Alcohol, Facebook don’t mix well for eatery

Sometimes, online publicity can be bad for business.

A Kennesaw restaurant had its license to serve alcohol revoked Tuesday after pictures of underage drinkers were posted on Facebook.

The highly successful online social network has more than 100 million registered members. But sites such as MySpace and Facebook are increasingly being used for everything from criminal investigations to employee background checks.

The Cobb County Commission approved a recommendation to revoke the license for Mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant on Town Center Drive, following a show cause hearing requested by the county license review board.

Cobb County police cited Mi Pueblo last September for serving alcohol to patrons under 21.

Police conducted a sting operation at the restaurant following a written complaint. As part of their investigation, they reviewed photographs of minors drinking at the restaurant that were posted on Facebook. Six underage patrons who had been in the restaurant were ticketed for alcohol violations, Cobb police Detective Chip Mercier told commission members. Several restaurant employees also did not possess valid work permits, he said.

Ricardo Bernal, the assistant manager and son of Mi Pueblo owner Jesus Bernal, said his father put his life savings into the restaurant.

“All he wanted was a better future for our family,” Bernal said.

“I have been in the U.S. for a long time. I’ve always worked,” Jesus Bernal said through an interpreter. “This is basically the future for me and my kids.”

Ricardo Bernal said the restaurant, located a few miles from Kennesaw State University, is frequented by college students. He said he wanted the restaurant to move toward a more family-oriented atmosphere.

County Commissioner Tim Lee said authorities can’t look the other way when local ordinances are violated.

The restaurant’s owners may reapply for the permit after one year. It can continue to operate but cannot serve alcoholic beverages.