A Deeper Understanding of Recent Texas Alcohol Laws
During the peak of the pandemic last year, Governor Greg Abbott set some temporary alcohol to-go laws in place that were meant to help keep the local economy flourishing. Well, both alcohol servers and patrons made great use of these permissions throughout the year. So much, so, that the Governor recently made some more permanent changes surrounding Texas’ alcohol laws.
As an alcohol seller-server, it’s important that you keep up with the latest alcohol regulations and restriction changes at the state level. So, while you sign yourself up for online courses from TABC On The Fly, here’s a quick take on the latest adjustments to when and how alcohol can be served.
Alcohol To-Go is Now Permanent
In May, the Governor signed into law that alcohol to-go is now a permanent opportunity for consumers and suppliers in Texas. According to a statement from the Governor on Twitter,
“To help restaurants be able to deal with the pandemic, we waived the regulation to allow restaurants to sell alcohol to-go,” he said in his video. “Well, it turned out that Texas liked it so much that the Texas Legislature wanted to make that permanent law in the state of Texas.”
Since this law is still relatively new, many restaurant and bar owners still have questions about the limitations of the law and how they can legally approach to-go and delivery orders.
What Constitutes as “To-Go”?
Of course, the new law doesn’t mean that alcohol orders on the go are now a free-for-all opportunity. There are several requirements restaurants and bars must follow in order to allow an alcohol order to leave as a delivery or pick-up order.
- All alcohol to-go orders must be ordered with even a small amount of food.
- The business’ name must be on the container.
- The container must be sealed or tamper-proof
- All businesses must be certain that the person ordering is at least 21
- To-Go orders may not be sold to an intoxicated individual
The new law’s success relies on the compliance of everyone. According to a spokesperson from the TABC, there were very few issues with to-go orders during the pandemic. So, it’s expected that as long as restaurants and bars understand their limits and responsibilities the new law should be smooth sailing for local economies.
Celebrate New Alcohol Laws Safely With TABC On The Fly
Education is going to be your best friend if you want to take advantage of this new law for your business. Make the simple, effective, and affordable choice with TABC On The Fly. Our online course ensures that your team members are TABC Certified without having to miss a single shift.
Make your staff the best it can be. Register online today for our TABC certification course!
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