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If you know, you know: Florida is more than a glorious, sun-drenched vacation land. It’s a weird and chaotic, semi-lawless-feeling place dangling off of the edge of America. And for Maddy (@maddy.1414), who lives in Tampa Bay, that is exactly why she swears it’s not even a “real place.”
In a TikTok video that’s been watched over 689,000 times, Maddy spotlights one of the quirkiest, most counterintuitive things about life in Florida. And shockingly, it has nothing to do with alligators or the Brightline. It’s all about drive-thru drinks.
One For The Road, Literally
“Florida is not a real state,” says Maddy in the intro to her video. Sure, she’s going hard, but she promises to back up her claim with evidence. The video then cuts to her ordering at a drive-thru. “Can I just get one espresso martini?” she says.
A voice replies, “Yeah, sure thing.”
She pulls around to the window. But while waiting, she speaks directly into the camera again. “OK, if you know me, you know that I always say Florida isn’t a real state because you can do things here that you shouldn’t be able to legally do,” she says.
Then, she introduces The Blend Coffee & Cocktails. It’s where she’s just placed her order, but she says they also have great coffee. Then the kicker: You can also get mixed drinks there and take them to go.
She then pays for her drink—yes, the server asks for her ID—and drives off, careful to avoid the curb.
“This is why I love that Florida is a fake state,” she says as she shows off the small, sealed coffee-colored drink with chocolate swirls on the interior. “Because you shouldn’t be able to do this, and I really actually just did this.”
She’s captioned the video, “Lol, I love it here.”
Freedom Isn’t Free… But It Sure Tastes Freer With A Drink
Just as you might expect, the opinions about life in the Sunshine State are all over the map. Some are praising it’s “free state” vibe. Others are chiming in to say that Florida isn’t the only state where you can take your beverage on the road with you (but not drink it).
“FL is the wild west,” exclaimed Margmoments (@margmoments).
“I live in Florida. I had a margarita at dinner. Waiter says ‘they’re 2 for 1.’ I said ‘Oh no I can’t I’m driving.’ He brought me one to go!!” shared Amber (@theambernicole).
However, multiple users took the time to point out that this is a hold-over from COVID-era rules.
Are Drive-Thru Alcoholic Drinks Really Legal?
WFLA confirms what some of the commenters are saying, namely that drive-thru and to-go drinks have been legal since July 2021. According to that article, Florida Senate Bill No. 148 made to-go alcohol sales permanent “under certain circumstances.” No, the circumstances aren’t another global meltdown—only about how it’s taken to a second location.
Basically your cocktail needs to be in a container that’s sealed tight by the restaurant. The drink should have a dated receipt. And it needs to be in a clear container, so any tampering is visible. There are also rules in place for alcohol that’s not in a sealed container (like that exquisite bottle you scored at Bern’s Steak House). It should not be easily accessible (think locked trunk or glove compartment) and should be accompanied by food.
But Whose Idea Was It To Make It Permanent?
The original goal of the drive-thru and to-go drinks rules was put in place early during the pandemic to help struggling restaurants stay afloat. It was an executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Then, in the fall of 2020, Sen. Jeff Brandes and Sen. Jennifer Bradley each proposed a bill that would make the change permanent. It passed into law July 1, 2021.
In a statement, Bradley said, “Now is no time for outdated restrictions. We need to allow our small businesses to use every tool in their toolbox. It’s been a long year, Floridians deserve a cosmo-to-go.”
Though it might feel like the most Florida thing to do, a 2024 article on Bottlepos.com says otherwise: 30 states currently allow some form of drive-thru liquor sales.
BroBible reached out to Maddy via email and she declined to comment. We also reached out to The Blend Coffee & Cocktails via its website contact form. We’ll update this if we hear back.