Happy hour isn't dead, but remote work has changed it forever, experts assert

Happy hour used to be a reliable business driver for bars and restaurants. 

Ever since the COVID-10 pandemic, that reliability has faded.

Remote work, altered schedules and changing social habits have disrupted the traditional post-work drinking rush, forcing establishments to adapt — and raising questions about whether happy hour is disappearing altogether or simply evolving.

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Fox News Digital spoke with a bar owner and a behavioral health specialist to learn more.

Here's what the experts said.

Happy hours haven't disappeared, but they've become fragmented, said Robert Mahon, owner of Mahon Hospitality in New York and Dublin. 

"We are now seeing where the dust has settled across Manhattan," Mahon said.

"Certain pockets have recovered [from the pandemic] far better than others, largely due to ongoing work-from-home dynamics."

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Mahon said that in the Big Apple, workers have largely returned to the areas around Penn Station and Grand Central, and his bars in those areas are still seeing a traditional 5-7 p.m. bar rush on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

"By contrast, areas such as Midtown East and the Financial District, which still hold a large volume of office inventory, have experienced significant bar and restaurant closures along their main corridors," he said. 

"Traditionally, Thursday was our strongest corporate happy hour night pre-pandemic. This has now shifted to Wednesday, as many companies continue to accommodate remote work on Fridays."

He added that he's seen "a clear divergence by age group," with younger drinkers being far more driven by deals — even if they have to travel for it.

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"While there is a lot of media commentary about younger people drinking less, our experience is the opposite," Mahon said.

"They are drinking, but they want new, trendy venues that align with their lifestyle and social identity. ... In contrast, the 35-plus demographic tends to prioritize convenience, opting for their nearest bar to the office or somewhere along their commute home."

Mahon also recalled something that his father once told him: If you have a good burger and cold beer, customers will come.

"That still holds true, but the game has changed," he said. 

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"Today, customers expect great food and drink as a baseline, but they also want a memorable experience."

The decline in happy hour attendance can be seen in remote and in-person workers alike, said Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist based in New York City. 

"Remote and hybrid workers feel it the most because there's less natural transition from office to social time," he said. "When people are already home, the motivation to go back out drops significantly."

Alpert added that he sees this shift "among younger professionals in their 20s and 30s, especially in high-pressure industries like finance, tech and consulting."

The decline in post-work socializing, he added, isn't just due to after-work stress, though that's a major factor.

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"Higher prices make people think twice, but the bigger driver is burnout," Alpert said. 

"Many people feel emotionally spent by the end of the workday and see happy hour less as a release and more as another obligation."

That said, Alpert doesn't think after-work happy hours are disappearing into the ether.

They're just "no longer automatic," he said. 

"People seem to be shifting toward smaller, more intentional plans like weekend meetups, fitness classes or low-key dinners rather than spontaneous drinks after work," he observed.