12 Chain Restaurant Happy Hours, Ranked
At the end of a long day at work, the last thing many of us want to do is head home and cook dinner. But constantly eating out at your favorite restaurants can be a pretty pricey habit. So, what does one do? When you want to treat yourself to a night out at a restaurant and save a little money, you can always turn to Happy Hour. It'll get you out of the house while still ensuring you stick to a manageable eating-out budget.
The concept of Happy Hour is thought to be traceable all the way back to 1914, when it caused a few problems (and many smiles) aboard the U.S.S. Arkansas. The act of getting tipsy — or a bit "happy" — turned into the phenomenon known today as Happy Hour. Most restaurants that provide patrons with a Happy Hour typically offer discounted rates for select alcoholic beverages, as well as small plates or appetizers. Also, these days, Happy Hour almost always extends beyond just one hour, giving customers the chance to save money over the span of several hours in the late afternoon, before the main dinner rush.
Some chain restaurants stick to the status quo with their Happy Hour offerings. But others go above and beyond, serving up more unique menu items, stackable savings with other special offers, or simply having copious amounts of Happy Hours. If you want to know the best Happy Hour deals around, keep reading to see how these chain restaurants stack up against each other.
12. Outback Steakhouse
When you visit Outback Steakhouse, odds are, you're really there for the Bloomin' Onion and not the Happy Hour. However, it's worth noting that there are some serious Happy Hour deals to be had here. It's available at Outback for a few hours Monday through Friday, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., as well as the rare and coveted weekend Happy Hour on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. Be aware, however, that exact Happy Hours seem to vary based on location, so double-check with your closest Outback Steakhouse for current Happy Hour deals.
In general, you can expect discounts on some food and beverages during Happy Hour, including small plates ranging in price from $4 to $5.99 and cocktails ranging in price from $5 to $6. Outback Steakhouse already offers decently priced cocktails at $7 even outside of Happy Hour, so if you cannot make it during the above hours, there are still ways to spend a little less on your bar tab. That extra dollar or two in savings may be the push you need to try something new off the menu.
11. Red Lobster
If you're able to head out to eat ahead of the dinner rush at your local Red Lobster, you may find a few ways to save a few dollars. Its Happy Hour currently runs Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., though there are no weekend Happy Hour deals. It also offers lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the week.
During Happy Hour at Red Lobster, diners can order several different appetizers for just $5. This includes the sweet chili shrimp, two shrimp tacos, and southwest chicken pizza. If you're looking for some light bites, you may be able to get in and out of Red Lobster without dropping too much cash during Happy Hour. This can also be a good way to add an appetizer to your meal without breaking the bank. Either way, if you were already planning on going to Red Lobster, it may be worth checking out. But compared to other Happy Hour deals, it's not really worth changing your entire evening up just to take part.
10. Texas Roadhouse
Known for its variety of steaks as well as its lineup of dancing waiters, Texas Roadhouse offers a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. A steak dinner can be a pricey choice at other restaurant chains, but here, you actually enjoy low prices — if you happen to dine during Happy Hour, that is.
Happy Hour at Texas Roadhouse is shorter than most other restaurants, running from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Texas Roadhouse is known for only being open for dinner during the work week, so this allows customers to score some serious savings by dining early. During those hours, customers can take advantage of $8.99 entrees, which can add up to big savings if they're dining with a larger party. Examples of meals that are included in the Happy Hour deal include the chain's sirloin steak dinner and their country fried chicken dinner. You can also save on select beverages during Happy Hour. All in all, it's a solid deal on some seriously coveted drinks and food.
9. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
If you ever wished you could watch an endless loop of "Forrest Gump" while dining on a mountain of shrimp, then you need to get yourself to the closest Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The chain restaurant, inspired by the beloved 1994 Tom Hanks film, has multiple locations across the country, mostly concentrated in regions with heavy tourist foot traffic. Their menu is seafood-centric, with plenty of beer and cocktails to wash everything down. It's a fun, lively atmosphere, made even more fun by the fact that it offers a daily Happy Hour during the week.
Happy Hour at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is offered Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Within these boundaries, customers can enjoy discounted appetizers, including shrimp mac and cheese for $8. In addition, beer is available for as low as $3.50 during Happy Hour, and margaritas are on sale for $5. So-called "tourist trap" restaurants are known for jacking up the price tag of their menu items, but if you dine at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. during Happy Hour, you could actually walk away feeling like you scored a major deal. It all depends on how badly you're in the mood for seafood, of course, but at these prices, plenty of people might find themselves considering shrimp over pizza.
8. Red Robin
Most die-hard hamburger fans are already familiar with Red Robin. The classic restaurant chain's menu is filled with different burgers at reasonable prices and fan-favorite mainstays like bottomless French fries and freckled lemonade. Red Robin is actually new to the Happy Hour scene, offering deals on food and drinks Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. In terms of hours, this is pretty standard across what you'll find from restaurant chains that offer Happy Hour.
During Happy Hour, Red Robin customers can save 50% on several appetizers, pizzas, and milkshakes. In addition, beer is as little as $3, and margaritas start at just $5. Red Robin is fairly inexpensive already compared to many other chain restaurants — plenty of their appetizers are normally priced at just $3 or $5, and most of their burger meals are below $11. As a result, Happy Hour discounts may not be as big of a draw as other restaurants, where you can make a sizable dent in your tab. But given the chain's baseline, it's still seriously affordable.
7. BJ's Restaurant
BJ's Restaurant offers two Happy Hours. The first is a more standard Happy Hour, available Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The second is a late-night Happy Hour, available Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. until the restaurant's closing time. This means from Monday through Thursday, you actually have two opportunities to save on Happy Hour deals at BJ's Restaurant: From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., as well as from 9 p.m. until closing.
These two Happy Hours available at BJ's are identical, offering the same savings no matter which one you choose to take advantage of during your visit. Beer starts at $4, and select guest draft beers and special seasonal beers are $1 off. In addition, margaritas start at $6, with select appetizers as well as their mini deep-dish pizzas costing just $7. It's not the cheapest Happy Hour deal, but adding those late-night hours gives BJ's Restaurant a bump over many other places that only offer the standard late afternoon Happy Hour. Since many potential customers are still working during those earlier hours, knowing which restaurants still offer ways to save on your next meal is a serious plus.
6. Yard House
Once known for serving beer in glasses that literally measured out to one yard, Yard House now has dozens of beers on tap at any given moment, in addition to a large food menu filled with pizzas, small bites, and cocktails. There are two Happy Hours at Yard House. The first is Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the second is a Late Night Happy Hour that happens Sunday through Wednesday from 10 p.m. until closing.
During Happy Hour at Yard House, customers can score half-off deals on select appetizers and all pizzas. These select appetizers include their chicken nachos, blackened ahi sashimi, and classic sliders. In addition, drinks range from $2 to $4 off. That can add up to some seriously good savings if you want pizza and beer. Yard House notes on its website that exact Happy Hour deals can vary based on location, so double-check with your closest restaurant to confirm their current offers. Notably, Late Night Happy Hour at Yard House benefits customers looking to save on a round of drinks, so if you want to save on dinner, prioritize their regular Happy Hour earlier in the day.
5. Buffalo Wild Wings
The only thing better than a pile of chicken wings is a discounted pile of chicken wings. This is what makes Buffalo Wild Wings so popular on Thursdays, when its buy one, get one deal is going on. The rest of the work week includes a standard Happy Hour offered Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. During those hours, many menu items are brought down in price to between $3 to $6. Margaritas are $5, and signature cocktails like their blue Long Island iced tea are just $4. A few appetizers are offered at low prices during Happy Hour, but the real savings are to be had on its drink menu.
What distinguishes Buffalo Wild Wings' Happy Hour is the ability it offers customers to double down on savings by visiting on days when its wings promotions are going on. The prices at Buffalo Wild Wings can creep up on you otherwise, so you definitely want to strategize your visit accordingly. But if you know how to navigate the chain's deals, this is one of the better opportunities out there to save on seriously good food.
4. Applebee's
It is hard to compete with Happy Hour at Applebee's, purely because it offers a daily Happy Hour deal — something most restaurant chains cannot claim. Applebee's does not shy away from weekend Happy Hour, either, with not one, but two windows of time customers can save: from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 9 p.m. until closing. Those late-night hours began to include half-priced appetizers in the summer of 2022, including discounts on boneless wings, chicken quesadillas, and brew pub loaded waffle fries.
The fact that you can rely on half-priced appetizers every day at Applebee's is hard to beat, but it's worth pointing out that the savings tend to stop there during Happy Hour. Other offers may vary based on location, but at the very least, you can expect savings on apps for when you have those late-night cravings. A restaurant that's known nationwide for its Happy Hour, Applebee's is continuously a top choice for those looking to save a few bucks, especially on weekends.
3. Dave & Buster's
You may have been to more than one birthday party at your local Dave & Buster's over the years. But this fun-loving chain offers far more than your standard arcade games. In fact, Dave & Buster's has a pretty sizable menu, with appetizers, entrees, and cocktails worthy of a visit without playing a single game. Customers can also save quite a bit when they visit during Happy Hour, which takes place Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., as well as late nights Sunday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Exact Happy Hour offerings may vary from location to location, so you'll want to confirm with the closest Dave & Buster's before visiting.
During Happy Hour, not only are select appetizers half-off, cocktails are as well. Domestic pints are just $2.95, and you can save $1 off 22-ounce draft beer and glasses of wine. And, if you visit on Wednesdays, you can take advantage of Dave & Buster's half-off deal on games. Savings on your food, drinks, and entertainment make Dave & Buster's one of the better Happy Hours out there — not to mention the fact that their late-night deals spill over into the weekends as well.
2. The Cheesecake Factory
Whether you love it for the menu long enough to rival most novels, or the whimsical interior design that makes you wonder where exactly in the world inspired it, The Cheesecake Factory is a much-talked-about chain restaurant. That mile-long menu has a few decent deals, but an average bill at The Cheesecake Factory can add up quickly. Finding as many discounts as possible is to your benefit.
Like many other restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory's Happy Hour is available Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Note, however, that Happy Hour deals are available in the bar area of the restaurant only. Customers dining during Happy Hour in the bar area can find discounts on many appetizers and drinks. But what makes The Cheesecake Factory's Happy Hour truly unique is the menu itself. Most other chain restaurants will offer the same types of discounted appetizers, like chicken wings, quesadillas, and chips. But at Cheesecake, expect to save on more unique menu items like avocado eggrolls, fried calamari, and brussels sprouts. The diversity of The Cheesecake Factor's menu is one of the reasons why it's so popular in the first place, and it's why their Happy Hour is better than most, too.
1. Chili's
Simply put, no one does Happy Hour like Chili's. The chain restaurant is known for its margarita of the month, "Three For Me" special, and their iconic baby back ribs jingle, but it's also highly sought after for how easy it is to score some significant savings during their Happy Hour. It ranks in the number one spot for its low prices and the sheer number of Happy Hours offered throughout the week. No other restaurant chain on this list offers Happy Hour all day on Saturday and Sunday, as those days are often considered busier times, when most places like to keep discounts at a minimum. But at Chili's, this is when the discounts are cranked into high gear.
Chili's makes it very convenient to visit during Happy Hour. It is offered Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Monday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to close. Chili's also offers a coveted weekend Happy Hour, with savings all day on Saturday and Sunday. Drink specials range in price from $3 to $6, and savings on select appetizers are available, too. You can almost guarantee some sort of deal will be found when dining at Chili's, as long as you stick to its Happy Hour windows, which is not hard to do.