Alcohol delivery is now available on Uber Eats, the meal delivery giant announced on June 25th. The company has added liquor store partners in San Francisco and Los Angeles, moving the app into direct competition with services such as Drizly and Minibar.
Throughout the Covid-19, Uber had been raising eyebrows with its cocktail delivery service, with a handful of restaurants offering alcoholic beverages alongside their food items. Without regimented procedures, Uber delivery drivers had been dropping off booze, beer, and wine without checking customers’ IDs.
Now, Uber Eats is formalizing the way its customers buy drinks. The company’s announcement email laid out the ground rules:
Alcohol purchasers must be 21 years or older. Account owner or person placing orders that include alcohol must be present to receive delivery of alcohol and verify that they are 21 years or older and show no signs of intoxication. Delivery cannot be completed if the account owner/recipient: i) is not present; ii) does not have a valid photo ID; iii) is under 21; and/or iv) appears intoxicated. If the alcohol cannot be delivered, it will be returned to the store on your behalf. You are responsible for observing local laws on where you can consume or possess alcohol.
Options in San Francisco and Los Angeles still appear to be limited. The app lists four liquor stores available for delivery in San Francisco, each with a meager selection of basics ranging from Blue Moon, Modelo, and White Claw to Smirnoff, Jack Daniels and Tanqueray. The options in Los Angeles are broader, with 16 stores currently listed—but fans of craft beer and high-end wine options may still find themselves disappointed with the offerings.
Uber has never been known to move slowly with its service roll-outs, so it is expected that they will rapidly expand their partnerships to offer a greater variety of stores and products. No announcements have been made about future cities and markets where alcohol delivery service will be offered. But for now, San Francisco and Los Angeles enthusiasts can get their fix from a familiar old face.
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