Surprise! New York Alcohol-To-Go Ends Tonight

I kinda feel like it's the last call at the bar and everyone is ordering two drinks so they don't get cut off.

In a bit of a surprise announcement, the New York Liquor Authority announced that the temporary privilege of alcohol to go ends tonight, June 24th,  at midnight.

"A permanent extension of alcohol-to-go is supported by 78% of New Yorkers, but the Legislature failed to extend it and now the Executive Order has ended," said Melissa Fleischut, the president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association in a press release. "Only in New York would elected officials ignore an overwhelming majority of the public.”

During the pandemic the to-go alcohol rule allowed restaurants and bars to stay open, saving many of the businesses in the state. Now that the state of emergency is being lifted it means that the health emergency is "over" but the damage to the service industry will be felt for many years.

Hopefully, lawmakers will realize this and reconsider making to-go alcohol legal again in New York.