North Carolina bars and restaurants can serve cocktails to go starting Monday evening, Dec. 21, at 5 p.m. The change will go into effect via Executive Order 183 as an attempt to help restaurants survive the limited operating hours and capacities mandated during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

According to the NCRLA, the executive order includes the following provisions: 

• Permitted Sellers include restaurants, hotels, private bars, private clubs, and distilleries.
• Mixed beverage sold to-go/for delivery must be sealed and labeled with the Purchaser’s name, drink name, quantity of spirituous liquor the beverage contains, and a required safety statement (see E.O.)
• To-go orders must include a receipt for the Purchaser that includes an itemized list of the names and quantities of alcoholic beverages to be delivered; (ii) the name, address, and telephone number of the Permitted Seller; and (iii) the Purchaser’s name.
• No Permitted Seller shall sell any single Purchaser more than one mixed beverage drink at one time. 
• The sealed container can’t exceed 750 ml and can’t be more than the standard size of a mixed beverage drink sold by the MXB permittee for on-premises consumption. The intent is to allow Permittees to sell the same size drink sold on premises and not to expand their mixed beverage menu to sell multiple drinks.
• Mixed beverages may be delivered by an employee or a contracted third party delivery service.
• Permitted Sellers can sell a mixed beverage for delivery or off-premises consumption until the establishment closes, and no later than 2:00 am.
• Mini bottles of spirituous liquor are not allowed to be sold to-go under this E.O.

Cocktails being ordered for take-out can be served after the state’s current 9 p.m. alcohol sales cutoff time for restaurants and bars. The order expires Jan. 31 at 5 p.m., unless extended by the Governor’s office. 

“It might just be a Christmas miracle,” says Dot Dot Dot owner Stefan Huebner. “It won’t be enough to save the restaurant industry, but it might give some people a fighting chance.”

Dot Dot Dot will continue serving cocktail kits without alcohol, but begin selling four premixed cocktails to-go. As to-go sales are limited to one drink per person, selling cocktail kits without booze is the only way to allow customers a larger serving size.

Most bartenders were caught off guard by the executive order’s announcement, so we wouldn’t expect to see many cocktails to-go on offer until after Christmas. Learn more from the NCRLA’s FAQ here or read the full order here. 

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