GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A pandemic policy is here to stay— Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation Wednesday that makes "alcohol-to-go" permanent in the state of Michigan.
Ordering alcohol-to-go was created during the pandemic as a way to help restaurants stay afloat. It was supposed to be a temporary policy and was set to expire in 2026. Now, it's here to stay.
In a statement, bill sponsor Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Detroit) said, "We’ve heard from so many restaurant owners that this additional revenue stream became a lifeline that kept them in business. Three years in, it’s proven to be a popular new way for customers to support their favorite restaurants and has resulted in zero reported violations or safety issues."
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association also issued a statement reading:
“The MRLA proudly championed cocktails-to-go in Michigan when our industry looked for creative ways to generate revenue sales during the pandemic. Now, we applaud our state legislature and Senator McMorrow for her leadership in making off-premise cocktail sales a permanent fixture in Michigan, giving restaurant operators a much-needed economic boost and the opportunity to continue providing a service that customers have greatly enjoyed.”
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One restaurant that took advantage of cocktails-to-go is the Beltline Bar. Pat Hilton, COO of Restaurant Partners Management, says keeping this in place will only continue to help businesses, including the Beltline Bar.
"As we move more and more to digital ordering, the same guests are now really looking forward to being able to gt the entire Beltline experience through to-go," Hilton explained.
Restaurant Partners Management owns several other restaurants in West Michigan, including Real Food Cafe, The Omelette Shop, Bagel Beanery and Sundance Grill & Bar.
Hilton says the pandemic was hard for all restaurants, which makes celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Beltline Bar even sweeter.
"Any restaurant that can last that long, says a lot not only about the brand itself, but also about the community and how they feel about it."
Grand Rapids State Representative Kristian Grant sponsored the house version of this bill, and says after the pandemic, ordering to-go become a way of life.
"This was something that we saw businesses have become used to. It's really been a part of their revenue, a real piece of their revenue, and we didn't want to see it taken away from them."
The legislation also keeps strict regulations in place, to keep people safe and responsible. Hilton says Beltine Bar's gallon and half gallon of margarita mix have resealable caps that cannot be opened without breaking the seal; and for any alcoholic pouches, they must be sealed without the ability to pop a straw through the packaging.
The legislation stipulates that businesses must stamp, print, or label the outside of the qualified container with “Contains Alcohol. Must be delivered to a person 21 years of age or older.” Any consumer will also be required to show ID when purchasing alcohol-to-go.
Rep. Grant says that ordering alcohol-to-go is no different than going to pick up a six-pack from the liquor store, but instead you're supporting local businesses.
"This is supporting local businesses, businesses that really have not rebounded from what the pandemic did to us."
