Hochul pushes her 'drinks-to-go' proposal to aid hospitality industry
ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday called for another round of letting restaurants sell alcoholic drinks to go, which was a popular offering during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but faces a lobbying brawl in Albany.
"We need to get back our mojo," Hochul said at the Therapy Wine Bar 2.0 in Brooklyn. She has included a bill that would permanently allow restaurants to sell alcohol in its to-go orders with food as part of her package to revitalize the state’s hospitality industry.
That package includes helping restaurants create more sidewalk cafes with heaters, another popular measure during the pandemic. Other elements include ending some Prohibition-era laws that restrict trade and speeding the processing of applications and renewals for liquor licenses.
Business analysts agreed that the takeout drinks trade was a lifeline for Long Island restaurants as well as eateries statewide during the pandemic. Back then, many customers stayed away from dining in restaurants out of fear of contracting the virus and for weeks many businesses were closed or saw their hours restricted by temporary laws to reduce crowding.
"During the pandemic we had nobody coming in the door because people were scared in the beginning," said Harry Poole, chef and owner of Jackson’s in Commack and Morrison’s in Plainview. "Once they did it, I thought it was a great thing. I’m not selling full bottles or anything … I’m just looking to support my family and my staff," Poole told Newsday.
But liquor stores have fought back.
The Metropolitan Package Store Association, which represents the interests of 3,500 liquor stores statewide, said the pandemic created "major losses in many of our businesses."
"This is a huge impact on our industry," said Michael Correra, executive director of the association and a liquor store owner. "It’s not just drinks to go, it's bottles. Restaurants are basically turning into liquor stores."
"The legislature did speak up last June and there was a tremendous amount of concern, and their constituents didn’t want that," he said. "We’re trying not to become the next industry that’s the next empty storefront on Main Street."
Hochul has included the measures in her budget proposal to the State Legislature, which is often a major boost to get a bill passed.
"Who would have thought this would be the most popular thing in my budget?" Hochul said among supporters. "The one thing that went viral was ‘to-go drinks.’ You gotta love New York, right?"
But support in the Legislature is uncertain amid lobbying and campaign contributions by both sides of the issue.
The State Legislature allowed the temporary "to-go drinks" law created under Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to expire in June under heavy lobbying by liquor stores
A bill to allow to-go drinks was introduced in 2020 and has received as much opposition as support. It isn’t on track for a floor vote any time soon. The budget proposals from the Senate and Assembly later this month should indicate whether the Legislature will back Hochul’s to-go proposal.
Assemb. Steven Cymbrowitz (D-Brooklyn), who sponsors the Legislature’s bill, said the measure is gaining support. That could lead to a deal on Hochul’s bill or agreement on his bill in the legislative session after the budget is adopted April 1.
His bill would protect liquor stores by prohibiting restaurants from selling whole bottles of liquor or wine and requiring that the drinks only be included in takeout orders that include a main course meal.
"The key is for people to understand that this is so important to help the restaurants come back," he said.
Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.
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