DoorDash officials said Monday that they welcome the ability to bring alcohol to New Jersey consumers — and stressed they know how to do it properly, too.
“This is a great development for New Jersey consumers, merchants and dashers,” a DoorDash spokesperson told ROI-NJ. “In states across the country, delivery of alcohol enables consumers to order conveniently to their home while generating new revenue for merchants and providing additional earning opportunities for dashers.”
Alcohol boosts third-party delivery
DoorDash officials said alcohol delivery has also yielded overwhelmingly positive results at the local level. In Connecticut, DoorDash drivers earned on average 22% more for deliveries with alcohol than non-alcohol deliveries, the company said.
From the month of October to the month of December, the number of merchants selling alcohol through the DoorDash platform increased by 22%.
DoorDash, which delivers alcohol in other states, has a process in place to ensure safety, including:
- Before a customer can place an order containing alcohol through DoorDash, they must upload an image of their government-issued ID. That ID then goes through verification checks to ensure it’s a real, valid ID and the customer is over 21 years old.
- When the driver arrives, they check to confirm the date of birth and photos displayed in their app match the customer. Drivers then scan the customer’s government-issued ID at the door.
“We are deeply committed to ensuring alcohol is always purchased and delivered safely and compliantly, which is why we continue to develop industry-leading products, policies and partnerships that enable us to best serve all members of our community,” the spokesperson said. “We look forward to working closely with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control to ensure local businesses can benefit from responsible and compliant alcohol delivery.”
Last week, acting Attorney General Matt Platkin announced that the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control had issued a special ruling that will allow third-party delivery services to deliver alcoholic beverages (including cocktails) from restaurants, bars and liquor stores to customers’ doorsteps.
The state said it is “opening a new frontier for growth in New Jersey’s alcoholic beverage industry,” one that “ushers in a new era of modern technology and e-commerce in New Jersey’s alcoholic beverage industry that benefits businesses and customers, while maintaining safety and preserving the legislative intent of the 89-year-old Alcoholic Beverage Control Act that established the state’s alcohol distribution system.”
Read more from ROI-NJ:
- State to permit alcohol delivery to your door
- Why craft brewers, which can’t participate, support 3rd-party home delivery of alcohol to residents
The permit allows delivery services to enter formal agreements with restaurants, bars and liquor stores to make deliveries on their behalf.
Among other safety provisions, those permitted to make deliveries will not be allowed to leave alcohol unattended at a delivery site, deliver alcohol to those who are intoxicated (it’s unclear how they will make that judgment) or bring it to any college campus.
DoorDash has partnered with organizations such as Responsibility.org and Students Against Destructive Decisions who help educate consumers on what it means to drink responsibly and empower minors to help each other make healthy and safe decisions.
An application for a third-party delivery permit will be available exclusively on the licensing system of the ABC, beginning Oct. 1. It’s unclear how long it will take for applications to be processed and for delivery service to begin.
