COVID’s Impact on Alcohol Delivery Service Laws

COVID has been hard for everyone, but it has been especially hard on small businesses and restaurants. For many places of business, alcohol makes up a large percentage of sales, especially for bars that sell far more alcohol than food. With all the restrictions placed on restaurants, many places have lost their main portion of revenue.

Even though bars and other businesses have tried to make do with take-out orders, many areas have restrictions on alcohol with to-go orders, including restrictions on delivery, pick-up, and more.  As COVID progressed, it became abundantly clear that something had to be done to save these businesses. 

One positive aspect of COVID (if you can call it that) has been its impact on alcohol delivery services. What was once illegal in many states became legal and even encouraged in order to support small businesses. Dozens of bars and restaurants have been able to stay afloat thanks to these changes regarding alcohol delivery and being able to take alcohol to go—and it doesn’t hurt the consumer, either. Who wouldn’t want to order takeout and enjoy one of their favorite cocktails from the comfort of their own home?

Read on to learn more about how COVID has specifically impacted the laws regarding alcohol delivery and how this has positively impacted the food and beverage industry. 

What Are the Laws Regarding Alcohol Delivery Services?

Did you know that the online purchase of alcohol for delivery boomed 477% in April 2020 compared to 2019? That is huge growth! Clearly, there was a great demand for alcohol when quarantine reached its peak. Not only was the online sale of alcohol growing, but the amount of alcohol ordered along with carryout meals increased around 14%. 

Given this information, you might be wondering what the specific laws are regarding alcohol delivery. In the United States, these laws differ from state to state, which is to be expected. Some only allow beer and wine delivery, while others allow all kinds of spirits to be delivered, and some just allow cocktails to go from restaurants. 

It is important to note there is a difference between allowing alcohol delivery to a consumer’s home and allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption. Thirty-five states allow the delivery of alcoholic beverages. And, with the exception of Utah, every state now allows the sale of alcohol for off-site consumption.  

Drinks for off-site consumption include mixer kits and pre-made cocktails, whereas, with alcohol delivery, you are getting bottles or cans of alcohol. 

What States Allow Alcohol Delivery?

Many states require the sale of alcohol to be made only along with the purchase of food as well. In fact, in some states, like New York, this requirement remains true for in-person alcohol purchases at restaurants, too—you have to buy something, even if it’s just a bag of chips, with your drink. 

There are also limits on how much alcohol a restaurant can sell, which left no opportunity for business once the pandemic forced indoor dining to cease operations. 

Dozens of states took immediate action when COVID hit, signing executive orders stating that alcohol delivery would be allowed, as well as alcohol for off-site consumption. The quick actions of these lawmakers may have saved countless restaurants from having to close their doors for good. 

There are 35 states that allow alcohol delivery services as a result of the COVID pandemic. These states include 

• Arizona 
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia.

Interestingly enough, quite a few of these states have notoriously strict laws regarding liquor sales, especially as it relates to alcohol delivery. Kentucky, for example, has some of the strictest laws in the country, with many dry counties where the sale of alcohol is not allowed in any capacity.

There are a few states where specific cities have lifted alcohol delivery restrictions, which include Atlanta, Fargo, and D.C. The states of Georgia and North Dakota have not loosened their restrictions or changed their laws regarding alcohol delivery. 

What Is The Best Alcohol Delivery Service?

You want an alcohol delivery service that is fast, reliable, and has a huge selection of alcohol.  Call us biased, but we say the best alcohol delivery service is Saucey. We make it so easy to have your favorite beverages delivered right to your door. Even better, we have hundreds of brands to choose from for basically any type of alcohol that you can think of. 

So how exactly does it work? You go to our website and enter your delivery address. That way, you can make sure we deliver to your area and see the wait times for delivery. 

Once you make sure your address is within one of our delivery zones, it is time to start shopping. We have beer, wine, rum, tequila, vodka, gin, whiskey, and scotch. Whatever you are in the mood for (literally, anything), we have got you covered. We even offer tobacco and vape delivery if you need something else besides alcohol. 

After you have stocked your shopping cart with all your favorite drinks, you can head to the checkout. Here you can enter your full delivery details, including when you want your alcohol delivered. You can schedule it for later, or choose as soon as possible. Oftentimes, this can be as fast as 30 minutes to an hour. 

Then, simply enter your payment information, and you are good to go! All that is left to do is wait. Whether you are having a party, date night, or just want to restock your home bar, we make things easy and convenient for you.     

Conclusion

There has been so much struggle for restaurants and small businesses during COVID, as restaurants typically see around 30-50% of their revenue from alcohol sales. Before COVID, most states did not allow you to purchase alcohol from restaurants to drink at home, and many states did not allow alcohol delivery. 

As a result of the pandemic, people have resorted to buying pretty much everything online. Online orders have increased drastically, given the fact that people want to minimize their exposure to other people, especially in crowded places like grocery stores.

Similarly, with no indoor dining, people across the country have turned to many nights of carryout trying to support their local restaurants. While every order and every dollar counts, it is not always enough without alcohol sales. 

Now, a majority of states in America allow for alcohol delivery. While some have certain restrictions, such as only beer and wine are allowed to be delivered, it is still giving restaurants a fighting chance to make it through financial hardships caused by the COVID pandemic.  

Some are hopeful these new alcohol delivery laws are here to stay and will remain in place even after COVID has gone away. Making these laws permanent will help to increase the choices consumers have regarding the way they purchase things. We think this is a great idea- why not give restaurants, small businesses, and alcohol delivery services the chance to thrive.