Alcohol-to-go to stick around when budget is signed

The New York State budget will expand the sale of alcohol–to-go when the $220 billion budget is signed.

Governor Kathy Hochul said legalizing to-go drinks will support small businesses and help them recover from the hit they took during the pandemic.

The owner of O’Slattery’s Bar in Delmar said during the pandemic he lost workers and was operating with less staff. The boost of alcohol-to-go sales gave him a chance to recover what he lost and create alternative ways to bring in business.

“During COVID, everyone had to switch to the basics of how they made their money,” Slattery said. “So we started making alcohol pops, which was a huge benefits to our sales.”

With the governor’s announcement, he feels he can continue the trend of sales and his business will thrive.

Hochul says once the budget is signed the sale of alcohol to go drinks will immediately be legal.