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Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on July 16, 2015 at 12:10am

As an attorney who handles wrongful death cases involving drunk drivers and seeing first hand the toll these crimes take on families, I don't really like any change that in any way "promotes" more drinking. Gov. Rauner is pretty clear that he will do anything that is "pro-business." This bill was backed by a number of pretty powerful groups in the restaurant and bar industry. The sponsors of the bill were on both sides of the aisle as well so it wasn't a surprise to see this change.

But I don't know that this change in the law really will have any effect on either the price or availability of booze. The reality is that most of this is just marketing. Lots of bars and restaurants already ran "daily specials" and the change in the law will allow instead to advertise up to four hours a day or 15 hours a week "happy hours." The happy hours also can't go past 10 p.m. and bars can't do stuff like "2 For 1" drinks specials or give away booze. They also can't do "all you can drink" specials for a fixed price unless it is done as a private party. 

The concern, of course, is that the idea of a "time limit" would create a mindset in people who have already had too many drinks "drink as much as they can" while they can get a deal. 

Here is a link to Senate Bill 398 if you are interested in all the details. 

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on July 16, 2015 at 2:23am

Mike, thanks for clarifying the changes (and limitations).

I think anything that promotes a limited time promotional deal for drinking is a bad idea. Limiting the timeframe for a sale/promotion encourages binging or "getting your money's worth" which is never a good idea when applied to alcohol consumption. 

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Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on July 16, 2015 at 5:38am

How about a limit on the discount (?25%?) and a one hour phase out (25% of the discount every quarter hour:  25% / 20% / 15% / 10% / 5%)?

To cut down on the fatal overdose from contests, how about a limit of 1 drink per 15 minutes, and a cap of ?12? drinks per evening?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on July 20, 2015 at 5:15pm

It never went away just changed names, like $2 Tuesday, ladies night, pizza with a beer and shot...just trying to lure a quick crowd to bump sales up for a couple hrs. Big deal.

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Permalink Reply by David Barish on July 21, 2015 at 3:29am

I really wonder  how much these things really matter. Individuals still need to make good decisions whether  it be how much to drink or what do to about getting home when you know you didn't do a good job  about the first one. Are people prone to make good an bad decisions without regard to price, happy hour, etc? I'm not  sure. Also, I am amazed at how much the increased price of ball game beer seems to do nothing to quench the thirst or quell the purchase for libations. I am simply too cheap to drink more than a couple at a ball game but am in the minority. 

To the extent that a "happy hour" means giving away or nearly giving away food items during limited hours that can be a good thing. The food will absorb some of the alcohol. 

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on July 21, 2015 at 6:36pm

David Barish said, "I am amazed at how much the increased price of ball game beer seems to do nothing to quench the thirst or quell the purchase for libations."


http://www.businessinsider.com/beer-price-major-league-baseball-mlb...


Wrigley field, the epitome of a "happy hour" during a "W" or a "L" !


Beer: White Sox = $6.50. Cubs = $7.75 for 16 ounces.

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