Oklahoma: Are happy hour drink specials legal?
Oklahoma now lets bars offer drink specials at any hour, but bans unlimited drinks for one price and group-only discounts.
A 2025 change to state law lets mixed beverage licensees offer drink specials during any hour of any day, without running them all week or from open to close. Drinks still may not be priced below a set markup floor, sold as unlimited drinks for a fixed price, or discounted only for certain groups. No more than two drinks may go to one person at a time. The ABLE Commission treats two-for-one drinks as banned inducements.
Conditions
- No unlimited drinks for a fixed price
- No discounts limited to certain groups
- No more than two drinks delivered to one person at a time
- Drink prices may not fall below the statutory markup floor
What the law says
A. No licensee of the ABLE Commission shall: ... 4. Use any of the following means or inducements to stimulate the consumption of alcoholic beverages, including but not limited to: ... b. sell or offer to sell to any person or group of persons any drinks at a price that is less than six percent (6%) below the markup of the cost to the mixed beverage licensee; provided, a mixed beverage licensee shall be permitted to offer these drink specials on any particular hour of any particular day and shall not be required to offer these drink specials for an entire calendar week or from open to close, and shall not be required to offer such drink specials at all venues operating under the same mixed beverage license; ... c. sell or offer to sell to any person an unlimited number of drinks during any set period of time for a fixed price, except at private functions not open to the public, d. sell or offer to sell drinks to any person or group of persons on any one day or portion thereof at prices less than those charged the general public on that day, except at private functions not open to the public,
Sources
- 37A O.S. § 6-102 (Prohibited acts of licensees), Oklahoma Statutes Title 37A Official · oklegislature.gov
- Oklahoma ABLE Commission FAQs (inducements) Official · oklahoma.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement (ABLE) Commission
- Phone
- 405-521-3484
- Website
- oklahoma.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arkansas Allowed with limitsArkansas has no happy hour rule as such, but retailers may not offer coupons, rebates, or other inducements to buy alcohol.
- Colorado AllowedColorado has no state law or rule limiting happy hour drink prices at bars and restaurants.
- Kansas Allowed with limitsKansas allows drink prices to vary during the day but bans free drinks, below-cost drinks, and unlimited drinks for a set price.
- Missouri AllowedMissouri has no state rule limiting happy hour drink prices at bars and restaurants.
- New Mexico Allowed with limitsNew Mexico allows drink discounts but bans unlimited-drink deals, two-for-one offers, and drinks sold at less than half price.
- Texas Allowed with limitsTexas allows happy hours, but drink prices cannot be reduced after 11 p.m., and two-for-one and all-you-can-drink deals are banned.