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Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law that will allow bars
and restaurants to continue serving cocktails to-go for another
five years.
Andy Deloney, the head of state public policy with the Distilled
Spirits Council of the United States, said the pandemic-era law
was a lifesaver for many businesses.
“When the pandemic began, many states including Illinois jumped
into action to help provide some relief to local restaurants and
taverns who for the most part across the country had been shut
down,” Deloney said.
Before the pandemic, there were more than 25,000 eating and
drinking establishments in Illinois in 2018, with an estimated
$30 billion in sales. Those numbers decreased significantly
during the pandemic as many didn’t survive state-ordered
shutdowns in 2020.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 20 states have enacted laws
to permanently allow businesses to sell and deliver cocktails
to-go. Illinois is one of 14 states that allowed the practice on
a temporary basis.
Deloney said the cocktails to-go movement is spreading around
the country.
“This continues what has become a growing and new traditional
part of today’s dining scene,” Deloney said. “It's what patrons
have come to expect from their local establishments.”
Before being extended, Illinois' law was set to expire in June
of next year.
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