One thing many people have learned during the pandemic is that staying at home is a little easier with a cocktail in hand.
Thankfully, many bars and restaurants began offering their signature libations to-go, and now the trend is going to stick around in Tucson. This week, the Arizona House passed a bill to permanently allow cocktails to-go from restaurants, bars, and distilleries.
The purpose of the move, which is being led by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, is to help “increase consumer convenience and support hospitality businesses devastated by COVID-19.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated Arizona’s hospitality businesses, and it will take years for them to fully recover,” said Adam Smith, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Vice President of State Government Relations. “Cocktails to-go has already proven to be a critical part of their survival in many states across the U.S., and Arizona businesses deserve the same opportunity.”
So, what’s next for this new bill? It still needs to head to the Senate for consideration.
At the moment, more than 30 states — plus the District of Columbia — are allowing restaurants and bars to sell cocktails to-go.
“As an owner of both establishments with a Series 6 and Series 12 liquor licenses, each adversely affected by the pandemic, I would like to remind the legislature of how important ‘to-go’ has become to our industry,” said Grant Krueger, owner of Union Hospitality Group. “We have seen a massive increase in sales of both food and beverages to-go, both directly through our website and in third-party delivery apps.”
To learn more about the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, visit distilledspirits.org.
??? we’re back open tomorrow thru saturday from 12-9pm for dine in/drink in but we also still got you covered for to-go …
Posted by The Royal Room on Wednesday, September 23, 2020
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
