Happy hours are a great way to get together with friends and have fun while enjoying a drink or two. They’re also a great way to bond with co-workers and find out what they like in terms of drinks. The only problem is that they can be pretty expensive if they’re not planned properly. You don’t want to spend your whole paycheck on drinks after work. In this article, we’ll show you how planning ahead can help you save money when it comes time for happy hour.
Consider a Memorable Location for Your Happy Hour
If you’re planning a happy hour, you’ll want to consider the location carefully. The right venue can make all the difference between an unmemorable event and one that people will talk about for months.
Here are some tips for finding a memorable location:
- Make sure it’s somewhere people can get to easily. If your happy-hour attendees have to drive all over town or battle traffic to get there, they might not be in the mood for fun by the time they arrive.
- Consider how long it will take them to get there. You don’t want your employees waiting in line for 30 minutes before they even get into the building. If you know there will be lines, try to schedule your event during off-peak hours so you can avoid them as much as possible.
- Think about how many people are likely to show up and if they’ll be able to fit inside. You don’t want too many people crammed into one space, but if no one shows up at all, then there won’t be enough room either.
Many companies would select a bar and restaurant as a preferred place for the next happy hour, providing amazing opportunities for these food outlets to leverage and increase their revenue. Moreover, many past studies have revealed that people wouldn’t mind spending on happy hours if they get the right location that aligns with their expectations.
Find a Great Caterer
Planning a happy hour is exciting, but it can also be stressful. There are so many details to consider and so many people to please. The goal of your next happy hour should be to create an event that makes your employees feel appreciated and engaged while also keeping costs down. So how do you do that?
The first step is finding a great happy hour catering service that can help you with the planning process. Happy hours are all about making sure everyone is satisfied with their food and drinks and then getting out of their way so they can enjoy themselves. The best part? You don’t even have to leave your office.
And if you’re hosting a happy hour for clients or customers, having great catering will make them feel like they’re part of an exclusive club – which makes them more likely to come back again next time.
A recent survey, which was conducted by OnePoll for Bevy Long Drink, also reveals that nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents are more likely to attend happy hour events during warm weather. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that 36% think a happy hour should last the longest in the summer.
Make It a Themed Happy Hour
Planning a themed happy hour is always a great way to keep things interesting and festive. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or anniversary or just want to throw a special event for your employees, themed happy hours are always a hit.
But what themes should you choose? Here are some ideas:
- Movie Night: This one is easy to put together – all you need is some popcorn and soda. You could also get creative with it by having different types of popcorn for people to choose from, like caramel corn, cheese corn, and others.
- Casual Games Night: Set up an area with board games like Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit, along with some snacks like chips and salsa or pretzels.
- Dance Party: This one is best for bigger groups that can really get down on the dance floor. Just set up some speakers, bring over some glow sticks from Dollar Tree and make sure there’s plenty of room for everyone to kick up their heels.
Get Creative and Include Different Activities to Engage
When you’re planning your next happy hour, you don’t want to get stuck with the same old thing. You want to be able to engage your staff and keep everyone having fun, which is why we’ve put together these four amazing tips for planning a truly memorable happy hour.
- Add a game or two: You can add a game or two to keep guests entertained, including trivia, bingo, or even charades.
- Make it interactive: Make your happy hour interactive by having everyone bring their favorite snacks, drinks, or even food from their hometowns.
- Plan something new: If you always do the same thing at your happy hours, then think about something new to do this time around. Perhaps hire a magician or host an ice cream social?
- Get crafty: Have everyone bring their favorite craft supplies so that they can make something together as a group.
At any particular happy hour, adults typically stay anywhere from an hour to a whole night, but the average is 2.5 hours. For the typical American happy hour goer, one hour of happy hour is undoubtedly insufficient. Thus, make sure to allocate more time and fun activities for your next happy hour event.
Summing Up
Planning a happy hour is more than just throwing together a few drinks and calling it a party. A happy hour is a way to connect with your co-workers, so you want to make sure it’s an event where people can feel comfortable and relaxed, not stressed out about whether or not they’re having fun. That’s why we’ve compiled these 4 amazing tips for planning your next happy hour so that you can make sure it’s a great time for everyone involved.
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