Lawmakers Push For Alcohol To-Go Laws | News Live at 6

By Tyler O’Neill

Syracuse, N.Y.- New York lawmakers are making their final push to put liquor to-go laws in the state budget.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she wanted to make pandemic liquor to-go laws permanent in her State of the State in January. 

“We are also going to do something that our bars and restaurants have been asking for to once again allow for the sale of to-go drinks. A critical revenue stream during the lean times last year, so cheers New York,” Hochul said. 

Liquor to-go was created to help bars stay financially stable during the pandemic; however, not all bars took advantage of the temporary legalization of to-go drinks. Wild Will’s Saloon in downtown Syracuse did not sell to-go drinks. The bars’s owner Will Minney said it did not pay to be open during the pandemic for to-go drinks because it cost more to pay a bartender to work. 

Now, Minney said he would sell to-go drinks. 

“I would do it if there was a demand for it absolutely, I don’t have no problem with selling to-go, its just got to be the law that’s for sure,” Minney said. 

Mine said he doesn’t think selling to-go drinks will mean he will have larger sales. 

“It will be more a convenience for the customer than me, I mean that’s why we did not do it during the pandemic it was too costly. It would cost more to have a bartender on than what you are going to make drinks to go, who knows how many you’re going to sell,” Minney said. 

Minney said he is concerned minors will be able to get to-go drinks. 

“The problem I would worry about is people trying to buy drinks to-go for people waiting outside giving them to somebody underage. That’s one of the problems,” Minney said.

Hochul and other New York lawmakers have until Friday to get it into the budget.