Cocktail Takeout, Delivery OK In MoCo During Coronavirus Crisis

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County residents can now order cocktails to-go.

On Tuesday, the county's Alcohol Beverage Services department (ABS) threw local restaurants a small lifeline, by allowing those with up-to-date liquor licenses to sell cocktails in takeout cups with lids.

This change comes a week after the county's Board of License Commissioners passed a resolution that temporarily let licensed restaurants sell sealed containers of beer and wine with delivery and carryout meals. Officials have now updated that resolution to include the sale of cocktails as a way to help local businesses weather the economic slowdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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"While the Governor's order to close all restaurants as a part of the catastrophic health emergency remains in effect, all restaurants licensed by the Montgomery County Board of License Commissioners may sell sealed containers of beer, wine, and liquor (for those with a qualifying liquor license) for off-premises consumption along with a takeout or delivery meal," county officials wrote in a letter to ABC licensees.

Third-party delivery services — such as Grubhub and Uber Eats — cannot participate, according to officials.

Under this new policy, businesses can only deliver alcohol to "Montgomery County addresses along with a meal using their own staff."

The resolution will expire when the governor's emergency order to close restaurants is lifted.

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