Countdown to Labor Day: Cooler-Stocking Guide for RTDs, Vodka, and Tequila

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial last call for summer, and in Texas that usually means one final round of backyard cookouts, lake trips, and long weekends before the weather starts to shift and football season takes over completely. With the holiday landing September 7 this year, late August is exactly the right time to start planning your cooler rather than scrambling the Friday before.

Zipps Liquor makes that planning easier with a full lineup of RTDs, vodka, tequila, and Texas craft beer, all at 10 to 30 percent savings compared to local competitors. With 35-plus communities served statewide, stocking up for the holiday weekend doesn’t mean a special trip out of your way, no matter which part of Texas you’re celebrating from.

If you’re searching “liquor store near me” or “Labor Day drinks near me” as the holiday approaches, here’s your full cooler-stocking guide.

Why Start Stocking Up Now

Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest shopping windows of the late summer calendar, right alongside the Fourth of July. Waiting until the Thursday or Friday before the holiday usually means picked-over shelves on popular items and longer lines at checkout. Shopping a week or two ahead, especially for shelf-stable items like spirits and canned RTDs, means you’re not competing with everyone else’s last-minute run.

It also gives you time to actually plan a cooler that covers your whole guest list, rather than grabbing whatever’s left on a rushed trip. Since Labor Day also marks the unofficial start of football season and back-to-school routines settling in, most households are juggling more than usual heading into the holiday weekend, which makes early planning even more valuable than it would be for a random summer weekend.

RTDs and Canned Cocktails for Easy Serving

For a holiday weekend that often means back-to-back gatherings, RTDs remain the easiest way to keep a cooler stocked without spending the whole weekend behind a makeshift bar.

Vodka-based options like flavored vodka sodas and variety packs cover guests who want something light and easy to sip through a long afternoon of grilling and yard games.

Tequila-based canned cocktails, including ready-to-drink margaritas and palomas, bring a bolder, citrus-forward option to the cooler without requiring anyone to mix a drink to order.

Hard seltzers round out the lineup for guests who want the lightest option available, especially useful if your Labor Day gathering runs into the heat of a Texas afternoon.

Buying a mix across these categories, rather than a single case of one product, means fewer half-empty cases left over once the weekend wraps up. You can browse the full RTD and canned cocktail lineup on Zipps’ spirits page before you shop, so you already know what’s in stock when you walk in.

Wherever You’re Celebrating in Texas

Labor Day cookouts happen everywhere across the state, and Zipps’ 35-plus locations mean the same stocking approach works whether you’re grilling out near Lake Conroe, hosting family in Marshall, or gathering with neighbors off Highway 105. For shoppers in smaller East Texas communities without a full-selection liquor store nearby, a single Zipps trip covers RTDs, spirits, and craft beer in one stop, saving a second trip elsewhere for anything you couldn’t find. Use the Zipps location finder to confirm hours and stock at the store closest to your weekend plans.

Two Easy Recipes for the Holiday Weekend

Batch Margarita for a Crowd Combine 2 cups of blanco tequila, 1 cup of orange liqueur, and 1 cup of fresh lime juice in a large pitcher, adjusting sweetness with simple syrup to taste. This batch serves roughly eight to ten guests and holds up well through an afternoon cookout without needing constant refills.

Simple Vodka Soda Bar Set out a bottle of vodka alongside soda water, fresh lime wedges, and a few flavor add-ins like muddled berries or cucumber slices. Letting guests build their own drink cuts down on how much mixing you need to do yourself, which matters on a day when you’re also managing a grill.

Vodka for Mixing and Sipping

If you’re building drinks to order rather than relying entirely on cans, a solid vodka is worth having on hand. A neutral, reliable vodka works in everything from a simple vodka soda to a more involved cocktail, and it’s flexible enough to satisfy almost any last-minute drink request from a guest. Flavored vodkas, particularly lemonade and berry varieties, are worth stocking alongside a standard bottle if your crowd tends to prefer something sweeter.

Tequila for the Backyard Bar

Tequila earns its place at almost any Texas cookout, whether it’s going into a pitcher of margaritas or served alongside a simple lime and salt for guests who like it straight. A reliable blanco tequila covers the most common requests, and having a reposado on hand gives guests who prefer a rounder, slightly warmer pour something to reach for as well.

Texas Craft Beer for the Cooler

No Labor Day cooler in Texas feels complete without a few local craft options mixed in alongside the spirits and RTDs. Supporting Texas breweries fits naturally with a holiday built around celebrating hard work, and Zipps carries a strong lineup of Texas-brewed beer that adds some local pride to the spread.

Revolver Brewing, based in Texas, offers a range of styles, including the fruit-forward Texas Haze IPA and the Blood & Honey Ale, an unfiltered amber ale finished with Texas honey and blood orange peel that pairs especially well with grilled and smoked barbecue.

Karbach Brewing, another well-known Texas name, brings both the hop-forward Hopadillo IPA and the lighter, more sessionable Love Street Blonde Kolsch, giving you both an intense and an easy-drinking option from the same Texas brewery.

Shiner Family Reunion Variety Pack rounds things out with a classic Texas brewing name, offering several styles in one case so guests who prefer beer over spirits still have plenty to choose from.

Wine Options for Guests Who Prefer It

Not every guest at a Labor Day cookout wants a spirit or a beer, and a cooler that only covers RTDs and craft beer can leave a few people without an easy option. A chilled rosé or a light Texas white works well alongside grilled food and holds up fine in a cooler packed with ice for a few hours. For a slightly more festive touch heading into the long weekend, a bottle of sparkling wine gives guests who want something a little different a reason to raise a glass without reaching for a full cocktail. Keeping even one or two wine options on hand rounds out the cooler for a genuinely mixed guest list, which is usually what a three-day holiday weekend brings together.

Stocking Up for a Group or Neighborhood Gathering

If you’re hosting a larger group, whether that’s a neighborhood block party, a family reunion, or a work team cookout, buying in bulk ahead of time is worth the planning. Zipps offers case discounts and wholesale pricing for larger orders, which adds up quickly when you’re already saving 10 to 30 percent compared to local competitors on individual bottles and cases. Calling ahead or ordering online lets a store confirm they have enough of a specific RTD or beer style set aside for your group, rather than hoping the shelf is still stocked when you arrive. This kind of advance planning matters most for Labor Day, since it’s one of the few weekends where a lot of Texas households are shopping for the same handful of categories at the same time.

Building a Cooler That Covers Everyone

A well-balanced Labor Day cooler usually works best with a mix rather than a single product line, since a mixed guest list on a holiday weekend almost always means a mix of preferences too. A simple approach that covers most gatherings:

One RTD variety pack for guests who want something light and easy without much thought, ideal for anyone stopping by for just a few hours between other holiday plans.

One tequila-based canned cocktail option for guests who lean toward margaritas and palomas, especially useful if you’re not planning to mix drinks to order for the whole afternoon.

A bottle each of vodka and tequila for anyone who wants a drink mixed to order rather than straight from a can, and for hosts who like having the flexibility to make a specific request work.

A mix of Texas craft beer for guests who prefer beer over spirits, ideally covering both a hoppier IPA-style option and something lighter and more sessionable so both preferences are covered.

One or two wine options for guests who skip spirits and beer entirely, keeping the cooler genuinely ready for whoever shows up.

A few non-alcoholic options for designated drivers and anyone heading out early to beat holiday traffic, since Labor Day Monday often means a mix of guests staying late and others needing to leave in time for the drive home.

Planning for a Long Weekend, Not Just One Day

Labor Day is a three-day weekend for most people, which often means more than one gathering rather than a single Monday cookout. If you’re hosting or attending multiple events across the weekend, buying enough in one trip to cover Saturday, Sunday, and Monday saves you from repeat store runs during one of the busiest shopping weekends of the season. Shelf-stable items like canned RTDs, vodka, and tequila keep perfectly well if plans shift or an event runs shorter than expected, so there’s little downside to buying a bit more than you think you’ll need.

Tips for Stocking Up Ahead of the Holiday

Shop early in the week. Weekend crowds pick up significantly as the holiday gets closer. A Tuesday or Wednesday shopping trip means shorter lines and better in-stock selection.

Order online for guaranteed availability. If you know exactly what you want, ordering online ahead of time and picking up in-store removes the risk of a popular item selling out before you get there.

Buy more ice than you think you need. Labor Day weekend in Texas is still full summer heat. A cooler that runs out of ice by Saturday afternoon is a common and avoidable problem.

Check your local Zipps for drive-through pickup. Stores 19, 27, and 30 offer drive-through service, which can save real time during a busy holiday shopping stretch.

Coordinate with your group ahead of time. If you’re splitting hosting duties across the weekend, a quick check-in on who’s bringing what avoids duplicate coolers and gaps in the lineup.

Watch the weather. Late August and early September in Texas can still bring surprise heat waves. Checking the forecast a few days out helps you plan for extra ice and slightly more inventory than you’d need on a milder day.

Have a backup plan for rain. Labor Day storms happen. If your gathering has an indoor fallback option, make sure whatever’s in the cooler works just as well served inside as it does in the backyard.

Pairing Drinks With Your Labor Day Spread

Labor Day cookouts usually mean classic backyard barbecue food, and a few pairings hold up especially well:

• Brisket and smoked meats pair naturally with a hoppier Texas IPA like Karbach Hopadillo or a bolder tequila cocktail
• Grilled chicken and lighter fare work well alongside a citrus-forward vodka soda or a lighter craft beer like Love Street Blonde Kolsch
• Classic burgers and hot dogs are flexible enough to pair with almost anything in the cooler, making them a safe default for a mixed-drink crowd
• Fresh sides like corn on the cob or a cold pasta salad balance out heavier spirits and richer beers on a hot afternoon

What to Do With Leftovers After the Holiday

If you end up buying a bit more than your group gets through over the weekend, most of what’s covered here keeps well past Labor Day. Canned RTDs and hard seltzers are shelf-stable and don’t spoil, so leftover cans are perfectly fine to save for the next gathering. Unopened spirits like vodka and tequila essentially don’t expire under normal storage conditions, making them safe to keep on hand well into football season. Craft beer is the one category worth drinking sooner rather than later, since most styles taste best within a few months of their packaging date rather than sitting in the fridge indefinitely.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to stock a cooler for a three-day weekend? 

Buying a mix of RTDs, vodka, tequila, and Texas craft beer in one trip, rather than restocking daily, covers most Labor Day gatherings without repeat store runs. Shelf-stable items keep fine if plans change across the weekend.

How far ahead should I shop for Labor Day? 

Shopping about a week ahead, or at minimum earlier in the week rather than the Friday before, helps avoid picked-over shelves and long checkout lines during one of the busiest shopping weekends of late summer.

Does Zipps carry Texas-made beer for Labor Day cookouts? 

Yes. Zipps carries Texas craft breweries, including Revolver Brewing, Karbach Brewing, and Shiner, offering a range of styles from hop-forward IPAs to lighter, sessionable options.

Do leftover spirits or RTDs go bad after the holiday weekend? 

No. Unopened spirits like vodka and tequila keep essentially indefinitely, and canned RTDs and hard seltzers are shelf-stable. Craft beer is best consumed within a few months for the freshest taste, but nothing covered here needs to be used up immediately after the holiday.

What if my Labor Day plans span multiple households or events? 

Buying a bit extra and splitting what’s left between households after the holiday is an easy way to avoid overbuying for a single event while still making sure each gathering has enough on hand.

Can I order ahead for a large group? 

Yes. Case discounts and wholesale pricing are available for larger orders, and calling ahead lets a store set aside the specific RTDs or beer styles your group needs.

Build Your Labor Day Cooler Today

Labor Day marks the last big gathering of the summer season, and a well-stocked cooler makes the difference between a relaxed long weekend and a last-minute scramble. Zipps Liquor covers the full lineup, from RTDs and canned cocktails to vodka, tequila, wine, and Texas craft beer, all at savings of 10 to 30 percent compared to local competitors, wrapping up a summer’s worth of content with one more reason to shop local before the season turns toward football and fall.