Cocktails are staying on the go.
Californians will be able to keep ordering alcoholic drinks to-go for another three years after state lawmakers passed legislation extending the pandemic-era policy through 2029.
Assembly Bill 2663 is now headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature. The current law allowing restaurants to sell cocktails for off-site consumption is set to expire Dec. 31, 2026.
The measure lets restaurants sell cocktails in manufacturer-sealed containers, such as canned cocktails, or containers with secure, sealed lids.
There’s one catch: The booze must be purchased with a meal.
The policy was originally rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic as a lifeline for restaurants struggling with indoor-dining restrictions — but the cocktails-to-go crowd apparently isn’t ready to give it up.
“Adult consumers in California are one step closer to enjoying cocktails to-go for another five years,” said Adam Smith, vice president of state government relations at the Distilled Spirits Council of the US.
“What began as a lifeline for neighborhood restaurants has become a convenient, popular option for consumers.
Extending cocktails to-go allows local businesses to continue meeting customer demand while giving adults more flexibility to enjoy restaurant-quality cocktails at home.”
California is now among a shrinking group of states where cocktails to-go remain a temporary measure.
New Jersey also allows takeaway cocktails on a temporary basis, though it has not set an expiration date. New York’s law is currently set to expire April 9, 2030.
Meanwhile, 32 states and Washington, DC, have made cocktails to-go permanent, according to the Distilled Spirits Council.
The legislation applies only to adults and does not change existing laws governing alcohol consumption.
If Newsom signs the bill, Californians can keep grabbing that margarita, martini or Manhattan with their dinner — and taking it home — through 2029.
Credit: Source link
