Those who have gotten accustomed during the pandemic to ordering alcoholic drinks to go at restaurants will be able to continue to do so.
Under a state law that went into effect Aug. 28, a waiver that has allowed restaurants to sell “to-go” alcoholic drinks has become permanent.
The waiver was granted in April 2020 because restaurants in many areas could not offer indoor dining during the early days of the pandemic, and since then, many establishments have reduced seating.
Before the waiver, any “to-go” alcohol had to be sold in its original, sealed package.
The new law continues restrictions on “to-go” liquor sales put in place for the pandemic, including a requirement that customers must buy a meal with the drink and no more than two containers of alcohol per meal.
In addition, the drink must be in a container, a gallon or less, and must be sealed with tape. Alternatively, alcohol may be packaged in a secure transparent bag, but not in “to-go” cups or other containers with a sipping hole or an opening for straws.
The law also extends the hours during which restaurants, bars and stores may sell alcohol on Sundays.
Now, those businesses may sell alcohol from 6 a.m. Sunday until 1:30 a.m. Monday, the same hours in effect during the rest of the week. Previously, liquor sales were restricted between 9 a.m. and midnight on Sundays.
Danny Bundy, who owns Jilly’s Cafe and Steakhouse, 1630 Gravois Road, in High Ridge, with his wife, Lisa, said he supports the new law.
“Basically, anything they can do to help the restaurant industry is good,” he said. “The last couple of years have been tough.”
Bundy said Jilly’s closed at the beginning of the pandemic last spring, but reopened in June 2020 and began offering “to-go” drinks.
“We got some business from that,” he said. “Not a lot, but it was a help to us.”
Denny Foster, co-owner of Main and Mill Brewing Co., 240 Main St., in Festus, said he also is happy the rules have been extended permanently.
“It’s definitely not a negative,” he said. “It’s not going to impact us that much, because I’d say that now that we’re open, maybe 98 percent of our business is inside, but it could help smaller places. It gives restaurants more options, which is always good.”
Patrick Thomson, operations manager of Taytro’s, 331 N. Creek Drive, in Festus, said he, too, is excited about “to-go” alcohol sales being allowed permanently.
“It will help us out a lot,” he said.
Thomson said Taytro’s started offering carryout liquor sales the first day it was allowed.
“I would say that’s what helped us get a line of cars out into the street,” he said. “I would say that being able to offer that option to our customers helped us through all of this.”
Thomson said margaritas and hurricanes sold in gallon containers are popular with customers.
“We’ve been told that the one large container for to-go orders has helped the families who want the full Taytro’s experience but are hesitant about dining in,” he said.
Thomson said the restaurant still sees a lot of carryout orders, for both food and drink.
“The carryouts haven’t shown any sign of slowing down,” he said.