Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed legislation Friday making permanent a pandemic-era policy that allows New Jersey restaurants and bars to sell and deliver cocktails for off-premises consumption.
The new law, S-4384, permits restaurants, hotels, bars and other businesses with retail consumption licenses to sell mixed alcoholic beverages in closed, sealed containers for customers to take home. It also allows those businesses to deliver sealed cocktails and malt beverages, including beer and hard seltzer, either directly or through licensed third-party delivery services.
The temporary provisions, enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to help struggling hospitality businesses, were scheduled to expire September 1.
“New Jersey’s small businesses shouldn’t have to navigate outdated rules just to serve their customers and grow,” Sherrill said. “Cocktails to-go worked, customers liked it, and small businesses told us it was another way to bring in revenue. Today, we’re making it permanent.”
The law also expands privileges for craft distilleries, allowing them to sell mixed drinks made with spirits produced on their licensed premises. Distilleries may sell those drinks for off-premises consumption in containers with tamper-evident seals and offer their spirits in original containers alongside food or nonalcoholic beverages that customers can use to prepare cocktails at home.
“Cocktails to-go helped restaurants and bars keep business moving during the pandemic, and they have continued to be a convenient option for customers,” said State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch). “Making this permanent gives our hospitality businesses another way to serve their customers and generate revenue while keeping commonsense safeguards in place for the sale and delivery of alcohol.”
Supporters cited National Restaurant Association data showing that customers in states permitting alcohol-to-go are more likely to select a restaurant for delivery when alcoholic beverages can be included with their order.
State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver) called the measure a commonsense extension of a policy that helped keep restaurants afloat during the public-health emergency.
“During the pandemic, this commonsense policy helped restaurants survive one of the toughest periods in their industry’s history,” O’Scanlon said. “I’m proud that the flexibility we gave these businesses will now be permanently available to them with the signing of this law.”