‘Cocktails to go’ could be the next COVID-19-friendly service at Oregon bars

Some Oregon bar, restaurant owners have been calling for to-go cocktails

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Throughout this challenging year, bars and restaurants across the state have had to adapt to the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic rules. And a new wrinkle that some say could help is being proposed: to-go cocktails.

Next Monday, at a scheduled one-day special session, state lawmakers will discuss the possibility of giving liquor license-holders the option to serve to-go cocktails.

For Richard Whittemore, the owner of M & J Tavern in Bend there are a lot of questions.

“How are the cocktails served, is it a to-go cup?" Whittemore asked Friday. "Do you just drive up and get a to-go cup and drive off?”

Whittemore also questioned the legality of how the to-go cocktails would affect open container laws and third-party liability laws.

State Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend, who soon will be leaving office, told NewsChannel 21 she is confident the bill will pass, but admitted more work needs to be done to help the struggling hospitality industry.

“The idea that cocktails to go is going to alleviate the bleeding that restaurants are under while they are closed is just not true,” Helt said.

If the bill does pass the special session, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission plans to use an emergency temporary rule to enact the new rules as quickly as possible.

Oregon would join more than 30 other states that would allow customers to take their cocktails home.