$4 happy hour discount costs Uptown restaurant $800

CHARLOTTE — A $4 discount is costing an Uptown restaurant $800 or its liquor license for eight days.

Channel 9 has previously reported that North Carolina notoriously does not allow happy hour discounts for alcoholic beverages. All legislative attempts to change this have been unsuccessful.

North Carolina law allows a restaurant or bar to offer a discount on an alcoholic drink if it is for the whole day, like $5 wine on Mondays. But NC law does not allow a restaurant or bar to offer a discount on an alcoholic drink for a limited period of time, like $5 wine from 4 to 7 p.m.

In March, undercover agents decided to visit Kitchen & Kocktails in Queen City Quarter, formerly known as the EpiCentre. About a week prior, they saw an advertisement for happy hour drinks from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the location and ABC told the manager it wasn’t allowed. So, they paid another visit.

A $4 discount is costing an Uptown restaurant $800 or its liquor license for 8 days.

North Carolina notoriously does not allow happy hour discounts. A lot of lawmakers claim they want to change this. But nothing ever happens.

In March, undercover agents decided to visit… pic.twitter.com/cCyeJWfLtz
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) August 14, 2026

According to an ABC Commission report, on March 20, an undercover ABC officer purchased a 1792 Old Fashioned and at 6:17 p.m. was charged $17. The same day at 8:22 p.m., a different undercover officer was charged $21 for the same drink.

ABC officers then told the manager the restaurant broke the law by offering a happy hour discount and now Kitchen & Kocktails owes $800 or will lose its liquor license for 8 days.

Condado Tacos

It’s not just Kitchen & Kocktails. ABC is also going to fine Condado Tacos in South End $800, or the restaurant will lose its liquor license for 8 days.

According to the ABC Commission, last December, Condado Tacos “prominently displayed a sign” advertising margarita flights for 2 for $20, Friday to Sunday starting at 6 p.m. The ABC officer told the manager the sign wasn’t allowed, and she took it down right away. Condado was found in violation of the state’s happy hour laws. Now the restaurant owes $800. If the restaurant doesn’t pay the fine, it will lose its liquor license for eight days.

Neither Kitchen & Kocktails nor Condado have responded to a request for comment yet.