Marylanders could soon order alcohol using delivery services

Marylanders might soon be able to order a six-pack or a bottle of wine using delivery services like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart if a new bill under consideration by the General Assembly passes this session.

The measure, Senate Bill 456, would allow thirdparty delivery companies to contract with alcohol retailers to bring beer, wine and liquor to consumers’ doorsteps. The move would make it easier for liquor stores to keep up in a post-COVID landscape that favors convenience, the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Alonzo Washington, said.

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the delivery of goods has completely shaped the retail market and alcohol should be no exception to this wave of change,” Washington, a Democrat from Prince George’s County, told members of the Senate’s Finance committee during a hearing on his bill Friday. “Maryland should take action to enable the alcohol industry to stay on pace and maintain its competitive edge in the retail industry.”

If the proposal is successful, Maryland would join 31 states, including neighboring Virginia, that allow third-party delivery of alcohol (Washington, D.C., also allows such deliveries).

Maryland already permits alcohol retailers to deliver, but only if they hire their own in-house delivery staff. Some local retailers, such as Total Wine & More, the national chain owned by Democratic U.S. Rep. David Trone, which has its own alcohol delivery app, have taken advantage of the current law.

Opening the door to third-party alcohol deliveries would make it easier for smaller businesses to hop on the trend, said Caitlin McDonough, a lobbyist for DoorDash, which is backing the bill.

“Right now, we have larger licensees engaging the delivery because they have the ability and, frankly, the financing to have a full-time delivery staff,” McDonough said. “This would allow a smaller retailer to also be able to offer that amenity.”

Alcohol deliveries are booming: DoorDash data show that total liquor sales on the platform grew by 295% last year. The company also found that workers who deliver alcohol earned about 30% more money per transaction. Alcohol retailers, meanwhile, saw a 180% increase in sales on average in the first six months after starting to use DoorDash, the company said.

Unlike food deliveries, alcohol could not simply be left on the doorstep. Under the proposal, consumers would need to show identification proving they are 21 years or older before they are handed their order. Delivery workers would also need to be at least 21 years old and would need to take an alcohol awareness course. Only alcohol in a manufacturer’s original sealed container would be eligible for delivery.

Some raised concerns that these precautions wouldn’t be enough to prevent alcohol deliveries to minors.

“There is a distinct difference between alcohol and a hamburger,” said Sen. Benjamin Kramer, a Montgomery County Democrat. “We’re hoping against hope that this [delivery worker] is somehow trained and is not in a hurry to get on to delivering the next meal, and is also checking the person at the door to make sure they’re not intoxicated. And we sincerely believe that’s what’s going to happen at 10 o’clock in a dark doorway.”

Increasing easy access to alcohol can also encourage more consumption, said Dr. Raimee Eck, of the Maryland Public Health Association.

“We know that episodes of drinking tend to continue when you’re able to get alcohol conveniently,” Eck told legislators.

The bill heads next to a committee vote. Even if it passes both chambers of the General Assembly and is signed into law, local jurisdictions would still need to authorize permits for thirdparty alcohol deliveries. The proposal also gives jurisdictions the power to make their own rules and regulations that would apply to the deliveries.