You’ll soon be able to add vodka to your soda at the movie theater as Governor Kathy Hochul recently revealed the new $237 billion state budget and it includes allowing New York movie theaters to sell hard liquor!
Historically, state lawmakers resisted calls from the theater industry to add hard liquor to their roster of alcoholic beverages purchasable on premises–currently, movie theaters can only sell wine, beer, and cider–though they’ve gotten more receptive as theaters have started competing more with streaming options.
On top of that theaters have already been struggling to fill their seats since the COVID-19 pandemic.
State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton stated:
I’m proud that my legislation to allow movie theaters to apply for on-premise licenses for alcoholic beverages made it into the final budget. Movie theaters, like many small businesses, suffered greatly over the last few years. This is a step forward in helping them find new avenues for revenue and will be great for patrons who are looking for a fun night out.
There are some ground rules surrounding the new law though: customers will be limited to buying one drink per transaction.
State Senator James Skoufis added:
People should be able to enjoy a cocktail while they watch a movie. We have safeguards in place to make sure that we maintain an environment that’s friendly for everyone. You can only purchase one drink per transaction. If you want to enjoy a cocktail while watching a movie in a theater, God bless, have fun.
There’s no set date yet on when liquor will begin popping up in theaters. Also in the budget was a five-year extension of the New York’s to-go cocktail policy.
Cheers!