SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is moving to extend the sale of cocktails to-go and keep alcohol service for outdoor dining at parklets as it aims to help restaurants recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Two of the three bills Gov. Gavin Newsom approved Friday, Oct. 8, extend outdoor dining permits and alcohol sales for a year after the state of emergency ends. That gives businesses time to seek permanent permission.
The third allows restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries that sell food to offer to-go alcoholic beverages with food orders through 2026. Associations representing restaurants and the distilled spirits industry praised the signing.
Restaurants turned to takeout and outdoor seating during the last year as coronavirus restrictions limited indoor service. The state's Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control relaxed regulations to allow them to keep selling alcohol.
Adam Smith, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Vice President of State Government Relations, said in a press release these to-go drinks have become a vital part of many businesses trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Local restaurants and bars are desperate for a sustained source of revenue, and cocktails to-go provide a critical lifeline for these businesses. We thank the legislature and Governor Newsom for extending cocktails to-go in support of California’s hospitality businesses," Smith said.
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