Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services Allows for Restaurants to Sell and Deliver Beer and Wine for Off-Premise Consumption

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 18, 2020

With support from Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS), the Montgomery County Board of License Commissioners has passed a resolution to allow all restaurants with a current on-premise Montgomery County alcohol license to sell sealed containers of beer and wine for off-premise consumption along with a takeout or delivered meal.

This temporary license amendment follows the Governor’s order to close all restaurants as a part of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) catastrophic health emergency.

“This measure is designed to try and slow down the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease by deterring community members from gathering in public places while supporting local hospitality businesses,” said Bob Dorfman, director of ABS.

Businesses must apply for this permission through an online form, and permission will be granted administratively. Once approved, businesses may sell alcohol through curbside pickup, carryout or delivery to Montgomery County addresses along with a meal using their own staff. Maryland state law prohibits the delivery of alcohol by a third party, such as Grubhub or Uber Eats.

This permission includes the sale of bottles, cans, growlers and crowlers. Crowlers are non-refillable cans that are sealed at the time of purchase, they can carry beer or wine. The permission does not include the sale of alcoholic drinks in a to-go cup, nor does it include spirits. This permission will expire when the Governor’s emergency order to close restaurants is lifted.

ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine, and spirits for Montgomery County, operates 25 beer, wine and spirits stores and manages alcohol licensing and enforcement on behalf of the Montgomery County Board of License Commissioners. Generating more than 35 million dollars annually, ABS profits are used to pay off County debt and a large portion is deposited in the County general fund to pay for services that otherwise would be paid for with tax dollars.

For updates on ABS closures visit the website here, and follow ABS on Facebook and Twitter.

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Release ID: 20-100
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, ABS 240-372-2282