Congress quietly cuts taxes for bars and restaurants—at public expense.
H.R. 7620 — CHEERS Act of 2026 · Filed by Darin LaHood (R-IL) · 5 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 20, 2026 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill allows restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues to depreciate draft-beer equipment (stainless steel or aluminum containers and commercial tap systems) over 15 years instead of a longer period, reducing their taxable income faster and lowering their federal tax bills. The benefit applies to equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025, and is available only to businesses that own or lease such equipment in the United States.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is a depreciation acceleration—a tax deduction timing benefit—for a single, narrowly defined asset class (draft-beer equipment) used by restaurants and bars. This is a direct tax expenditure benefiting a specific industry segment, not a broad economic or public-health measure.
What the text implies
- The 15-year classification may create a competitive advantage for larger chains and venues that can afford to purchase new draft systems, while smaller independent bars may lack capital to upgrade and capture the benefit.
- The bill does not limit the benefit to new equipment purchases—it applies to any qualified property placed in service after the effective date, potentially including used or transferred systems, broadening the subsidy beyond new investment.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
restaurant chains and independent restaurants with draft-beer systems; bars and taverns; entertainment venues with on-premise alcohol service