The COVID-19 pandemic took a serious toll on so many industries and small businesses, of which the lucky ones will take years to recover from, while the unlucky ones didn't make it at all. Between March and September of 2020, a devastating 20% of restaurants closed for good, according to The Boston Globe.

Massachusetts, like many other states, modified many regulations to try and aid industries in their financial recoveries, perhaps non more than the restaurant industry.

On March 17, 2020, Gov. Charlie Baker shut down restaurants for indoor dining and bars completely. A small glimmer of hope for restaurants was the fact that they were allowed to remain open for take-out. It truly is the only thing that saved so many establishments that never could have survived months upon months of zero income.

In an effort to help bolster sales, in July of 2020, Gov. Baker modified Massachusetts' notoriously strict laws surrounding the sales of alcohol when he announced that restaurants would be allowed to sell beer, wine, and cocktails to go for patrons when they were ordering take-out food.

In May of 2021, Gov. Baker approved the continuation of this modification until June 16 of this year. There has been no update from the state, but many restauranteurs are rallying the make the modification permit.

 

 

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