Happy Hour Menu
How to make a happy hour menu
A happy hour menu is a limited-time list of discounted drinks and small plates offered during off-peak hours to fill empty seats. A good one is short, clearly priced, and explicit about when and where the deals apply, so it pulls traffic without cannibalizing full-price service. MenuCrafters structures the offer and publishes it to a hosted page.
Happy hour is a traffic tool, not a giveaway. The menu should make the deal obvious and the window unmistakable, feature drinks and snacks that stay profitable even discounted, and stay short enough that the kitchen and bar keep pace during the rush. Print the times and any restrictions where no guest can miss them.
How to build a happy hour menu
Keep it to a handful of discounted drinks and a few low-cost, high-appeal snacks. Lead with items that hold margin even at the happy-hour price — well drinks, draft beer, house wine, fried or shareable bites. State the days, the hours, and where the deal applies right at the top.
- A short list of discounted drinks and snacks
- Items that stay profitable at the lower price
- Days and hours stated clearly at the top
- Any area or restriction — bar only, dine-in only — spelled out
Pricing the discount
Discount from items with room to give: well spirits, draft beer, house wine, and snacks with low food cost. Set prices that still clear a profit per unit, then rely on volume during the window to make the daypart pay. Avoid discounting your highest-cost pours.
Step by step
- 1
Pick the deals
Choose drinks and snacks that stay profitable at a discount.
- 2
Set the window
Define the exact days and hours happy hour runs.
- 3
State the rules
Note where it applies — bar only, dine-in only — and any limits.
- 4
Publish and post
Publish a hosted page and add a QR code at the bar and entrance.
Frequently asked questions
- What should a happy hour menu include?
- Keep it short — a handful of discounted drinks and a few low-cost snacks that stay profitable at the lower price. State the days, hours, and where the deal applies right at the top.
- How do I price happy hour without losing money?
- Discount items with room to give — well spirits, draft beer, house wine, low-food-cost snacks — at prices that still clear a profit per unit, then rely on volume during the window to make the daypart pay.
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