HAPPY HOUR IS ILLEGAL

PartyPlace

18 Feb 2025 — 2 min read

Picture this: You wrap up a long day at work, dreaming of that half-priced beer or margarita waiting for you at happy hour. But wait… you’re in Massachusetts (or Alaska, or Indiana), and guess what?

Happy hour is illegal.

Yep, some states have straight-up banned discounted drinks during certain hours. If that sounds ridiculous, let’s break it down.

Which States Have Banned Happy Hour?

If you live in one of these states, sorry—no cheap after-work drinks for you:

🚫 Massachusetts
🚫 Alaska
🚫 Indiana
🚫 North Carolina
🚫 Utah
🚫 Vermont

That’s right. In these places, bars cannot legally offer temporary drink discounts. No “$5 mimosas from 4-6 PM.” No “Buy one, get one free” beers. Nothing.

Just Another reason to be grateful you live in NYC (besides for Party Place of course).

Why Would Anyone Ban Happy Hour?!

Blame the 1980s. Lawmakers decided that cheaper drinks = more drinking = more drunk driving. So, in an effort to promote public safety, some states put an end to happy hour forever.

And even though drunk driving laws have gotten stricter since then, some states never lifted the ban.

Are There Loopholes?

Sort of. Some bars can offer drink specials, but the discount has to last all day. That’s why you’ll see things like:

✅ "$6 margaritas every Tuesday" (fine)
❌ "$6 margaritas from 4-7 PM" (illegal)

Also, food specials? Totally allowed. So restaurants in banned states will run "Happy Hour Appetizers" instead.

Will These States Ever Bring It Back?

Maybe! Some places (like Illinois) used to have a ban but changed their minds. Massachusetts has debated repealing its happy hour law a few times—but so far, no luck.

Until then, if you’re craving cheap drinks in these states… better find an all-day deal. 🍻

Because if you're gonna complain about overpriced drinks, you might as well do it together. 😉

Want early access to the Party Place app?

We’re launching the Party Place app soon, and we’d love your help testing it! If you’re interested in getting early access and sharing your feedback, fill out this quick survey. It takes less than a minute!

Apply To Test Our App

Thank you for being part of this journey! 🚀

Free Drinks, Happy Hour Perks & New Party Specials 🍷🎉

We’re rolling into April with some seriously good specials from our venue partners — and this week, it’s all about free drinks and happy hour perks. Here’s how it works: * Look for the “Spring Specials” section on our homepage * Any venue offering a deal will feature a package

Introducing PartyPlace Specials: Easier, More Affordable Events—Now Live 🎉

At PartyPlace, our mission has always been to make group reservations easier, faster, and more flexible. And now—we’re making them even more rewarding. We’re excited to officially launch PartyPlace Specials, a new way we’re working with our venue partners to offer exclusive perks just for our

OUTDOOR SZN IS BACK, BABY

And there’s no better place to celebrate than NYC — rooftop vibes, backyard hangs, and streetside cocktails are officially in full swing. To help you make the most of it, here are some of our favorite outdoor spots you can reserve directly on Party Place — no stress, no endless back-and-forth,

Seasons are changing—and so is PartyPlace

As we head into spring, we’ve been doing some serious spring cleaning of our own—refreshing the way you discover and reserve bars for parties, get-togethers, and celebrations of all kinds. Here’s what’s new 👇 🏠 A New Homepage That Actually Helps We redesigned our homepage to make it