Happy Hour is generally a time in the afternoon when bars and restaurants will serve cheaper drinks. They have daily sales that they advertise, and many people will take advantage of these.
But did you know that this isn’t legal in all states? Some states, like Vermont, have completely banned reductions in price for alcohol in order to prevent Happy Hour. Other states, like Illinois, had a ban in place for more than two decades before recently switching it back.
So what about Tennessee? Are you allowed to participate in Happy Hour here?
Happy Hour is legal in Tennessee
If you’ve been interested in going out for some cheap drinks, the good news is that Happy Hour is still legal in Tennessee and has not been banned. This is the norm in most states, but those who have moved from some of these other specific states may not realize that the laws are different. But bars and restaurants in Tennessee can have specials and they can advertise them.
The thing to remember about Happy Hour is that laws surrounding drinking and driving do not change just because the drinks are cheaper. If you can buy them for half price, are you more likely to buy more drinks and become impaired before you drive home? If you’re coming from work, does that mean you have your car and you’re going to need to drive it home, so there’s no real option to use an Uber or some other ride-sharing service?
You want to keep all these things in mind when determining what you’re going to do, and you also need to know about your criminal defense options if you are facing DUI charges.