Bill introduced to make alcohol to-go sales permanent at Colorado restaurants

A bill is working its way through the legislative session to continue alcohol to-go sales at Colorado restaurants. Four years ago, many restaurants began pivoting to alcohol takeout during the pandemic as dining rooms were closed.

According to the Colorado Restaurant Association, continuing alcohol to-go will help many restaurants post-pandemic, as more than 12-hundred restaurants currently offer alcohol and cocktails to-go across the state.

In 2020 when the pandemic started, Governor Jared Polis issued an emergency executive order that allowed restaurants to sell to-go alcoholic beverages and cocktails. In 2021, a bill was signed into law, to continue alcohol takeout, but that law is set to expire next year.

In December, the Colorado Restaurant Association followed up with many of the restaurants to see what the impacts were of offering alcohol to go.

According to the Colorado Restaurant Association, 90% of respondents utilize to-go alcohol sales at their business and 80% of business owners said alcohol to-go sales account for one to ten percent of their liquor sales.

Colin Larson, the director of government affairs with the Restaurant Association, said the current law helps restaurants with their bottom line, and many hope alcohol to-go sticks around for good.

"Restaurants that have been using it have cited that it's a great way for them to bring that little extra bit of profit margin, and for a lot of restaurants, it's the difference between them being profitable, and then operating at a loss," said Larson. "It's a small, but important part of their revenues for the restaurant."

The bill does not change any limits imposed. That includes no more than one liter of hard liquor, no more than two standard six packs, and no more than 1.5 liters of wine.

So far, the bill has only been introduced.