Around 86 percent of New Yorkers want to continue purchasing cocktails to-go even after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey conducted by the New York State Restaurant Association.
Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the executive order allowing for alcoholic beverages to be purchased with takeout or delivery only through the end of July.
"Governor Cuomo provided a lifeline for the industry by allowing for takeout and delivery of alcoholic beverages during the height of the pandemic,” Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, said. “We know that takeout and delivery will be an important part of restaurants sales moving forward, and we want alcoholic beverages to be part of that equation. Just about every restaurant in the state has been crushed this year and continuing alcohol to-go will help them all get back on their feet.”
The survey found that 93 percent of New York millennials (ages 24-39) and 90 percent of Gen Xers (ages 40-55) are supportive of making alcoholic beverages to-go permanent.
A majority of those polled said that the option of purchasing an alcoholic drink with their food made them more likely to place an order at a restaurant.
The survey of 500 New York residents also showed male, high income and those living in urban communities strongly favor making this executive order permanent.
“Since the start of the pandemic, the industry lost 80 percent of its jobs," Fleischut said. And while some are coming back, we’re not back to pre-pandemic levels. We are supportive of any measure that will boost sales and help us get our employees who were laid off or furloughed back to work.”