What does going to a restaurant mean to you? For many, a restaurant is a place to step away from everyday life and work, spend time, and meet other people. In Finland, restaurants were long seen primarily as places that served alcohol. The state wanted to limit alcohol consumption among the working class and rural residents. For that reason, there were no licensed restaurants, and hardly any restaurants at all, in working-class districts or rural areas. The atmosphere became more relaxed in the 1960s and 1970s, and the number of different types of restaurants increased. Many people experienced restaurants and their offerings for the first time. Today, bars, pubs, restaurants, and nightclubs are part of daily life or celebrations for more and more people.