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Starbucks, Taco Bell, Sonic, and More Fast Food Chains Have Amazing Happy Hour Deals This Summer

By: Brad Tuttle
Brad Tuttle, expert in Personal finance, shopping, consumer trends, and Senior Editor at Money
Brad Tuttle
Senior Editor | Joined January 2014
Brad Tuttle is a former senior editor at Money with over 10 years’ experience covering a vast number of personal finance topics, including careers, cars, travel, budgeting, investing, insurance, credit cards, consumer psychology, real estate, banking, and shopping and deals.
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Originally Published: Jun 20, 2019
Originally Published: Jun 20, 2019 Last Updated: Jun 27, 2019 4 min read
People sitting at Starbucks Coffee in West Hollywood, USA
Starbucks Coffee in West Hollywood, California.
anouchka—Getty Images

Happy hour deals are pretty easy to come by at your local watering hole, and even at many national restaurant chains that have bars like Chili's and Ruby Tuesday.

But what about fast food happy hours? Sure enough, quick-serve chains such as Starbucks, Taco Bell, and Sonic Drive-in have their own happy hour specials. Instead of the usual bar happy hour, with discounts on alcoholic drinks and maybe appetizers, fast food happy hours focus on the establishment's specialty — perhaps with limited-time deals on coffee, milkshakes, soda, cheeseburgers, or chicken nuggets.

Sonic happy hour deals are very popular, and super easy to take advantage of because they're offered daily. Happy hour specials at Starbucks, on the other hand, tend to only be available on Thursdays. And yes, there is a Starbucks happy hour deal today, Thursday, June 27 — buy one, get one free handcrafted iced beverage — available from 3 p.m. until closing.

Here's what you need to know to take advantage of happy hour deals at Sonic, Starbucks, Taco Bell, and more.

What Starbucks Happy Hour Deals Are There Today?

Starbucks happy hour deals are available exclusively to customers who use the Starbucks app and are members of the Starbucks Rewards program.

Starbucks' happy hour deals are generally available on Thursdays from 3 p.m. until closing, and the special offers vary from week to week. For example, one Thursday, Starbucks might offer $3 frappuccinos as the happy hour special. Another Thursday starting at 3 p.m., the Starbucks happy hour deal might be buy one, get one free frappuccinos and espressos.

So if you're wondering what the Starbucks happy hour deals are that week, head to the Starbucks app to get the answer, or follow Starbucks on social media. New Starbucks drink specials appear in the app regularly, and the deals are typically available only on Thursdays.

When Is Sonic Happy Hour?

Sonic Drive-in has plenty of deals throughout the entire week: Some Sonic specials are specific to one day of the week, while other discounts pop up daily.

The Sonic happy hour takes place daily, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., when all drinks and slushes are half price. Sonic also gives you a reason to visit after dinner, with "Sonic Nights" deals offering 50% off shakes and $1.49 ice cream cookie sandwiches from 8 p.m. until closing every day of the week.

Finally, Sonic hosts a "Family Night" deal every Tuesday. Cheeseburgers are always half-price from 5 p.m. until closing on Tuesdays.

Is There a Taco Bell Happy Hour?

Instead of a regular happy hour, Taco Bell has what it calls Happier Hour.

Taco Bell Happier Hour deals are available every day of the week, including Saturday and Sunday, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. During this time period, fountain drinks and special beverages like the Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze are priced at just $1 each.

Normal prices for these beverages vary by location, but they're generally in the neighborhood of $2 to $2.75. So Taco Bell happy hour deals represent discounts of more than 50% off on drinks. Taco Bell has plenty of $1 food items too, available during all hours.

Carl's Jr. Has a Happy Hour Deal This Summer Too

Carl's Jr. restaurants are having "100 Days of Summer" deals now through August 20, 2019, and they include one daily happy hour special. For $3, you can get an order of a six-piece chicken stars with a small Coca-Cola beverage at Carl's Jr., from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the week.