"For here, or to-go?"
When I turned 21 in California, I started drinking on a more regular basis. I bar-hopped and had a lot of fun. However, I was always a little sad when it was time to leave the bar, because I could never get a drink to go.
Who knew all I had to do to solve this problem was move 900 miles to Idaho?
Yes, in Idaho, you can get your beer to go.
Apparently 2 Wednesdays a month they have a jewelry seller in there, peddling her Pampered-Chef-esque cheap-ass jewelry. Today was a Wednesday, so we were harassed a little while we ate about the special necklaces and earrings they had.
Usually I tend to separate my jewelry shopping and my meals. Just sayin. But not at Applebees. You stay classy...
Anyway we arrived about 20 minutes before the jewelry chick packed up and left. As she was leaving, she went to the bar and asked for a Bud Light in a large to go cup. Much to my surprise, they obliged. The lady finished packing, loaded up her car, and drove away, sipping on her brewski.
At that point I didn't know if it was legal or not. I sent an email to the Idaho State Police (they issue the liquor licenses in this state) and asked. Their response?
"The basic license is that retailers have is a beer to go license. All licensees can sell beer to go. In this case, after the customer left the establishment it would be an open container issue that the city or county would have to address with their local ordinances since state law does not cover this. If they were to get in a car or other passenger type vehicle, it would be illegally transporting alcohol."
So technically the restaurant didn't break the law, but the chick with the beer did...
There is a 'bad news' part of it, which some people might not mind... When the beer was put in the to-go container, it came with a straw.
If you don't mind drinking beer through a straw I guess this isn't a big deal (HELLO, WISCONSIN!) but I myself think it's a bit odd.
Oh well, you win some you lose some.
Do they have alcohol 'to go' in your state? Do you like drinking beer through a straw? Please let me know in a comment below!
We have liquor store/bar drive thru's in Wisconsin. I have one maybe two miles from my house and it's super popular. We obviously give the finger to drunk driving here. ;)
ReplyDeleteHoly mother of god...
ReplyDeleteI need to find my "Pirates of Lake Mendota" t-shirt and move to the cheese state!
They laugh in our faces if we ask for a to go cup here, though I don't think I would much stand the taste of beer in a straw ::pukes::
ReplyDeleteIf they offered beers to go in New York State? I'd drink it out of whatever they asked me to.
ReplyDeleteBeer to Go is a great concept. Not quite along the lines of the "Drive-Thru Liquors" but getting there...
ReplyDeleteI know this isn't allowed in Ontario or BC up here in Canada... pretty sure the other provinces are the same. We do have drive-though liquor stores, though.
ReplyDeleteIt's silly that more places don't allow for open containers or to-go beer, seeing as people drink in public all the time anyway.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, lady drove off sipping a beer? Someone shoulda got her plate number-- what a moron.
I thought it was really bizarre that we could walk down the street with a beer and NOT have to hide it when I lived in AUS. Up here in Canada, it's all illegal. No fun.
ReplyDeleteFirst mistake was eating at Applebee's :)
ReplyDeleteNot sure where in Idaho you were, but in Coeur d'Alene and surrounding cities if a bar or retailer were to do that and the person was cited for any violation (i.e. drunk driving etc.) the bar can be fined, temporarily shut down and with enough violations can lose their beer/wine license.
Just because there is not state statute each city, county, etc. has their own statutes and in many cases even if you receive a beer/wine license with the state you have to purchase a second from either the county or the city where the business resides before you can actually sell anything.
On another note: In some parts of Montana you can drink and drive on State Highways as long as you are not in a county or city that prohibits it.
Is that your woman sipping the beer? Anyhoo, in good ol' Bible Belt Mississippi, if you get caught drinking anything alcoholic outside of an establishment, you get cuffs slapped on you. Beer is like a secret around here. At least they treat it like one. If you buy alcohol from a liquor store or where ever, you have to conceal it in a paper bag. Although everyone knows it's an alcoholic beverage, you're not allowed to walk out of the store with it in your hands or something see-through.
ReplyDeleteGetting beer to go here would never work. Cops would just sit in the parking lot and wait on you.
No no, not my woman. She would never drink beer through a straw, and is a little hotter than the girl in the pic (it's the freckles that get me...).
ReplyDeleteThis girl is just a random Oktoberfest chick.
Wow. I've been to Drive-thru Liquor Stores in North Carolina, but I've only ever see "drinks to go" in New Orleans. Idaho and New Orleans have something in common. Whooda thunk!
ReplyDeleteso you guys don't get beer in stubbies? or cans? You gotta use cups and straws? Very peculiar.
ReplyDeleteI think I like our way better
Oh hell yeah, beer to go. I'll buy, you fly!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that you could get beer to go in Idaho. I'm going to be honest here...my knowledge of Idaho is alarmingly non-existent. But now at least I know that you can get beer to go. Idaho is not on my list of places to visit.
ReplyDeleteOh honey, if THIS is the reason Idaho is not on your list, you really don't know much about the state do you? :)
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine who lives in Texas tells me there are alcohol huts there. You can get your favorite mixed drink to go! too bad I don't drink.
ReplyDelete