🕒 5 min read

It’s the long weekend and the LCBO is only open one day. If you thought the lineups were long before, wait ‘til you see them today.

This is just one of the many reasons why you should be looking to your local restaurants, bars, and breweries for all your wine, beer, and cocktail needs.

Check out six more below:

Support local businesses

Instead of handing your money over to big corporations, keep local haunts open by buying directly.

Not only will you help keep their doors open, the money can go towards paying staff, donations to local charities and hospitals, and keeping our neighbourhoods alive and vibrant. 

Little to no waiting time 

The LCBO is currently facing a serious backlog. And it’s not likely to die down anytime soon.

Presently, same-day pickup is not available, and Canada Post is no longer delivering packages directly to your doorstep - instead, now you now receive a notification to pick it up at your local post office.

Due to the high volume of orders, home and store delivery may take two weeks or more to ship.

And since the Beer Store’s online ordering is temporarily unavailable, you’d have to go out to get it anyway. Why not pickup or get delivery from your favourite spot instead?

Many local restos, bars and breweries offer curbside pickup and same- or two-day contactless delivery. Fringe benefit: Most likely, delivery is free. 

Pay less

The LCBO charges $11.95 + tax for standard home delivery, which usually takes 2-4 days, but may be up to two weeks now. The same goes for their next business day home delivery ($16.95 + tax). 

Save yourself the headache – and your hard-earned cash - and contact your favourite restos and watering holes for all your drink needs. You’ll have a cocktail in hand in no time.

Speaking of cocktails, a slew of bars and restaurants have put together cocktail kits, with all the ingredients you need to make Old Fashioneds, Gin & Tonics, and elevated tipples from some of the city’s top bartenders.

Suddenly, self-quarantining doesn’t seem so bad.

Apps haven’t caught up

Two weeks after licensed bars and restaurants were given the go ahead to sell liquor with food delivery and takeout, delivery apps still lag behind on the addition of alcoholic beverages. 

Only select restaurants have been allowed to add their boozy offerings to their menus on Uber Eats. And while DoorDash is better, the selection is still small compared to what’s actually available from local businesses.

The other factor to consider is that restaurants pay up to 30 per cent fees per order on these apps. They certainly can’t afford those high costs now.

Food’s included

Since licensed businesses are required to sell liquor alongside food for takeout and delivery, you can get your shopping done in one fell swoop. That means your drink orders arrive flanked by appetizers, snacks, full-on family dinners, desserts - whatever your heart desires.

And some venues have turned into full grocery operations, with everything from hand sanitizers to fresh produce and pantry items available, making shopping all that much easier.

You can’t get any of that from the liquor store.

Better selection

The LCBO doesn’t carry everything, you know. So head to your neighbourhood hangs and purchase local brews that haven’t made it onto shelves yet, wines and champagnes previously only available at restaurants, and cool home bar cart additions that will take your cocktails to the next level. You’ll never want to shop the old way again.

The better option is always to order directly from the businesses themselves. This goes not just for long weekends and holidays, but every day. 

Save our small businesses. Support our restaurants, bars, and breweries. Shop local.

Find out more about Toronto Restaurants’ citywide initiative The #TAKEOUTTORONTO #DELIVERYTORONTO Project.

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