I’m pretty sure M. Stanley Dukakis beat NYS by almost 30 years, banning “Happy Hour” in MA shortly after his triumphant return to the Governor’s office in the 1980s.
MA is looking to lift that ban - with the casinos getting lined up to build in the state the bars/restaurants want equal footing with the casinos on ‘gifts to’ patrons.
Correct. I believe 1984 was the year it went into effect.
Bar owners did come up with a clever way to circumvent the ban however. They started putting free appetizers at the bar like chicken wings, mini-egg rolls, meatballs on sticks, even shrimp cocktails. So while they had to charge full price for the drinks, they were still reeling in after-work customers with the free food.