Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is allowing restaurants and bars to sell mixed drinks for takeout as small businesses attempt to stay afloat through the winter months.
Cooper signed an executive order Monday that allows bars and restaurants to sell alcoholic mixed drinks for either takeout or delivery to customers during the Coronavirus pandemic, according to WRAL.
Executive order 183, which went into effect at 5 p.m., allows restaurants, hotels, private clubs and bars and other distilleries to sell mixed drinks to their customers, according to the text of the order. (RELATED: Pelosi Says $600 Bonuses For Working Families Struggling During The Pandemic Is ‘Significant’)
JUST IN: @NC_Governor Cooper signed an executive order Monday allowing the delivery or carry-out of mixed beverages as an alternative to on-site consumption. The order goes into effect at 5 p.m. Monday and lasts through January 31, 2021. https://t.co/97h4OFWuMp
— WTKR News 3 (@WTKR3) December 21, 2020
The order would also direct the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission to waive regulations in the state that would either prevent customers from ether purchasing the beverages in a sealed container or allow third-party contractors, such as delivery apps, to fulfill orders, WRAL reported.
“This order will help people avoid settings that can contribute to increased viral spread while giving restaurants and bars a financial boost that they need right now.” Governor Cooper said in a statement, according to WRAL.
Cooper also said that by permitting the sale of mixed-beverages, it would “provide an additional source of revenue” for restaurants in the state that are impacted by the capacity limits and reduced operation hours across the state.
Restaurants are still ordered to close by 10 p.m. under a curfew and must stop selling alcohol on-site by 9 p.m., WRAL reported.
The order will be in effect until Jan. 31, 2021, at 5 p.m. according to the official document.