On July 1, the Florida executive order that helped restaurants survive earlier in 2020 by allowing “to-go cocktails” will take effect permanently, after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 148 into law on May 13. The executive order and the new law were designed to provide some much-needed economic relief to the restaurant industry in the wake of COVID-19, amid reduced capacity and reduced patronage. In 2020, almost all 50 states introduced or revised their existing “to-go” beverage policies, and now, Florida has made the change permanent.

Restaurant Requirements to Participate in ‘To-Go’ Drinks

In order to comply, restaurants need to:

  • Have at least 2,500 square-feet of dining area;
  • Be equipped to serve 150 persons at one time; and
  • And derive at least 51% of its gross food and beverage revenue from the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages.