Update Feb. 2:

San Luis Obispo Downtown Association Executive Director Dominic Tartaglia wanted to make it clear that this agreement did not come from an ordinance or piece of legislation, but rather from a unanimous decision amongst bar owners.

Bar owners agreed to end two-for-one drink specials because of high intoxication levels in the downtown area.

“The responsibility is on [the students] to be respectful of the community and enjoy downtown consciously,” Tartaglia wrote in an email to Mustang News. “The disappearance of 2-for-1 specials is a direct [effect] of people being disrespectful, obnoxious, offensive or dangerous as a result of their poor judgment and it has ruined that promotion for the rest of you.”

Some San Luis Obispo students have expressed their doubts in the agreement.

“In general, the public intoxication seemed like its normal level last weekend … People are going to get to the level of intoxication they desire no matter the cost, and if it’s about a financial standpoint, [students] will find their way around it,” agricultural business senior Roman Killgore said. “I think this may do the opposite of what cancelling two-for-ones was trying to accomplish.”

Software engineering senior and Uber driver Jason Ismail said he feels this agreement has affected his sales.

“I’ve received less rides, less surge, and less business in general,” Ismail said. “I think downtown has been quieter. This will slow down the craziness of downtown for sure.”

Original story

San Luis Obispo Downtown Association and the San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) asked downtown bars and restaurants to stop serving two-for-one drink specials effective Jan. 22.

Bars affected by this include Mother’s Tavern, Creeky Tiki, Frog & Peach Pub, Marston’s Bar & Grill and SLO Brew, among others.

The purpose of this ban is to reduce the high intoxication levels in the downtown area, according to San Luis Obispo Downtown Association Executive Director Dominic Tartaglia.

Some of the downtown establishments said they were understanding of the new rule.

Mother’s Tavern will continue to offer a number of similar specials, but none that offer discounts on pairs of drinks, according to Mother’s Tavern manager Nick Guggisberg.

“We hope that students will understand that this change will ultimately benefit the community as a whole and allow everyone to have a safer and more enjoyable experience when partaking in downtown festivities,” Guggisberg said.

While some bars and restaurants did not feel the new rule would negatively affect their business, not all students are pleased with the decision.

“I don’t really think it’s fair of the city to do that,” sociology junior Maggie Curran-Levett said. “We’re broke college students that can’t afford to not have deals like that when going downtown.”

Along with safety enhancement zones during impacted times of year, this rule is another example of the SLOPD and the City of San Luis Obispo cracking down on binge drinking in an effort to make the city safer for students and residents alike.