Thursday, March 1, 2018

Everyone Has at Some Time or Another Jumped on Those Two-For-One Cocktail, But Are These Promotions Irresponsible?


     A lot of bars and pubs offer these two for one deals Here in Key West to get people in the door, some places are handing out coupons for these specials in front of their bar.  Are offers such as two-for-ones or happy hours a good way of drawing consumers to your bar?  Or are they just attracting cheap, over drinkers rather than cocktail connoisseurs?  Many of the industries tend to have opposing opinions.   This practice is looked at as being irresponsible and encouragement to drink too much.   Many of the liquor promotions can make for a controversial subject matter.   Drinks offers range from short-lived price reductions to buy-one-get-one free drinks all night long, providing cheaper alternatives for consumers who might usually opt for a night in.       However, more health-conscious consumers are becoming more and more discerning about what goes into their drink and are deemed responsible enough to make their own decisions regarding alcohol consumption.

     Does cheap alcohol in bars and pubs encourage consumers to drink more, or do they drink the same amount regardless of price?  I was glad that the bars that I worked in did not have two for ones or happy hours, because in general, these promotions did not attract the customers that tipped their bartender and often were drinking too much and causing problems compared to the customers that come in during the regular price hours.  Most times you get a better quality cocktail at the standard price.

     You can read several opinions on the subject at https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2018/02/are-two-for-one-cocktail-deals-irresponsible/