Does Amazon Deliver Alcohol In 2023? (Beer, Wine, Spirits)
Many Amazon customers are interested to know if the e-commerce giant offers delivery services for alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, and spirits. With Amazon expanding into more on-demand delivery services like Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods grocery delivery, it‘s a natural question if alcohol can also be delivered.
In this detailed guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about Amazon alcohol delivery:
1. Does Amazon Deliver Alcohol?
The short answer is yes, Amazon does offer delivery for alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, champagne, liquor and cocktails in select areas of the United States.
Amazon partners with local stores and restaurants to deliver alcohol through their Prime Now service. So you can order beer, wine, and spirits for 1-2 hour delivery if you live in an eligible location.
However, there are some key limitations on Amazon alcohol delivery:
Only available in certain cities – Amazon alcohol delivery is currently limited to around 50 metro areas in the US. Many states still prohibit alcohol delivery.
Through Prime Now only – You can only order alcohol through the Prime Now grocery delivery, not the main Amazon website.
Limited selection – The selection focuses on popular beer, wine and spirits but is more limited than a full liquor store.
So Amazon does offer alcohol delivery, but availability depends heavily on where you live. Keep reading to learn more about how it works.
2. How Does Amazon Alcohol Delivery Work?
Amazon integrates alcohol delivery into their 1-2 hour Prime Now delivery service. To order alcohol on Amazon:
Go to the Prime Now website or mobile app. You can also start from the main Amazon site and select Prime Now.
Search for alcohol delivery, or go to the Beverages section and select Alcohol
Browse beer, wine, spirits and other drinks and add to your cart
Select a delivery window – Prime members get 1 hour delivery windows
Choose delivery or pickup option
Checkout and pay for your order
Wait for your alcohol order to arrive!
The process is quite simple and seamless if you already use Prime Now for grocery delivery. Alcohol is just another product category you can add to your cart along with everyday groceries and household items.
The selection of alcohol focuses on popular beer brands like Bud Light and Corona, wine varieties like Pinot Grigio and Cabernet, and basic spirits like Tito‘s Vodka and Jack Daniel‘s. But the specific brands and products will vary in each market.
You can also shop for non-alcoholic beverages, cocktail mixes, soda, juices and other items to complement your alcohol order.
3. Prime Membership and Alcohol Delivery
You do not need an Amazon Prime membership to order alcohol delivery through Prime Now. However, Prime members get several key benefits:
Free 1 hour delivery – Prime Now offers 1 hour delivery windows for Prime members on orders over $35, versus 2 hours for non-members.
Lower minimum – In some areas, the minimum is lower for Prime members – $25 vs $35 for non-Prime.
Unlimited free deliveries – Prime members get unlimited free 2-hour deliveries on orders over the minimum. Non-members pay a $3.99 – $7.99 fee per delivery.
Considering most alcohol orders will be under $50, a Prime membership can offer much cheaper and convenient delivery. But you can still use Prime Now without a paid subscription if you meet the order minimums.
Many customers sign up for a free 30-day Prime trial if they plan to use Prime Now frequently for alcohol and grocery delivery.
4. Where is Amazon Alcohol Delivery Available?
The major limitation on Amazon alcohol delivery is that it is only available in select metro areas and cities. And within those areas, certain zip codes may still be excluded.
Here are some of the main cities and metro areas with Amazon alcohol delivery in 2023:
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Boston, MA
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Denver, CO
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York City, NY
- Orlando, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Portland, OR
- Raleigh, NC
- Richmond, VA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Washington D.C.
And the list continues expanding. But many rural areas, suburbs and smaller cities still do not have access.
You can enter your zip code on the Prime Now website to check if alcohol delivery is available in your location.
5. What Types of Alcohol Does Amazon Deliver?
The selection of alcoholic drinks focuses on the most popular varieties that appeal to a wide audience. Here are some of the main categories and brands of alcohol you may find:
Beer: Corona, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, Heineken, Stella Artois, Blue Moon, Fat Tire, Lagunitas IPA, many craft beers
Wine: Barefoot, Woodbridge, Josh Cellars, La Crema, Kim Crawford, Robert Mondavi, Cupcake Vineyards, Cavit, Beringer
Sparkling Wine: Freixenet, Cook‘s California Champagne, Chandon Brut, Wycliff, La Marca Prosecco
Rosé Wine: White Girl Rosé, Whispering Angel, Babe Rose, Josh Cellars, Bonterra, Trivento
Champagne: Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon
Spirits: Tito‘s Vodka, Jack Daniel‘s Whisky, Tanqueray Gin, Bacardi Rum, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Smirnoff Vodka
Pre-Mixed Cocktails: Margaritaville margaritas, Bacardi Mojitos, High Noon vodka sodas
Seltzers: White Claw, Truly Hard Seltzer, Bud Light Seltzer, Corona Seltzer
The selection focuses on popular, mainstream brands of beer and wine rather than high-end specialty items. But Prime Now is constantly expanding their alcohol selection in each market.
You‘ll also find non-alcoholic beverages like sodas, juices and sparkling waters to complement your alcohol order.
6. Alcohol Delivery From Amazon Fresh, Amazon Go, Whole Foods
In addition to Prime Now, Amazon also offers alcohol delivery through their Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods grocery services in select areas.
Amazon Fresh is Amazon‘s grocery delivery service that delivers products directly from Amazon warehouses. In cities where it‘s available, Amazon Fresh has a wider selection of beer, wine and spirits you can add to your grocery cart.
Whole Foods grocery delivery integrated with Amazon also includes alcohol in many locations. You can shop the Whole Foods beer and wine selection online for delivery.
Amazon Go is Amazon‘s cashierless convenience store model. These small-format stores do sell beer and wine, but do not currently offer delivery. You have to visit an Amazon Go location to shop.
Using the dedicated grocery delivery services from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods can give you more variety, brands and options for alcohol delivery beyond just Prime Now. But availability still varies widely by location.
7. Delivery Times for Amazon Alcohol Orders
A major benefit of using Prime Now for alcohol delivery is the fast 1-2 hour delivery window. Here are the standard delivery times:
- 1 hour: Prime members get 1 hour delivery on orders over $35
- 2 hours: Non-Prime members get 2 hour delivery on orders over $35
- Same-day: Smaller orders may get same-day delivery in a 2-4 hour window
Faster 15-30 minute delivery may also be available in some cities for an extra fee.
The advantage of Prime Now is getting alcohol fast, versus waiting days for an online order. However, actual delivery times can run longer during peak order periods or bad weather. Make sure to factor in some buffer time.
8. Showing ID for Alcohol Delivery
When your Amazon alcohol delivery arrives, you do have to show your ID to confirm you are over 21 years old.
The Amazon driver will ask to see your ID matching the name used on the alcohol order. If you don‘t have valid ID, they legally cannot complete the alcohol delivery.
Your ID also helps ensure the right person is receiving the order, for signature alcohol delivery.
To prepare, have your valid government photo ID ready by the door to avoid any delays completing your alcohol order.
9. Conclusion
Amazon Prime Now does offer delivery for beer, wine, champagne and spirits in select metro areas, offering a convenient way to get alcohol fast. While availability is still limited, Amazon continues expanding the service.
The process is straightforward – browse Prime Now‘s alcohol selection online and schedule 1-2 hour delivery. But you need to be in an eligible area. Having an Amazon Prime membership also gives perks like free 1 hour delivery.
Overall, Amazon alcohol delivery gives customers a handy option for getting drinks quickly without leaving home. As the service expands, more customers will be able to take advantage in the future.
