People commonly associate happy hour with bars and restaurants that serve dinner, but there's no rule about what type of establishment can launch a happy hour promotion. If you run a restaurant that focuses exclusively on breakfast, you should feel free to start a happy hour promotion if the idea appeals to you. You can advertise this promotion in your restaurant and on social media, and you may soon find that it's a decision that has immensely benefited your reputation in the community, and your earnings. Here are some points to consider about happy hour for your breakfast restaurant.

Why To Have It

Restaurants have happy hour promotions for a number of reasons, but a common approach is to hold this promotion to draw patrons into the establishment when it otherwise might not be busy. For example, restaurants commonly have a flood of patrons around dinner, but are quiet beforehand. Thus, having a happy hour from perhaps 4 to 5 p.m. can help the restaurant to keep busy during a time that is usually quiet. When you launch a happy hour promotion for your breakfast restaurant, you'll find patrons visiting you when your restaurant might otherwise be quiet.

When To Have It

Think about when your restaurant is busiest. This can vary according to your location and usual clientele, but it's usually easy to identify. For example, if you're in an area with lots of office buildings, you might be busiest between 8 and 10 a.m., when people stop in to pick up coffee and something to eat before work or soon after they get to work. As such, having your happy hour promotion between 7 and 8 a.m. might be advantageous, as it could compel people to visit you for good deals when they might not otherwise visit you.

How To Set It Up

In bars and restaurants, happy hour often gives patrons reduced rates on alcoholic drinks and appetizers. Since you can't take this exact approach, you'll need to think creatively. There are lots of ways to approach your breakfast-themed happy hour in terms of promotions. For example, you could give everyone a free coffee upgrade — in other words, if they pay for a medium coffee, they get a large coffee. Or, you could take 50 percent off the coffee for those who buy a breakfast sandwich. Evaluate the items that are hot sellers at your breakfast restaurant and decide how you can sell even more of them.

Visit a restaurant that utilizes a happy hour promotion, like Vito's in the Valley, to learn more about why this can be a great idea for your restaurant.