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Restaurants Can Now Serve Liquor With Carry Out Meals
By: Jo Ingles | Statehouse News Bureau
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Ohio restaurants have not been able to serve mixed drinks and straight liquors since the state order that closed dine-in services took effect last month. Now, the state is making a change to its rules that will allow restaurants to serve those drinks along with take-out meals.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine says the Ohio Liquor Control Commission passed an emergency rule allowing restaurants and carry outs with liquor licenses to sell alcoholic drinks to go with food orders.
“You will be able to get up to two drinks that will be pre-packaged. You cannot open them until you get home. But you can get up to two drinks per order,” DeWine says.
Lt. Governor Jon Husted says the change came because state leaders were listening to businesses who had asked for it.
All of the usual taxes on those drinks will still apply. These new rules will apply as long as the state’s closure of restaurants due to coronavirus continues. Liquor sales in stores set a record in the week after the state closed bars and in-restaurant dining last month.