The idea of being able to pound a few shots at a discounted price is appeal to most party goers, but for bars and clubs that offer drink specials at certain times of the day use the strategy to bring in new business as well as help retain some of their loyal customers. Choosing the right beverage to put on special can be a tricky proposition, with most bar owners guessing what the next wave of patrons is going to be thirsting for.

While the origins of the term happy hour remains shrouded in mystery, the idea of drawing new customers into a retailer has been going strong since the retailers joined forces with print and broadcast media for advertising their wares. Different types of bars offer different drink specials, changing them as frequently as daily to help draw another round of patrons. Some of the most common thoughts about the origins of happy hour was to help workers unwind after a hard day of physical labor and escalated from there.

However, eve the term happy hour is not accurate, as most locations offer drink specials for at least two hours, and some of them longer with patrons often visiting their bar to take advantage of reduced prices. Of course, the bar owners are hoping that timing the offering of their drink specials around meal or snack times will attract that end of their business where the margins are a little higher, helping them improve the overall financial condition of the bar. Essentially, while the bar owner would like their client'le to believe they are offering the lower priced drinks out of the goodness of their heart, the reality is they are a business and they are open with the hopes of making money.

Many times bars will tie different types of beverages with a common theme as drink specials such as offering Corona beer specials for the beer drinkers along with lower prices on Margaritas for those preferring something a little sweeter. Although, most bars will offer drink specials beyond the cheap beer on tap, sometimes offing discounts of bottles of wine as well as the beverages that typically go with the meal specials of the night.

For example, a bar offering southern cuisine, may offer drink specials on mint juleps, while a tavern with hot and spicy food may stick to a better price on a high-end beer to help cool the throat during meal time. Cans, bottles and pitchers are often included in many locations' drink specials along with some mixed drinks. Most bars will post their daily, or almost daily offerings somewhere inside the club, while others appear to be more proud of their lower cost beverages by advertising them on the radio or on their website on the internet.

Some of the best advertising for drink specials however, usually comes in the form of word of mouth advertising. When patrons are excited about saving money on a bar's drink specials they are quick to get the word out to all of their friends, allowing the owner to realized a good return on their investment of low price beverages.