Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott allowed to-go mixed drinks in June after bar and restaurant operators lobbied for him to ease the restrictions. Bars and restaurants all across the state have been able to sell beer, wine and liquor with takeout food orders, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Abbott signed an emergency waiver to help the struggling service industry as it navigated shutdowns and safety regulations.
A new bill could make to-go alcohol from restaurants and bars permanent, far beyond this Super Bowl Sunday. But, there are some things you need to know if you’re considering picking up cocktails at your favorite bar or restaurant.
"Last session, I signed a law allowing beer-to-go sales in Texas. Let's expand that this session and more broadly make alcohol-to-go an official law in Texas," Abbott tweeted in late January.
According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission:
- Alcohol has to be picked up with food, prepared at the venue.
- The person selling the alcohol must be at least 21 years old.
- Beer, ale, and wine have to be in their original container that is sealed by the manufacturer of the beverage
- Mixed Drinks must be in a container and sealed with an adhesive label.
The CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association told The Dallas Morning News the rest of the country is looking closely at us because they expect Texas to pass legislation making alcohol to-go permanent.
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It will without a doubt set the stage for many other states to pass similar legislation.
