The LCBO is back on the menu for food delivery services — but this time, there’s less of a bitter aftertaste.by struggling restaurants and bottle shops for partnering with Skip the Dishes during the peak of COVID lockdowns, the government-run liquor chain has decided to open up its store aisles to couriers from food delivery services including Skip the Dishes, Uber Eats and other large delivery companies licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Companies which reach an agreement with the LCBO will be allowed to use the Crown corporation’s official logo, and will get some product suggestions, the spokesperson said — but the delivery drivers will be picking the products off the shelves themselves; LCBO staff won’t be involved. The LCBO doesn’t get any money beyond what any customer would pay if they bought the booze in person.
“Many providers have been offering this service without any formal agreement with, or involvement of, LCBO,” the spokesperson said. “Until Uber Eats is onboarded to this program, we are unable to use LCBO’s trademarks, which is why the stores are listed as ‘Provincial Liquor Store,’” Rang said in an emailed statement.
“Look, the timing was just really, really bad last time. Places were just desperately trying to sell all their stock online, because that was the only outlet we had. It just didn’t seem like a classy thing for the LCBO to be doing when everyone was struggling,” said Tomas Morana, part owner of Bar Volo and Birreria Volo, two of Toronto’s top beer bars, and Bottega Volo, a bottle shop in the Royal Cinema lobby.