Alcohol-to-go is now permanent in Florida after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law in a restaurant in Ormond Beach on Thursday.
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida’s Governor issued an emergency order which allowed restaurants with alcohol licenses to be able to sell alcoholic drinks to go. It was a very popular move with restaurants and customers leading the Florida Legislature to vote it into law.
“They say necessity is the mother of invention,” DeSantis said. “And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit that really upended our hospitality industry, but particularly our bars and restaurants. So I said, ‘What can we do to try to deal with this situation in a way that will help them weather this storm?’”
The alcohol-to-go law only applies to restaurants whose sales are at least 51% food. Drink containers will need to be sealed and placed in a secured container in a vehicle out of the driver’s reach.
The new law requires the ending of to-go drinks once a restaurants’ food service ends for the day or at midnight, whichever occurs first.
The new law will go into effect on July 1, 2021.