It’s that time of week when we answer the questions you’re too drunk or shy to ask…This question comes from Dan: OK, this may be a stupid question, but what’s the point of happy hour? Better happy hours are the only benefit I’m seeing to the bad economy, but how do restaurants and bars make money off of them?Most of us don’t look a $1.50 pint in the mouth, er, or something like that. Happy hours are tricky things. As a business owner, you want a good enough deal to get people in the door. (There are nights when Brasa and Barolo look as if they will positively tip over from happy hour business.) Once you get people in the door, the goal is to get them ordering things not on the happy hour menu or to show them such a great time that they want to come back during regularly priced business hours. Of course, this is oversimplifying a little.Hoping people will come back and try the place during regular hours presents a problem for many restaurants who offer dirt cheap, crap food, like a variety of previously frozen then fried bar Scooby snacks. Why would anyone come back, if that’s all you show as food? It also overlooks the coupon mentality of many diners, those who only come out of their Hot Pocket stupor for 30 for $30, a deal from the ValPak or happy hour before a movie. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Coupon people never become regular price customers. Ever. So your happy hour can’t be too great, or you’re just taxing your staff and kitchen before the regular, full price paying dinner rush. And you can’t skimp on quality too much, or you won’t gain any regular business.Some restaurants smartly make their money by offering a killer deal on food but no deal on drinks. Booze equals profit in the restaurant world. Brasa perfects this formula by offering the best ½ priced bar food in town and requiring a one drink minimum for the deal. Many restaurants will offer one beer on special or a couple house wines, knowing that many people want what they want when they’re drinking after work and will gladly pay for a full-priced martini anyway. Simple food is sold at cost or at a small loss in hopes that people will get hammered while enjoying it. Happy hour allows a restaurant to look busy, encouraging walk-in traffic that will come after the cheapo bell tolls, and happy hour is also a great way to cut down on kitchen waste. Beef skewers can be a way to run through meat that just won’t shine as an entree anymore. Pizzas can get rid of grilled veggies from last night’s antipasti plate, and so on. In the end, it’s about selling booze and providing cheap salty snacks and foods that encourage people to drink more.Got a question for the bartender? Email me here: msavarino@seattleweekly.com.