Legislation introduced in Trenton would permanently allow restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries, and craft distilleries to continue selling and delivering alcoholic beverages under rules first adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
TRENTON, N.J. — One of the most popular pandemic-era changes for New Jersey restaurants could soon become permanent.
Sen. Vin Gopal has introduced legislation that would permanently allow bars, restaurants, hotels, and other licensed establishments to sell cocktails-to-go and deliver alcoholic beverages directly to consumers, extending privileges that were temporarily authorized during the COVID-19 emergency.
Key Points
• Bill would permanently legalize cocktails-to-go in New Jersey
• Restaurants and bars could continue delivering alcoholic beverages directly to customers
• Breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries, and meaderies would gain expanded home delivery privileges
The legislation would allow holders of plenary retail consumption licenses, including most bars and restaurants, to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for off-premises consumption and deliver those beverages directly to customers’ homes. Mixed drinks and cocktails would be permitted in tamper-evident sealed containers.
The bill would also expand home delivery privileges for certain New Jersey alcohol manufacturers, including breweries, wineries, cideries, meaderies, and craft distilleries.
Pandemic change becomes permanent
During the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey temporarily relaxed alcohol regulations as restaurants struggled with capacity restrictions and dining shutdowns.
The temporary rules allowed businesses to sell sealed cocktails, beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages for takeout and delivery, providing an important revenue stream during a period when indoor dining was severely restricted.
Supporters of making the changes permanent argue that consumers embraced the convenience and that many restaurants continue to rely on alcohol sales to supplement revenue.
Craft beverage industry would benefit
The legislation would also allow limited breweries, qualifying wineries, farm wineries, craft distilleries, and cideries to deliver products directly to consumers’ homes within New Jersey. Those deliveries would be required to be made in vehicles associated with the licensed business and displaying state-issued transit insignias.
Craft distilleries would gain additional authority to sell pre-mixed cocktails in sealed containers and offer cocktail kits containing spirits along with mixers and ingredients needed for customers to prepare drinks at home.
Continuing a broader modernization effort
The proposal represents the latest effort by lawmakers to modernize New Jersey’s alcohol laws, which have undergone significant changes in recent years affecting breweries, distilleries, wineries, and restaurants.
If approved, the bill would permanently preserve many of the alcohol sales and delivery privileges that consumers first became accustomed to during the pandemic while expanding opportunities for New Jersey’s growing craft beverage industry.