Kansas: Are happy hour drink specials legal?
Kansas allows drink prices to vary during the day but bans free drinks, below-cost drinks, and unlimited drinks for a set price.
Kansas legalized happy hours in 2012. Bars and clubs may charge different prices at different times of day. They may not give drinks away, price a drink below what it cost them, or sell unlimited drinks for a fixed price outside private events. They also may not advertise any of those banned practices.
Conditions
- No free drinks
- No drinks priced below the bar's cost
- No unlimited drinks for a fixed price
- No advertising of banned practices
What the law says
No club, drinking establishment, caterer or holder of a temporary permit, nor any person acting as an employee or agent thereof, shall: ... (2) offer or serve to any person an individual drink at a price that is less than the acquisition cost of the individual drink to the licensee or permit holder; (3) sell, offer to sell or serve to any person an unlimited number of individual drinks during any set period of time for a fixed price, except at private functions not open to the general public or to the general membership of a club; ... A public venue, club, drinking establishment, caterer or holder of a temporary permit may: ... (3) sell, offer to sell and serve individual drinks at different prices throughout any day;
Sources
- K.S.A. 41-2640 Official · ksrevisor.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Kansas Department of Revenue, Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Phone
- 785-296-7015
- Website
- ksrevenue.gov
How bordering states compare
- Colorado AllowedColorado has no state law or rule limiting happy hour drink prices at bars and restaurants.
- Missouri AllowedMissouri has no state rule limiting happy hour drink prices at bars and restaurants.
- Nebraska Allowed with limitsNebraska allows reduced drink prices but bans unlimited drinks for a set price and two-or-more-drinks-for-one-price deals.
- Oklahoma Allowed with limitsOklahoma now lets bars offer drink specials at any hour, but bans unlimited drinks for one price and group-only discounts.