Consumers urged to show extra love to local hospitality businesses by contacting their legislators
WASHINGTON – The Hospitality Recovery Coalition today launched a nationwide cocktails to-go grassroots campaign encouraging consumers to contact their state legislators and urge support for local distilleries, restaurants and bars struggling to cope with the harsh economic impacts of COVID-19.
“Consumers are seeing the devastating impacts COVID-19 is having on their favorite distilleries, restaurants and bars and want to do everything they can to provide support,” said Distilled Spirits Council President & CEO Chris Swonger on behalf of the coalition. “Now, they have an opportunity to make a difference by telling their legislators to pass cocktails to-go measures to help these businesses survive. We continue to hear stories from hospitality business owners who say offering cocktails to-go has helped them hang on during the pandemic. Making cocktails to-go permanent will ensure distilleries, restaurants and bars have a stable source of revenue as they begin the long path to recovery and provide consumers with a great way to enjoy hand-crafted cocktails at home responsibly.”
Consumers interested in showing their support can write their legislators in just under three minutes via Spirits United, the Distilled Spirits Council’s grassroots platform, here.
The campaign is launching just before the Valentine’s Day weekend which normally sees an increase in business for hospitality businesses but will undoubtedly look very different for restaurants and bars this year. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, less than a quarter of consumers plan to gift a night out to their partner, the lowest response in the survey’s history.
The Hospitality Recovery Coalition is an initiative led by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) in partnership with the American Distilled Spirits Alliance (ADSA), Council of State Restaurant Associations (CSRA), National Restaurant Association, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and TIPS.
The Hospitality Recovery Coalition is committed to responsibility and encourages moderation for adults who choose to drink alcohol. Cocktails to-go are intended for home consumption. Laws governing alcohol consumption must always be observed.
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COALITION PARTNERS
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
DISCUS is the leading voice and advocate for distilled spirits in the U.S., advocating on legislative, regulatory and public affairs issues impacting the distilled spirits sector at the local, state, federal and international levels. DISCUS members are committed to responsibility and encourage adults who drink to do so in moderation.
The American Distilled Spirits Alliance
ADSA is a trade association of 27 member companies with common interests in the manufacturing, importation and marketing of distilled spirits products in the United States. ADSA members produce approximately two-thirds of all the distilled spirits currently sold in the U.S. Previously known as the Presidents’ Forum of the Distilled Spirits Industry, ADSA traces its history back over 40 years.
The Council of State Restaurant Associations
CSRA’s Mission is to foster goodwill and promote the success of state restaurant associations and their members. The purpose of CSRA is to foster and promote the best interests of the state restaurant associations.
The National Restaurant Association
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We also sponsor the industry’s largest trade show; leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); and unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart).
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization designed to educate, advance and support the hospitality industry while creating a lasting impact in communities that host its events. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the global spirits community. Tales of the Cocktail will be hosted digitally from September 20 – 23, 2021. For more information on Tales of the Cocktail®, please visit www.tocstaging.wpengine.com.
TIPS
TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) is a dynamic, skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, drunk driving and underage drinking by enhancing the fundamental “people skills” of servers, sellers and consumers of alcohol. TIPS gives individuals the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies.
United States Bartenders Guild
USBG’s mission is uniting the hospitality community to advance professional bartending. We believe tending & owning bars is an honorable career choice. Our goal is to empower bartenders to take charge of their careers. We accomplish this through working with our committed partners to enrich the career advancement of our members through peer-to-peer learning, expert instruction, service projects and competition. Since knowledge is power, our chapters hold cocktail competitions, sponsor intimate seminars with internationally recognized brand representatives, and forge relationships between top bar talent in 50 cities and counting. We offer all our members opportunities to compete, travel around the world, and spread knowledge in the pursuit of elevating our craft.
Contacts:
American Distilled Spirits Alliance, Matt Dogali, 202-670-4616
Council of State Restaurant Associations, Suzanne Bohle, 904-352-9103
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Ainsley Holyfield, 202-549 6797
National Restaurant Association, Vanessa Sink, 913-244-8837
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, Gia Vecchio, 917-280-5043
TIPS, Adam Chafetz, 202-215-9400
United States Bartenders Guild, Jarrette Moore, 855-655-8724 x 117
