FARGO (AP) - Late-night drinks might soon be full price here.

The city plans to ask bar owners to back a voluntary ban on steep drink discounts after 11 p.m. If that doesn't work, officials might consider making the ban city law.

Fargo bar owner Randy Thorson proposed the move, saying competition among area bars is driving more late-night specials that can lead to excessive drinking.

The ban would include all bars and restaurants and would cover specials such as two-for-one drinks.

Mayor Bruce Furness said it would be better if bar owners dealt with the issue themselves, though he said that might not be realistic.

"I think it's worth a try," he said.

The city plans to survey bar owners for their views and study whether it is legal to outlaw drink discounts after 11 p.m.

City Attorney Garylle Stewart said state law gives cities broad power to regulate the liquor industry. He said a ban on discounts during a certain time likely would be legal but might not be practical.

"If they don't advertise (late-night drink specials), how would you ever know they were doing it?" he said.

Stewart said the city studied drink deals in the 1980s. When facing the prospect of a city ban, bar owners began to cut back on drink specials, he said.

"Hopefully, the industry will try to police itself," he said. "It shouldn't be a socially acceptable thing to drink as fast you can."

Bar owner Rick Nymark said a voluntary ban on late-night drink deals would be a tough sell. Marc Oelslager, another bar owner, said a ban would make it tougher to draw back customers from neighboring Moorhead, Minn., which went to a 2 a.m. closing time earlier than Fargo did.

"I wouldn't want my hands tied," he said.

Oelslager said he would prefer a city law that would ensure all bar owners played by the same rules. "If everybody was going to do it, I'd go along with it," he said.