SAUGUS, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Gov. Baker has passed a bill allowing some restaurants and bars to offer wine and beer on their take-out menus.
According to the legislation, any establishment with a license to sell alcohol can now add "wine or malt beverages" to their to-go options.
There are a few rules, of course. Customers must show ID proving they are over 21 years of age upon delivery, and wine and beer can only be included with a take-out or delivery food order made before midnight.
Since the state's stay-at-home advisory was issued over the coronavirus pandemic, alcohol has been available for delivery from select grocery and wine stores, or customers have been able to buy it in person.
Baker signed the legislation on Friday, one week after it was first reported from the House Ways and Means Committee, in an effort to boost restaurants' earning potential, and to lower the number of people making trips to the store for beer and wine.
When Baker had first ordered the closure of all restaurants and bars in the state, Bob Wong, owner of the Kowloon restaurant in Saugus started selling his signature cocktail mixes to-go, just without the alcohol. Wong told WBZ NewsRadio he quickly sold out.
"We said we'll do about 25 jugs, because we don't want to waste it if no one buys them," said Wong. "So we put the 25 jugs out, and we sold it in an hour. So we said oops! We better start making more!"
Wong told WBZ NewsRadio customers can now order wine, beer, or Mai Tai and Scorpion Bowl mixes along with their to-go food.
WBZ NewsRadio's Kevin Coleman (@KevinColemanWBZ) reports:
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