Happy hour can be a very profitable couple of hours for your bar each day. Big groups tend to come in after work, and they'll be totally happy if you just serve a limited menu and offer a couple of drink specials. However, choosing happy hour menu options is not always that easy. The dishes on this menu need to be shareable, made with affordable ingredients, and easy for the kitchen to bring out in a flash. Here are a few options you may want to include.
Fries and Assorted Aiolis
Fries take just a couple minutes to fry and are very affordable. While they're a bit mundane when served with just ketchup, serving them with a couple of different aiolis makes them fancier and more enjoyable. You can make small batches of a few different types of aioli and then pre-portion them into dipping cups before happy hour begins. Good flavors to consider include garlic and Parmesan, basil, honey mustard, and cayenne. Groups will enjoy sampling the different aiolis on fries. You can even add a new aioli to the menu each week to keep things interesting!
Chicken Tenders and Assorted Dips
Another fun dipping option is chicken tenders. You can buy them frozen in large bags and include four or five in an order so there are enough to share. The real attraction will be the different dips you include with them. From Sriracha mayonnaise to barbecue sauce, the sky is the limit. Give two, or maybe three sauces with each order. You'll have to charge a little more for tenders than fries, but they're pre-made and the kitchen can turn them out quickly, so you won't have to up-charge for labor!
Sliced Fruit and Dip
This one sounds strange as it is not typical bar food, but it is sure to attract more attention than you think. So many people these days are watching their diets and trying to avoid bar food. Giving them not just fruit but a tray of fruit with assorted dips makes the option exciting without throwing their diet off the rails. Cinnamon sugar dip, honey dip, strawberry dip — the sky is the limit. You can cut up and include whatever fruit happens to be on sale, making this option quite affordable. You can also pre-assemble the platters before happy hour, allowing you to bring them out instantly once they're ordered.
From fries to fruit platters, these shareable options belong on a happy hour menu. Your customers will be delighted.