitted, and certain holidays, such as Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, have restrictions on alcohol sales.

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