The Hospitality Recovery Coalition on Feb. 10 launched a nationwide cocktails to-go grassroots campaign encouraging consumers to contact their state legislators and urge support for local distilleries, restaurants and bars struggling to cope with the harsh economic impacts of Covid-19.

“Consumers are seeing the devastating impacts Covid-19 is having on their favorite distilleries, restaurants and bars and want to do everything they can to provide support,” said the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) president/CEO Chris Swonger on behalf of the coalition. “Now, they have an opportunity to make a difference by telling their legislators to pass cocktails to-go measures to help these businesses survive.” 

DISCUS continues to hear from hospitality business owners who say offering cocktails to-go has helped them survive during the pandemic, Swonger said. “Making cocktails to-go permanent will ensure distilleries, restaurants and bars have a stable source of revenue as they begin the long path to recovery and provide consumers with a great way to enjoy hand-crafted cocktails at home responsibly.” 

Consumers interested in showing their support can write their legislators in just under three minutes via Spirits United, the Distilled Spirits Council’s grassroots platform, here.

The coalition launched the campaign just before the Valentine’s Day weekend. The holiday typically means an increase in business for hospitality businesses but will undoubtedly look different for restaurants and bars this year because of the pandemic.

The Hospitality Recovery Coalition is an initiative led by the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) in partnership with the American Distilled Spirits Alliance (ADSA), Council of State Restaurant Associations (CSRA), National Restaurant Association, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and TIPS.