Wolf urges Senate to keep cocktails-to-go, some Pa. bar owners lukewarm

Gov. Tom Wolf is urging the Senate to pass a bill that would enable the cocktails-to-go law to remain in place.

The bill would amend the state’s liquor code to allow bars, restaurants and hotels with liquor licenses to sell mixed drinks for off-premises consumption.

Just over a year ago Wolf signed a temporary measure a few months into the pandemic allowing the sale of mixed drinks to go when restaurants were forced to close for in-person service.

“I support memorializing this relief for bars and restaurants by making cocktails-to-go permanent and I strongly urge the Senate to support Pennsylvania’s bars, restaurants and hotels by sending a clean bill to my desk (Tuesday),” said Wolf.

But some bar owners said the concept doesn’t make much sense.

“That’s one of the most ludicrous things to come out of (Wolf’s) mouth,” said Joe Kolek, owner of the Anchor Inn in Harrison. “They think they’re throwing us a bone but who’s going to come in and buy a drink for six or seven dollars when they can go to the liquor store and get a whole bottle for the same price?”

Dave Magill, owner of Mogies Irish Pub in Lower Burrell, said he’ll sell cocktails-to-go but is not enthusiastic about the concept.

“Do I think it’s beneficial? No,” said Magill. “The idea is that this is going to help us recover money but it’s not. How many (to-go) drinks are we really going to sell during the course of the day?

“The concept behind this is you get it in a to-go cup with a sticker over a hole where the straw is supposed to go and you’re supposed to put it in the trunk of your car to transport it home,” he said adding he doubts most people will do that.

“What this is going to create is a whole bunch of people at the end of the evening who want one for the guardrails. That’s how I see it.”

However, Anita Schaming, co-owner of CC’s Café in Sharpsburg said she thinks keeping cocktails-to-go is a great thing for restaurants.

“It’s something to help make up for what’s happened to restaurants in the last 18 months,” Schaming said. “Some of our friends have closed because they just couldn’t make it. So, I think the ones that are still surviving should get every benefit they can get to stay afloat.”

Schaming admitted that now that her restaurant is back open, not as many people are buying cocktails to go. But she would like to see the option remain.

“I’d like to see (the state) keep it indefinitely.”