‘Cocktails To Go’ extends for 5 more years in IL

ILLINOIS (KBSI) – On June 9, 2023, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed bill to continue “Cocktails to Go” for another five years.
The pandemic-era law allows carryout, curbside pickup, and delivery of mixed drinks and single servings of wine for off-premises consumption.
The Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) wants to remind the public and all qualifying retailer licensees about some of the key requirements of the cocktails to-go law. The law requires that:
- May only be sold or delivered by a retail licensee who is at least 21 and has a valid Illinois Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training (BASSET) license under Section 6-27.1 of the Illinois Liquor Control Act
- May not be sold or delivered without age verification, the retail licensee employee must verify that a person is at least 21 before selling or delivering to-go cocktails to that person. If the employee cannot safely verify a person’s age or intoxication level, the sale of the to-go cocktails must be canceled, and the cocktails must be returned to the retail licensee’s establishment.
- Must be packaged in a sealed tamper evident container; the container must be labeled with information that includes the cocktail or mixed drink name and ingredients, the name(s) of the alcohol in the drink, and that the sealed container was filled less than 7 days before the date of sale, such as a bottling date or packaging date.
- Must be placed and transported in the trunk of a vehicle or, if the vehicle has no trunk, in the vehicle’s rear compartment that is not readily accessible to the passenger area.
- May not be transported in the passenger area of a vehicle.
- Third-party delivery services are NOT PERMITTED to deliver cocktails to-go.
The bill was originally passed in June 2020 and was set to expire on January 3, 2024.