Margarita anyone? — Alcohol to-go is now legal in Florida

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ocala news, ocala post, alcohol to go
Photo by Schaefer Edwards

Florida — On Thursday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that makes to-go alcohol sales legal in the state of Florida.

Senate Bill 148, known as the Beverage Law, will allow for restaurants and other businesses who sell alcohol to sell or deliver to-go alcohols long as the businesses meet the legal requirements.

Requirements:

  • The vendor must be licensed as a public food service establishment
  • The sale or delivery must be accompanied by a food purchase within the same order
  • The charge for the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages must be at least 40% of the total charge for the order, excluding the charge for any manufacturer-sealed containers of alcoholic beverages included in the order
  • Sales and deliveries of the alcoholic beverages may not occur after the vendor stops making food on the licensed premises for the day or after midnight, whichever is earlier
  • The foodservice establishment must have at least 2,500 square feet of the service area and be capable of serving at least 150 customers with at least 51 percent of sales coming from food and non-alcoholic drinks.
  • Drinks must be in a sealed container and placed inside a bag or other container that can be secured in a vehicle.
  • A receipt must accompany the beverages

The law will also allow for food delivery services to deliver alcohol orders.

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According to Tallahassee officials, the bill got tremendous pushback from law enforcement agencies across Florida.

The new law goes into effect on July 1.