How to make happy hour work for your business

Once silly season passes, Australia tends to slow down. Cicadas begin chirping, kids play cricket on the streets, and late summer becomes laced with balmy nights and nostalgic childhood memories of peeling yourself off sticky leather sofas.

And while it’s a beautiful time of year, once the chaos of December subsides, it can leave hospitality seats empty and nights quiet as patrons rein in their spending.  

For many, the solution to periods of lull is the happy hour. Once reserved for after work pub drinks, happy hour has found its way to every corner of the industry, from cheap and cheerful taco Tuesdays to high-end restaurants serving up pared-back weekday versions of their staples.

Hospitality looks behind the scenes of two of Sydney’s thriving happy hours to find out what drives their success, and how they’re ensuring the venture is financially advantageous.

After a few years of running its iconic ‘Australiano Hour’, Surry Hills restaurant Jane has achieved the holy trinity of happy hour success: returning customers, effective pricing, and a busy venue.

Owner Rebecca Fanning says the happy hour initially served a few purposes, including keeping the momentum of service and filling seats during “a notoriously slow period”, while also introducing Jane to a broader audience.

“We wanted everyone to be able to try Jane, and during the last 2 years dining hasn’t always been accessible for some,” says Fanning. “We decided a great happy hour would give people a taste of what we do. We back our product and know they’ll return.”

To stand out, Jane goes above and beyond the usual happy hour offering. “It’s not your usual happy hour food. We’re not doing the expected happy hour classics, except for oysters. Head Chef Beth has created a menu which follows on from our main menu, and gives our guests a look into the flavours and creativity at Jane. It’s interesting combinations, tasty snacks and things you want to keep coming back for.”

The team knew the price point had to be sharp enough to compete with the local competition. “People love the prices, you can get in and out for $40 and have a few drinks and a few snacks,” says Fanning. “It’s not just about what makes you money, but what people actually want to drink.”

A tip to keep it economically sound? “We chase really great pricing with our suppliers and because we’re quite small we don’t get the discounts the larger guys do so we can’t be loyal to any one brand unless they’re willing to help us out,” says Fanning. “Pre batching is a must, we serve so many drinks during happy hour we have a specific formula that they must follow to be viable.”

The kitchen also keeps waste to a minimum, using food byproducts across dishes. “We’re all about minimising waste in general, this is just an extension of that,” says Fanning.

Jane also keeps Australiano hour sittings short at just 45 minutes. “Our limited menu means it’s a quick turn around so we can get people in and out … It has to still be well paced and like people feel they’re getting a great experience without us pushing them out the door.”

Darlinghurst stalwart Love, Tilly Devine introduced happy hour to encourage new guests to visit without having to commit to dinner.

“We’re confident that once guests get a feel for the space, they earmark us for another time, or decide to stay and roll into the evening. We have a loyal following, and we tend to find that their Love, Tilly Devine affair often started with a happy hour visit,” says Love, Tilly Devine, Ragazzi, and Dear Sainte Eloise’s Operations Manager Felix Auzou.

Auzou believes the extensive happy hour menu – with its celebrated wine list and recently introduced $4 gildas – is what makes Tilly’s happy hour stand out, alongside the venue’s iconic alleyway location. But really, says Auzou, “it’s cocktails that steal the show”.

“The beauty with our happy hour menu, is that we’re offering a selection of some of the best Tilly hits from our regular menu at a reduced price. We don’t make other changes, which means we avoid food waste, take a small hit during typically quieter times, while encouraging people to come and see what we do. It’s a win for everyone, really,” says Auzou.

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