(Photo: Glen Gagnon | Facebook)
Several Willie’s Chicken Shack locations in the French Quarter were closed on Monday after photographs of customers holding go-cups from a Decatur Street location surfaced on social media over the weekend, showing apparent violations of the city’s Phase 2 restriction prohibiting to-go alcoholic drinks.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell addressed the Willie’s Chicken Shack pictures during a Monday press conference, saying a task force was deployed to the restaurant to enforce the restriction.
According to a company spokesperson, customers disregarded signs saying they couldn’t leave the premises with alcoholic drinks.
“As a result of that, those locations are closed and will remain closed throughout the pandemic,” Cantrell said.
The restriction was announced by Cantrell on Friday and went into effect on Saturday at 6 a.m., regardless of which bar holds a license to sell alcohol.
In addition, the restriction prohibits drive-through alcohol sales.
The mayor implemented the emergency restriction after a rise of COVID-19 cases across the city and seeing pictures of a crowded Bourbon Street.
Willie’s Chicken Shack has eight locations in and near the French Quarter, including three on Bourbon Street.