Marie Callender's restaurant advertises for families, preferably with kids, to come eat in a comfortable, wholesome atmosphere. It even serves the stereotypical American food: apple pie.

What's more, Bountiful's Marie Callender's is on historic Main Street, replete with wide sidewalks, small shops and a quiet, down-home feel.So it was a bit incongruous when Police Chief Paul Rapp approached the City Council this week to relay the restaurant's application for a Class D beer license.

"What do we have to do to do compliance checks?" asked councilman Harold Shafter. "Order a meal?"

"Just a piece of pie," rejoined Mayor John Cushing, laughing.

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Turns out the request was made from Marie Callender's national headquarters - the local restaurant was just following orders. Rapp said there's little demand or need for a beer license in the Bountiful franchise.

"We don't expect to see a lot of beer being sold there," he said.

The council approved the license.

By the way, police won't have to order a meal to make sure the restaurant is complying with under-age drinking laws (though no doubt they wouldn't mind a slice of blueberry ala mode on the force's dime). A Class D license allows beer to be sold only after a meal is ordered, so all they have to do to check compliance is ask for a beer without ordering food. If they get it, Rapp said, the restaurant's busted.

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