DoorDash is giving Marylanders the opportunity to get alcohol from the comfort of their couch.
On Monday, the company announced that Maryland residents will now be able to find alcoholic products from local merchants on their platform.
This announcement comes after a new law in Maryland took effect on July 1, allowing counties to order alcoholic beverages for safe and responsible delivery from third-party platforms.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing alcohol delivery to Maryland, providing even more consumers with a convenient, responsible way to enjoy their favorite drinks at home,” said Erik Ragotte, DoorDash's General Manager of Alcohol and Convenience. “Whether it’s locally brewed craft beers or bottles of beloved wines, we hope that this new offering can showcase the best that Maryland has to offer. We remain committed to supporting local merchants and creating new earning opportunities for Dashers while ensuring the highest standards of safety with our best-in-class alcohol delivery protocols.”
DoorDash says that their main priority is safety. In a press release, they hightlighted their features when it comes to the delivery of alcohol:
- State-of-the-Art ID Verification: Central to our efforts to help ensure safe alcohol delivery is our state-of-the-art ID verification process, which requires that IDs are always scanned and verified at the point of delivery — in many cases going above what is used for a typical in-store transaction. Only after verifying the consumer’s age and checking for any signs of intoxication may the delivery be completed.
- Dasher Compliance Modules: Dashers in Maryland interested in accepting offers including alcohol are only eligible for such offers upon completing a module on safe and responsible delivery, and we will provide detailed guidelines to those Dashers on how to safely and compliantly deliver alcohol.
- Self-Exclusion Registry: We know that some consumers still don't want alcohol delivered. That’s why we also have a voluntary self-exclusion list [help.doordash.com] so consumers can easily stop seeing alcohol via our Marketplace platform.
- Return Flow: If a delivery cannot be completed, Dashers are provided with step-by-step prompts to return the alcohol to the store. Dashers will be paid for the whole trip, including the original pay plus more for the return. Dashers will never have to choose between completing a delivery and complying with the law.
They also say that they will continue to work with the Maryland Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission to ensure that alcohol can be delivered safely.
"We believe that bringing alcohol delivery to Maryland will empower local economies and unlock new opportunities for business owners. It can offer Maryland merchants new ways to grow their business, give Dashers new opportunities to earn, and connect consumers with the best products available."
