NCG Cinema in Yorkville has followed suit with many other theaters - moviegoers can now drink alcoholic beverages in their seats after the Yorkville City Council approved a liquor license for the theater Tuesday night, March 23.

The City Council voted 6-1 to grant the theater located at 1505 N. Bridge Street a license to serve beer and wine to patrons. The theater chain’s Yorkville location reopened its doors in January, an early start compared to other local theaters who have said stayed shuttered due to a lack of new films.

“We’re back open and we’re happy to be back open,” NCG Executive Vice President Ryan Jankovic told the City Council Tuesday night.

In response to questions from alderman, Jankovic said NCG’s other cinemas who have liquor licenses typically start serving at 5 p.m. and end 15 minutes after their final showing around 10 p.m.

Alderman Joel Frieders suggested that the council should waive the theater’s license fee “just to get them up and running as a gesture of support.”

The only no vote on the new liquor license was Alderman Chris Funkhouser, who asked, “When do we have separation between the ability to go to a family function and have something that doesn’t necessarily have alcohol at every turn?”