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Cocktails-to-go now allowed in Pennsylvania

Governor Tom Wolf today signed legislation allowing the temporary sale of cocktails-to-go from bars, restaurants or hotels with a liquor license. The law takes effect immediately.

The law applies to bars, restaurants and hotels that have lost 25 percent of average monthly total sales during the covid-19 emergency. The beverages must be sold in containers with a secure lid in quantities from 4 oz. to 64 oz. before 11 p.m. An additional seal is required on the straw opening of a lid.

Within 60 days, bars and restaurants must use a transaction scan device to verify a consumer’s age if the person appears to be younger than 35 years of age.

“This new temporary rule creates more business for bars and restaurants when they need it, helps to meet customer demand and supports social distancing,” said Governor Wolf. “As we approach the holiday weekend, I encourage all Pennsylvanians to remember to drink responsibly.”

“Our local restaurants are working hard to feed our communities during this difficult time,” said Rep. Perry Warren. “Act 21 both streamlines the process for residents to decide whether to permit alcohol sales in a ‘dry’ municipality and allows restaurants to add another product for their customers for curbside pickup and takeout during this crisis. I thank Governor Wolf and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this bill.”

The temporary rule expires after the covid-19 disaster emergency ends and a business reaches 60 percent capacity.

Pennsylvania’s open container law applies.

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6 Comments

  • Oh yeah, I’m gonna buy an $8 jack and coke in a styrofoam cup and bring it home and drink it while I have both those bottles in my cabinet. Moron.

  • does anyone know of a consolidated list of places in town that will be open and serving to-go cocktails? I’d love to go down this weekend and pick some things up, but don’t know where to go without calling every place up and down the street.

  • Tom Wolf is inane and does not care about small businesses. This small effort will not help restaurants and bars who have already lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Open up all businesses. Higher incidences of the covid will occur in homes where our parents live, they are typically older Americans with underlying medical issues. This is not rocket science. Why should small businesses continue to suffer. Open up the public parking lots and put the benches back out. We must be open for business. Our nation has gone from a nation of 50/50 lemmings /saners to 90/10 lemmings and saners. You lemmings need to man/women up and fight for your rights per the US Constitution.

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