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Wisconsin bars, restaurants can sell cocktails to go starting Sunday

Cocktail bar drinks
Posted at 2:01 PM, Mar 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-26 23:18:19-04

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Bars and restaurants in Wisconsin can sell cocktails to go starting on Sunday.

Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill into law Friday, just before happy hour.

“Cocktails to-go have been a source of support for restaurants, bars and distilleries all across the U.S.,” said Kristi Brown, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Senior Director of State Government Relations. “Cocktails to-go provide a much-needed lifeline for struggling on-premise locations and have prevented the permanent closure of many of these businesses. Now that this measure is permanent in Wisconsin, hospitality businesses in the state will enjoy those same benefits as they begin the long path to recovery. We applaud the Wisconsin Legislature and Governor Evers for supporting Wisconsin’s businesses and for providing increased convenience to consumers.”

The bill won bipartisan approval in the Legislature.

It allows for mixed drinks and glasses of wine to be sold to go as long as they have tamper-evident seals.

The drinks could be sold for pickup only, not delivery. More than 30 states have similar laws.

Correction: The Associated Press originally reported the bill would go into effect immediately. The bill goes into effect this Sunday, when bars and restaurants open.

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