End of to-go alcohol sales

Video Credit: WAAY ABC Huntsville, AL
Published on September 17, 2020 -
End of to-go alcohol sales

End of to-go alcohol sales

Are in quarantine because of this case.

New tonight -- we have some bad news for fans of buying alcohol to-go at bars and restaurants.

You no longer have that option.

The alabama "alcohol beverage control board" allowed the sales to help businesses make money during coronavirus restrictions - but now has decided to let that emergency provision lapse.

Waay 31's will robinson-smith is live at rosie's cantina on university drive in huntsville.

He talked with a spokesperson for the abc board and a manager at rosie's to learn more about the lasting impact of the rule - and if there's a chance it will come back.

Will?

That emergency provision was created for restaurants and bars back in march when places like rosie's had to shut their doors to customers but could still provide curbside and to-go orders.

Those i spoke with tonight say things are just different now.

The familiar sound of a bartender hard at work is much more common now than it was back in early spring.

Back then -- customers couldn't sit inside and to go orders were the only options for patrons.

And being able to sell achohol to go was a huge financial bonus.

Tod craig, acting general manager, rosie's cantina it was a great impact.

We really appreciate the state for doing that because it really helped with curbside.

It kind of made a one-stop-shop with our guests.

Because of its popularity and impact -- the alabama alcohol beverage control board decided to renew the to go policy before it expired in july.

At its peak -- rosie's was selling about 30-40 of its margarita bundles each day.

Tod craig, acting general manager, rosie's cantina and then on weekends, it could get as high as 80.

But as the seasons start to change -- so to did the abc board's policy.

Daniel dye, spokesman, alabama alcohol beverage control board as summer went along, and things started to open back up, the board realized that there weren't as many people taking advantage of that.

Tod craig, acting general manager, rosie's cantina even through the course of our dining rooms being open, it's starting to get busier and busier.

So more people are feeling more comfortable about getting out.

And so that, i think, has caused a drop off of the backdoor sales and the alcohol.

Will robinson-smith craig says even though customers can't leave now with a bottle of tequila when they get a to go order, people are still buying more of their margarita mix now than they were at the start of the pandemic.

Tod craig, acting general manager, rosie's cantina we've always been able to sell it, or have sold it, but not too many people knew about it.

So this got the word out.

Craig says even though they were only seeing about two to three alcohol sale requests per week before the policy ended -- he says they and other restaurants would still like the option of selling folks a bottle of booze with their to go orders.

Reporting live in huntsville -- will robinson-smith -- waay 31 news.

Thanks, will.

The abc board is set to meet on september 24th.

At that time -- they will discusss the future of to-go alcohol sales as well as the future of the current ban on alcohol sales

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