Get Booze Delivered to Your House

As of today, it's only social distancing that's preventing you from running to the liquor store for your favorite hooch. When I stopped by my neighborhood store on Friday their shelves were still fully stocked and there weren't a ton of shoppers in the building at once. It was maybe me and three other customers. No problem staying 6 feet away. If (or when?) things progress, and leaving the house for a booze run becomes a bigger problem, here's some good news.

Montana Governor Steve Bullock and the Montana Department of Revenue have issued the okay for places to deliver alcohol during these wild and crazy times. The rules state:

• Only retailers and manufacturers with an active alcohol beverages license and agency liquor stores with a current franchise agreement can sell alcohol for delivery where the state government has shut down these businesses as a result of the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus outbreak.
• Businesses are allowed to sell alcoholic beverages to consumers to drink somewhere else (off-premise consumption).
• Restaurants and bars are allowed to take alcoholic beverage orders and payment on the phone or computer.
• Retailers and bars/restaurants are allowed to deliver those beverages by the licensee's employees over the age of 21, including to a parking lot or curb.
• They are also allowed to sell alcoholic beverages through a drive-up window. Like Wyoming!
• They are not allowed to sell to persons under 21 or to any person "actually, apparently, or obviously" intoxicated.
• They are also not allowed to have a third-party service such as Grubhub order, pickup and/or deliver alcohol.
• VIEW THE COMPLETE PDF of the RULES HERE.

I think this is great news. I don't really eat out that often but I really like the idea of calling my favorite bar/restaurant and ordering up a tray of margaritas, martinis, and Scooby-snacks for pick-up or delivery. A lot of restaurants really count on alcohol sales to help meet their bottom line, so when ordering food next time, order some drinks too.

I reached out to Bottles N Shots and Statewide Liquor and as of this writing, it doesn't sound like they are offering home delivery services. I'll let you know if that changes. Cheers... at home.