I was reading a Virginian Pilot article the other day about the happy hour rules. Were you aware that ABC laws in Virginia prohibit the advertising of happy hour? Back in the day, I spent some time in Atlanta and happy hour was, well, happy. I mean, none of this two-for-one stuff. Those folks had 3-1 and it was advertised everywhere.
Take a look at the rules:
The guidelines
Happy hour may not be conducted during the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. each day. Happy hour is defined as a specified period of time during which alcoholic beverages are sold at prices reduced from the customary price established by you.The following practices are prohibited:
– A person may not possess more than two drinks at any one time during a happy hour. A drink is defined as any beverage containing the amount of alcoholic beverages customarily served to a person as a single serving.
– The volume of alcoholic beverages contained in a drink may not be increased at any time without increasing proportionately the customary or established retail price charged for such drink.
– Two or more drinks may not be sold for one price, such as “two for one” or “three for one” at any time.
– Mixed Beverages may never be sold in pitchers
– Drinks may never be given away
– An unlimited number of drinks may not be sold for one price, such as “all you can drink for $5.00” at any time. Packaged deals (i.e. New Year’s Eve gatherings, etc) must specify a limited number of drinks.
– Happy hour may not be advertised in the media or on the exterior of the licensed premises.
– These rules shall not apply to prearranged private parties, functions, or events, not open to the public, where the guests thereof are served in a room or rooms designated and used exclusively for private parties, functions or events.
So what do you think? Are VA’s happy hour rules too strict? Or are they just right?
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I used to bartend for several years at a restaurant.
We had to go through TIPS training which was how to handle an intoxicated patron (do not serve him).
If a bartender is really following the TIPS training then why would an advertised Happy Hour be a dangerous thing?
I do know that a lot of bars advertise their appetizer “happy hours” to lure people in when there are drink specials.
Florida allows everything that VA doesnt (all you can drink for $, 2 for one specials, heavily advertised happy hours) and DUI rates are low.
I feel like these laws are nothing more than a way for a delegate or senator to go back to their district and say how they are so “tough on drunk drivers”. Then again, VA is one of the states which has a state run ABC store. So go figure….
*Really*? And that is an honest question. Google doesn’t turn up much immediate on it, but if I were a betting man, I’d throw FL up there in the hall of fame for DUI arrests.
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I’m perfectly fine with liquor licenses. Just as I’m fine with licenses to operate kennels, explosive factories, and tractor trailers. But I’m not fine with using them as some limited currency to be traded for political favors (a common pastime up here in DC).
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When I moved up here from Georgia (oh so many years ago), I was expected a significant step forward in a lot of areas, not least in the availability of my drinks of choice. While I got Sunday sales (seriously, you don’t know pissed off until you realize on Sunday afternoon that you didn’t remember to buy any beer on Saturday afternoon), the ridiculous existence of ABC stores really surprised me. Their continued existence really illustrates the lie of Republican interest in limited government. If that meant *anything*, the ABC stores would have been the first on the chopping block. And anyway, what do you in most of the state do when you want a gin or vodka brand that the state hasn’t deigned to carry?
There was talk a few years ago that ABC stores were going to be privatized. That speculation came from the proliferation of drug stores on every corner. Nothing has materialized yet, though.
Um, drink the brand they carry? 😀
MB, I was going on info from a former restaurant manager and it was unverified.
Thanks for setting me straight 🙂
Doesn’t GA still have a few dry counties?
I’ve got to say, personally- I was so amazed when I walked into a grocery store in FL and saw a “Liquor” Aisle.
Christ. You think you know someone . . .
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Oh, I wasn’t doing that. I really don’t know (seriously, you can only page through so many DUI lawyer listings before you give up). But given my personal experience – and I suspect yours – doesn’t FL strike you as the major leagues, when it comes to DUI? I mean, PCB alone has to account for at least as many arrests as half of VA . . .
Georgia may well have a few dry counties (so thank god it has more counties than any other state east of the Mississippi, eh? The county line is never far away). It was the Sunday thing that really annoyed the hell out of me. Thankfully, Federalism came to the rescue. The Class VI stores on military bases weren’t subject to these local laws. So if you were near a base, and had access, you were a popular guy, come late Sunday afternoon. But, as one of Georgia’s more representative products – Gov. Sonny Purdue – said, “Think of it this way…It really helps you plan ahead for the rest of your life — buying on Saturday, rather than Sunday. Time management.” That’s right. Georgia state government is your Steven Covey planner.
One thing I noticed when I was in Key West is there was a lot of free cabrides for patrons who had too much fun. I also remember breathalyzers at the exits too. The bouncers were quick to call a cab for those who were intoxicated.
Same with Miami.
Well, I’m not much of a vodka drinker and never drink gin so I really don’t know enough to know what brands I’m missing. Absolut works well in martinis 😉
Never been to FL but I had the same reaction more than 25 years ago in Philly.
I forget sometimes that the rest of the country doesn’t live in the dark ages. Wasn’t that long ago that we did away with “Blue Laws” in VA. You would have really hated VA then, MB. Almost everything was closed on Sunday.
Nova Scotia still has blue laws. Bill Clinton was asked about it when he was up there. He dodged the question with his usual flare.
What really burns me about the state-run liquor stores (aside from the fact that they are a socialist institution) is that, to add insult to injury, they charge SALES TAX.
Hey Mouse….just like Anon earlier…
no politics…
this is an ALCOHOL thread so no usage of any candidate’s last name or familiy members already!
We ALL need a break from politics, and what better than the poliitics of alcohol! 🙂
I’ll drink to that. If anything will drive one to drinking, it’s the candidates we have running this year.
MB: I’m perfectly fine with liquor licenses. Just as I’m fine with licenses to operate kennels, explosive factories, and tractor trailers. But I’m not fine with using them as some limited currency to be traded for political favors (a common pastime up here in DC).
I saw something about that in the WaPo recently. What the heck is the deal? Capricious seems like too kind a word.
It’s called corruption.
I’m not sure that corruption is the right word (in its traditional sense, anyway). Mostly, Councilmember Jim Graham is on a personal war against . . . well, I’m not sure what it’s against. Ostensibly, it’s against violence in bars/nightclubs, but dude’s using a tank where a flyswatter would do. Mostly, I think he’s trying to remake DC’s nightlife in a way that he finds more acceptable. Which is ridiculous. That said, I don’t for a second think that there’s any personal enrichment going on. He’s not about that.
Oh, and then there’s the churches, who apparently have shit else to do. Why work on serving the community’s needy when you could be obstructing license applications?