Laws permitting restaurants to offer cocktails to-go began during the Covid-19 pandemic to support struggling restaurants by creating an additional revenue stream. Originally meant to be a temporary opportunity, cocktails to-go has become permanent in Illinois as of December 2025.
Alcohol remains the number one drug most abused by teens. According to SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), nearly 60% of teens have had an alcoholic drink by age 18 and 11% of all alcoholic beverages sold in the U.S. are consumed by people between the ages of 12 and 20. With statistics like these, it’s obvious that teens have long been resourceful in locating places to get alcohol. However, these types of laws further contribute to easy access to alcohol by minors.
We know that these laws are impacting teens and that these newer ways to purchase alcohol are, in fact, allowing the drug to get into the wrong hands. A study conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stated that of 100 alcohol online orders placed by underage buyers, 45% were successfully received. Data from the 2022 Rhode Island Young Adult Survey showed that 10.2% of the alcohol purchases through a home delivery or “to-go” site were completed by underage participants.
Since it is apparent that another avenue for teens who are looking to purchase alcohol is here to stay, what can we do to help keep our kids safe? Parents of teens should keep a close eye on food and drink that is delivered to their home. Even alcoholic drinks may be delivered in standard to-go cups and can be easily mistaken for lemonade or soda. Also, monitor receipts, especially if your teen has access to a shared account.
An essential piece of ensuring that to-go cocktails don’t end up in the wrong hands comes down to what restrictions are written into the law. Here are some suggested restrictions:
• Require delivery staff to check or scan identification to verify the buyer is at least 21 years old
• Require delivery staff to be at least 21 years old
• Limit the amount of alcohol that can be delivered in one transaction
• Restrict alcohol delivery to specific days of the week and times of the day
• Hold third-party delivery companies accountable for age verification
• Clearly define and enforce the consequences for non-compliance of retailers.
For a responsible adult, ordering a margarita with Mexican take-out sounds like a fun and fairly benign idea. However, it is clear that without proper regulation this can become a dangerous concept very quickly. As trusted adults, we need to remain vigilant about what is delivered in our own homes as well as work to build responsible alcohol laws and ensure their enforcement.
Written by: Katie Gallagher, Director of Education, and Sarah Hawkins, Health Educator
