JOPLIN, Mo. – A pandemic-era law, could become permanent.
Last week the Missouri legislature sent a bill to Governor Mike Parson’s desk that would allow for the sale of cocktails to-go.
During the pandemic, the ability to offer alcoholic drinks to go helped out club 609 in Joplin promote their business.
“People are responsible, like I said if some people want to have dinner and then take home some alcohol and have it at home, as opposed to making two stops, I think it’ll help people make that decision, and order food and drinks at the same time. I think it’ll help us and the customers,” said Club 609’s manager Steve Williams.
Williams added bringing back “to-go” drinks could even help people re-adjust as they start going out again.
“Some people don’t want to go out still, and that gives them the option to have dinner from our restaurant, having some drinks to take home and be home…some people are still nervous about going out, we hear about it all the time. So that would help them have a similar experience but obviously have us make the food and the drinks.”
The measure would require any to-go drinks to be sealed. Anyone looking to take a drink home would need to have it accompanied by a food order as well.
One customer said it could open new doors to trying drinks one normally wouldn’t.
“Some people might want to have a date night at home, if they have kids, and they can order their drink with their meal. I think it’s a good thing…I have kids at home so it might be nice to just be able to get a drink with my order and come home, have a drink that I don’t usually make at home,” said Club 609 customer Abigail Cox.
The measure would also repeal a prohibition on the sale of alcoholic drinks on Sundays, making it no different than any day of the week.
Governor Mike Parson has until July 15th to sign the measure. If he does, Missouri will join several other states that have made to-go cocktails legal, including Oklahoma and Arkansas.
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