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re: Are you good with going in a restaurant right before it’s scheduled to close?
Posted on 5/29/25 at 7:03 am to WillFerrellisking
Posted on 5/29/25 at 7:03 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
I’d never do it but I’d assume if open till 10 means the front open till 10 and the employees are on clock to 11 or 12 for this very reason. If not then sign should say open till 9.
Some places have a "last seating" time posted which is different from "doors closed" for exactly this line of thinking.
Both have their own sets of issues.
If you say last seating at 9:00, the people who want to be assholes about it while just whine and complain about all the people still dining in at 9:30.. and pester staff about why they can't just bet let in too since the place is busy.
If you just say close at 10:00 like most places do, people will show up at 9:55 and say they deserve the same service as if they showed up at 6:00. Despite the fact that it means you WON'T close at 10.
End of the day, it's the difficult patron that's the issue with both.
I've always thought it would be petty but satisfying to let someone in at 9:55 and tell them you have a hard close of 10:00, as is posted on the door. If they decide to still sit -- Do whatever you do normally in those 5 minutes, but as soon as it strikes 10:00, stop. Midway through pouring a soda, midway through taking an order.. Whatever you are doing, just stop at 10:00. That's what the door states, after all.
I never understood why patrons think closing at 10 means having to stay well after 10 while they're still there. Closing at X time in any other business means you're asked to leave. You certainly can't waltz into Macy's at 5 minutes to close and the staff will stay back for you to try on clothes and have an hour long shopping trip. So why would restaurants be different? Closed is closed.
0
Posted on 5/29/25 at 8:12 am to themetalreb
you can stroll in to a restaurant whenever you want to... you're at the mercy of those folks once you enter their arena though 
Posted on 5/29/25 at 8:41 am to themetalreb
I have not had good results doing that.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 9:05 am to themetalreb
Nope, but I have friends who don’t give a shite. Embarrassing.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 9:17 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
If I see a sign that says open 10am-10pm, I’d expect same service at 9.59pm as I would get at 5pm.
You are correct but gonna get downvoted
Hours should read “10-10 but last seating at 9” or something
Posted on 5/29/25 at 9:49 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
I’d expect same service at 9.59pm as I would get at 5pm.
And you will probably get that along with the ol hawk tuah and pubic hair in your food
Posted on 5/29/25 at 10:04 am to themetalreb
No. It has to be at minimum 30 minutes before they close and even then, I may be hesitant.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 10:07 am to Cosmo
quote:
Hours should read “10-10 but last seating at 9” or something
Sadly, yes, this is how it has to be written for people.
Back to my point above, Macy's closes at 9PM. Do people go in there at 8:55 and shop for an hour? Of course not. They get kicked out. Anyone who was in there prior to closing is asked to check out. They're not allowed to continue to try on clothes or browse.
So why are restaurants the one place the staff is expected to continue to serve you after closing?
Even bars get a pass from patrons. Lots of bars close at 11/12 on slower nights even though they can legally stay open until 2. Nobody bats an eye when bartenders stop the music at 11:45 and shout LAST CALL. And when it turns 12, they force everyone out. They certainly don't let you continue to sit there and refill your drink because you were there before closing. Yet, people expect this of restaurants.
This post was edited on 5/29/25 at 10:10 am
Posted on 5/29/25 at 10:12 am to LouisianaLady
quote:
Do people go in there at 8:55 and shop for an hour? Of course not. They get kicked out. Anyone who was in there prior to closing is asked to check out. They're not allowed to continue to try on clothes or browse.
You worked in retail? I have (for a major national brand), and we didn't kick people out immediately. We put the gates down, started our closing procedures, but kept one register open to deal with these patrons.
It's part of working in a service industry.
quote:
his is how it has to be written for people.
And I can't get on board with this phrasing. It needs to be written this way for the employees that want to start closing shop early.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 10:14 am to LNCHBOX
Yes. I worked at multiple mall stores and a grocery store. All of them asked customers to bring their purchases for payment when closing time came. We did not continue to let them try on clothes or browse, which is the best parallel to patrons continuing to order/get refills/etc.
I also worked at a bar where we had full freedom to even forcibly remove patrons at closing, even if it wasn't the state mandated 2am that we closed that night. Again, nobody bats an eye at this. Bar patrons usually leave without a fuss even if it's only 12 when you close.
FWIW - When restaurant staff complain about people being there late, they're not talking about the people who got there 45m to close and are wrapping up/finishing food. They're talking about people who walk in knowing the process of a full meal service takes roughly an hour and still decide to walk in 5-10 minutes to close for sit-down service.
Nobody cares about a family who has been there a while and finishes up at 10:10 instead of 10:00.
I also worked at a bar where we had full freedom to even forcibly remove patrons at closing, even if it wasn't the state mandated 2am that we closed that night. Again, nobody bats an eye at this. Bar patrons usually leave without a fuss even if it's only 12 when you close.
FWIW - When restaurant staff complain about people being there late, they're not talking about the people who got there 45m to close and are wrapping up/finishing food. They're talking about people who walk in knowing the process of a full meal service takes roughly an hour and still decide to walk in 5-10 minutes to close for sit-down service.
Nobody cares about a family who has been there a while and finishes up at 10:10 instead of 10:00.
This post was edited on 5/29/25 at 10:39 am
Posted on 5/29/25 at 10:45 am to themetalreb
No. That's a dick move.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 11:07 am to themetalreb
If fine dining, 1 hour before closing yes.
If fast food or shitty restaurant, I try to go no later than 30 minutes before closing. I don't want boogers in my food.
If fast food or shitty restaurant, I try to go no later than 30 minutes before closing. I don't want boogers in my food.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 12:34 pm to themetalreb
Recently we went into a place that was closing in 10 minutes and ordered food. It was around 7:50, and they closed at 8. We had no idea they closed at 8, and once we realized we apologized and said to cancel our order. They were so gracious that we were trying to do right by them that they not only insisted we get our food, but they gave us a few extras along with it.
I hate doing that to anyone; it's really bad form. We felt terrible about it, but it all worked out. We had them make it to go, and we went and ate it across the street at the park on a bench to save them any cleanup. It turned out to be a great experience, and we have been back there a couple of times since.
I hate doing that to anyone; it's really bad form. We felt terrible about it, but it all worked out. We had them make it to go, and we went and ate it across the street at the park on a bench to save them any cleanup. It turned out to be a great experience, and we have been back there a couple of times since.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 12:53 pm to themetalreb
The only way I'd do it was with an understanding I'm getting essentially leftovers, not asking them to cook anything, just mess up a plate and fork.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 2:38 pm to themetalreb
I worked in a restaurant a million years ago, so I would never sit down for a normal meal less than an hour before posted close and I would never do takeout less than half an hour before close. With that said, I've mentioned before that I wish the US was a bit more explicit with what "closing time" means for restaurants. In many places, there are clearly posted "last seating" and "closing (e.g. get the frick out)" times. In the US, closing time is a weird blend of the two that causes a ton of frustration for everyone involved.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 3:25 pm to themetalreb
Places need to specify a last seating time.
If you say you close at 10 and don’t have anything about last table seating, then that’s your bad.
If you say you close at 10 and don’t have anything about last table seating, then that’s your bad.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 3:51 pm to TackySweater
quote:
Places need to specify a last seating time.
If you say you close at 10 and don’t have anything about last table seating, then that’s your bad.
While I obviously agree regarding the merits of specifying a last seating time, and I concede it leaves things ambiguous, I absolutely disagree with your position that it's obvious in the other direction. I can't think of any other business that will allow you to stay indefinitely just because you made it in before close. So they close at 10pm and you show up at 9:55pm. How long do you get to stay? An hour? Two? Five? Never step foot outside again as long as you live?
Posted on 5/29/25 at 3:52 pm to Joshjrn
quote:
While I obviously agree regarding the merits of specifying a last seating time, and I concede it leaves things ambiguous, I absolutely disagree with your position that it's obvious in the other direction. I can't think of any other business that will allow you to stay indefinitely just because you made it in before close. So they close at 10pm and you show up at 9:55pm. How long do you get to stay? An hour? Two? Five? Never step foot outside again as long as you live?
You can make this same argument against a last seating time too
At the end of the day, it's called the service industry for a reason. Your job is to serve people. That occasionally means working past the listed hours on the door. Unless a standard time allowance for a meal is incorporated, this will always be an issue.
Who downvotes this? Where is the lie?
This post was edited on 5/29/25 at 4:11 pm
Posted on 5/29/25 at 4:04 pm to TackySweater
quote:yet, as consumers, we conform to all types of businesses with closing hours we observe by completing our transactions prior to closing time.
If you say you close at 10 and don’t have anything about last table seating, then that’s your bad.
Posted on 5/29/25 at 4:13 pm to Joshjrn
quote:how many restaurants out there kick everyone out immediately as soon as the clock strikes close time?
can't think of any other business that will allow you to stay indefinitely just because you made it in before close
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