Lawmakers push to keep alcohol-to-go sales at bar, restaurants beyond expiration date

Alcohol-to-go was the lifeline bars and restaurants needed to keep the lights on during the pandemic.

News 12 Staff

Jun 10, 2021, 9:52 PM

Updated 1,214 days ago

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Alcohol-to-go sales for bars and restaurants end in early July, but there's a push to have New York lawmakers keep it around longer.
Alcohol-to-go was the lifeline bars and restaurants needed to keep the lights on during the pandemic. Tom Lynch, the owner of Casa del Sol, says being able to continue offering it benefits everyone.
"It's only good and helpful for the restaurants and businesses. Even if we're doing a handful a week, it's an extra couple hundred bucks a week, and that's huge," says Lynch.
As it stands, the governor's executive order on alcohol-to-go will expire in early July.
Melissa Fleishut is president and CEO of the New York Restaurant Association, an organization leading the charge to have New York state lawmakers pass legislation to extend it for at least another year.
It's a measure she says will not hurt business for liquor stores.
For instance, bars and restaurants would not be able to sell full bottles of wine. Instead, only 5-ounce cups of wine with a meal, limited to two cups per meal.
"We honestly believe that this is good for the restaurants. And good for the restaurant industry. It's good for the consumers. They all like it," says Fleishut.
It is still illegal to have an open container and drink alcohol in public, so people will have to bring it home.