Why Happy Hour Specials Are Vital To Your Bar's Success
Posted on: 23 November 2021
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If you own a bar and grill-style restaurant, then you've probably spent a lot of time crafting the menu and creating specials. The food you offer and how you price it can make a huge impact on how many customers you bring in and how successful you are. In this planning, it's important to make sure you include some happy hour specials. Whether they're two-for-one specials, $5 appetizer specials, or just flat discounts on food during certain hours, here are some reasons why happy hour specials are key to your bar's success.
They bring in new customers.
There are lots of customers who seek out new bars to try during happy hour. They don't want to spend a lot, but they want to grab drinks and maybe an appetizer with friends after work. Once these customers visit a time or two, they are likely to keep coming back, probably during normal hours when you're charging full price for your food and drinks. If you don't offer happy hour specials, then all the other bars that do will be capturing these customers instead of you. In this way, you really have to offer some sort of happy hour specials to bring in customers and compete.
They keep your bar earning money during the slow hours.
The hours between 4 and 6 pm tend to be pretty slow in bars that don't offer happy hour specials. People are just getting out of work, and if they don't head straight to the bar, they're usually going home. Offering specials during this time ensures your staff stays busy and you keep earning some money. If you only charge full price at this time, your bar might be empty and earning nothing. In other words, happy hour specials prevent "dead time" at the beginning of the dinner shift.
They give your bartenders and chefs a chance to experiment.
Bartenders need to keep practicing and perfecting their craft. Happy hour drink specials give them a chance to do this. They can add a new drink to the happy hour discount menu even if it's not perfect yet, then take customer feedback and implement it for a better drink. They wouldn't want to do this with a full-price cocktail. You chefs can do something similar, experimenting with new dishes by putting them on the happy hour menu and seeing how they go over.
Your bar and restaurant need happy hour specials! They're not just good for the customers. They're good for your business and your bottom line. See what other restaurants like Down the Hatch Maui do for happy hour to see how you compare.