Carry in resaturant with bar

[CorpsVet]

Last week I was with some friends who decided to go to TGIF for lunch. Some of these people don't know I carry and would be upset, to say the least, to learn they were in a car with a gun.

When we went in, the place was full and the only seating was in the "bar area" for lack of a better term. This area is marked with signs that no one under 21 can enter.

I know, or think I know, that I can carry in a restaurant that serves booze, but I don't know if I can carry into the "bar area".

We weren't in my car, so I pretended that I had left my wallet in the car and borrowed my friends keys to look in the car. While there I locked my weapon in the trunk, went back and had lunch.

Question is, did I need to do this or would I have been OK going into the area of the restaurant with my weapon?

 

[septic_shock]

This question was brought up at my concealed carry class. From what I understand, you are fine carrying in a place's bar area, since the law says "establishment". The bar area and the restaurant are the same "establishment". AND the restaurant's sale of alcoholic beverages does not constitute the primary purpose of the business. (READ: my understanding)

From the SDA handbook:
TITLE 21 § 1272.1 CARRYING FIREARMS WHERE LIQUOR IS CONSUMED
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to carry or possess any weapon designated in Section 1272 of this title in any establishment where low-point beer, as defined by Section 163.2 of Title 37 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or alcoholic beverages, as defined by Section 506 of Title 37 of the Oklahoma Statutes, are consumed. This provision shall not apply to a peace officer, as defined in Section 99 of this title, or to private investigators with a firearms authorization when acting in the scope and course of employment, and shall not apply to an owner or proprietor of the establishment having a pistol, rifle, or shotgun on the premises. Provided however, a person possessing a valid concealed handgun license pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, Section 1290.1 et seq. of this title may carry the concealed handgun into any restaurant or other establishment licensed to dispense low-point beer or alcoholic beverages where the sale of low-point beer or alcoholic beverages does not constitute the primary purpose of the business.

 

[vvvvvvv]

Bar -vs- restaurant is determined as an entire establishment. I don't have time to get into it all, but basically you're fine to use the "express lane" as I call it.

There was actually a thread a couple of years ago about it. I think BryanDP posted in it.

 

[ProBusiness]

Yep - they got it covered. If the business's main function is to operate as a bar - do not carry your gun in. If the business's main function (or in other words, the max floor space goes to food, or the major income comes from food, or people mainly go there to eat and MAYBE drink - then you are OK to carry in that establishment, even in the bar area.

 

[B96brig4CC]

You are fine to carry in such a place. You are in the establishment as mentioned above. I look at it like this. If i'm going somewhere to drink, firearms not allowed. If I am going somewhere to eat, firearms allowed. This works for ME. I don't go to "bars" to eat, but I will go to restaurants to drink. So I am safe. For example, if I go to Cock of the Walk(bar) it's not for the food, no gun. If I go to chilis, then it is just a question of whether I plan to have a beer with dinner. The bar area has a larger percentage of serving alcoholic beverages to the guests that sit there, but the establishment primary purpose is still food.

 

[ripnbst]

As mentioned above you would have been fine. My question is how did you get it back out of the friend's trunk discreetly? Or what if they said, "It's alright man, I'll pick this one up."

I believe the state actually draws the line at some certain % number though I am not sure what it is as far as food, merch, serv etc sale/alcohol sale.

 

[okiejaco]

I just took my cc class and the instructor stated that you couldn't sit at the bar area if you were carrying.

 

[B96brig4CC]

I just took my cc class and the instructor stated that you couldn't sit at the bar area if you were carrying.

That would be incorrect information. Where you are sitting in an establishment does not change the law. Sounds like your instructor added his own uneducated opinion of what the law specifically states.

 

[ripnbst]

"At the bar" and "in the bar area" are two different things. Someone above cited the exact text from the handbook. He'd be OK. CCW course instructors while they try and understand the law the best they can don't always get it right, or he may have just mis-spoken and since you were all there to learn no one knew to correct it.

 

[twoguns?]

in THIS situation ...concealed is concealed.
and no instructor bashing ...read it for yourself....YOU will be the one answering the????...When you have to yank that pistol....