Why Restaurant To-Go Cocktails Implemented During COVID Are Here To Stay - Tasting Table

"When lawmakers allowed bars and restaurants to sell to-go cocktails during the lockdown, it was only to help these struggling businesses survive. But the move was an immediate hit, both with customers and restaurant owners. A restaurant owner in Baltimore told The New York Times that patrons went from ordering a couple of margaritas to buying gallon jugs of the stuff."

"Over the last few years, more than 30 states have relaxed these rules on a more permanent basis. This shift is being dubbed by many as the biggest change in alcohol laws since Prohibition was repealed nearly a century ago, which is a big deal."

The COVID-19 pandemic forced bars and restaurants to close, prompting lawmakers to allow to-go cocktail sales as a temporary survival measure. This emergency policy proved unexpectedly popular with both consumers and business owners, who reported dramatically increased sales volumes. Customers purchased cocktails in bulk quantities, and some establishments operated production lines to meet demand. The success of this temporary measure led to permanent policy changes across more than 30 states, fundamentally reshaping how Americans consume cocktails. This shift represents the most significant change in alcohol legislation since Prohibition's repeal nearly a century ago, breaking through traditionally rigid alcohol distribution frameworks.

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