Longer happy hours, value meals with an adult beverage coming to Pennsylvania

Inflation-weary consumers could soon see changes coming to their favorite drinking establishments that will be gentler on their wallets.

Longer happy hours and combo meals that include an adult beverage are among a number of changes to the state’s liquor code included in a bill the House approved on Wednesday and sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk. Shapiro spokesman Manuel Bonder said the governor is expected to sign it.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Matt Gergely, D-Allegheny County, is intended to help restaurants and bars that are still struggling to recover from the hits to their bottom line from the pandemic, as well as help them with their staffing challenges.

The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association’s president Tom Tyler came up with the idea of changing the longstanding rule that limited happy hours to 14 hours a week and extend it to 24 hours.

“It’s well known that happy hours are used to pull customers into establishments through special drink offerings,” said Chuck Moran, executive director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, in a statement. “By increasing the total hours per week, we’re hopeful that through creative marketing each establishment will be able to use this tool to attract more patrons.”

Additionally, the bill would allow bars and restaurants to offer discounts on up to two food and drink combination specials a day as well as allow them to include the cost of up to two drinks in the price of self-sponsored events, such as Super Bowl parties. Moran said both are ideas that Tyler suggested as a way to help bars, taverns and licensed restaurants come up with new ways to market their businesses.

Other changes include making permanent expanded outdoor seating first implemented during the pandemic, as well as allowing employees of beer distributors to work in restaurants, bars and other licensed liquor establishments.

The bill, which won near-unanimous support in the House and the Senate, would take effect 60 days after the bill is signed by the governor.

Gergely said this multi-faceted bill will help small businesses across Pennsylvania and “will provide flexibility and new avenues for these businesses, which are the economic backbone of our communities.”