Kansas temporarily allowing bars, restaurants to sell alcohol to go

TOPEKA — Kansas bars, breweries and restaurants with liquor licenses will be temporarily allowed to sell bottled beer and wine to-go during the pandemic as long as the business opens the beverage on the premises and seals it in a proper to-go bag.

After strict restrictions due to the coronavirus effectively ended dine-in service at most establishments, Debbi Beavers, director of Alcoholic Beverage Control, announced the new policy in a memo dated Wednesday, The Kansas City Star reported.

The policy applies to restaurants with liquor licenses, bars, clubs, farm wineries, micro-breweries, micro-distilleries and liquor stores.

Similar rules have been implemented in other states amid increasing restrictions to battle the virus.

Establishments must designate “to-go” parking spaces within 50 feet of the entrance; sales outside those 50 feet are prohibited.

Kansas rules are temporary and will continue “until further notice.”