Make it one more for the road.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is pushing state lawmakers to permanently allow bars and restaurants to sell cocktails to-go — which would indefinitely continue a pandemic-era policy that served as a lifeline for the struggling industry reaping from lockdowns and a lack of patrons.
After those lockdowns subsided, though, the state legislature granted eateries and saloons an extension of that program, which allowed the sale of alcohol with to-go orders that included “a substantial food item.” While restaurants and bars hailed that move as a boon for their businesses, the law included an expiration date of April 2025.
As that date approaches, and business owners worry about the consequences, the governor said “it’s long overdue” for state lawmakers to give them permanent peace of mind, as Gothamist first reported.
“During the darkest days of the pandemic, to-go drinks were a critical lifeline for our hospitality industry and a beloved treat for consumers,” the governor said in a statement. “Since then, we’ve legalized to-go alcohol on a temporary basis, and it’s been wildly successful for bars, restaurants, and everyday New Yorkers.”
The state’s chief executive on Thursday said she would “get the job done” and make the law permanent in this year’s budget, which is slated to be finalized by the end of March.
Doing so would make New York the 21st state in the country to allow to-go cocktails in perpetuity, and would provide some much-needed assistance as businesses continue to struggle, said one industry expert with the New York State Restaurant Association.
“The entire hospitality industry is thankful that Governor Hochul once again recognizes the important role that drinks to-go has played for our businesses,” said Melissa Fleischut. “From inflation to staffing challenges, our members face increasingly slim profit margins. There is a new battle each day and many will never get back the losses from the height of the pandemic. Simply put, every little bit helps. We urge the state Legislature to follow suit and make drinks to-go permanent.”
Andrew Ridge, the executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance hailed the move, saying it was an obvious decision that would help businesses while allowing New Yorkers to have some fun on the move.
“Drinks to-go was critically important during the pandemic and it’s been great for consumers and important for restaurants alike ever since, so making this popular policy permanent makes sense, and is something we can all cheers to,” he said.
