re: Showing up at a restaurant,minutes after posted closing time.

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retail fields ..

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I'm not sure if they are comparable. Differences range from product (does not require the seller to do much preparation) and closing work (the last customer leaves, close door, go home).

Work related stress is really the biggest difference. Any one who's been in a kitchen that's pumping out a few hundred meals a night know the craziness that is a restaurant. Having waited tables many years ago, I have a deep respect for those guys back there who do it day in and day out, even if they do bitch a little here and there.

I waited tables for two years and worked in a kitchen for three .. give me a fricking wah wah break .. stress ?? really ??

This thread has way evolved from it's original topic.

I too agree you don't start cleaning until closing time. Basically, the hours posted in the door are the hours you keep seating people until. Yes, someone walking in 5 minutes before that is a dick, but it doesn't mean you should refuse them. Hours posted are hours you seat people.. period.

Once you hit that 10pm mark, you're closed. Obviously, the back has probably started working on small closing tasks before this time but doing it before then shouldn't cause you to refuse someone service. The hours exist for a reason. If you wanted to stop serving people at 9:30, have that on the door.

Short answer: If someone shows up at 9:59, you seat and serve them. If someone shows up at 10:01, you tell them sorry we're closed.
Your kitchen stations should not be broken down and cleaned up before 10pm unless you want to fire them back up. Small tasks can be done before 10, but not everything.

Now I DON'T agree with whoever at the beginning said serve people who come in after closing time. If you followed that rule, you'd never get to close.

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And to golfer....everybody is a 'clock watcher'. Nobody likes working when they aren't supposed to be working. Some servers are just finishing up a double. Have a little class.

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I disagree.

Restaurant workers have come to assume "they aren't supposed to be working" past the closing time on their door.

I believe this is wrong. Shut the doors then, fine. But those in the place are YOUR customers. If it weren't for them, you wouldn't have a job.

I used to work for DHL. Our front office door closed at 7pm. Nearly two or three days a week someone would show up RIGHT at 7pm or just after.

If I locked that door at 6:58, I was going to lose customers and probably get fired. And we'd keep the door open until we absolutely needed to close up to get the freight out on time. If someone called and said they'd be there at 7:20, instead of telling them sorry, we'd tell them how to meet us with the shipment.

Maybe this attitude is why I only had to work in the sector for a few years.

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Basically, stop letting people in at closing time. Continue serving the ones you have until they leave. And then clean.

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But the waitstaff in this thread say showing up anytime in the last hour is grounds for shitty food/service.

Yeah, I don't agree with that. I don't own a restaurant and likely never will ( ) but if I did.. I would definitely enforce seating people and serving them just like anyone else until closing time. And those that are still there once closing time hits, continue serving them.

I honestly thought this was the case at most restaurants, and I'm surprised to hear it's not.

I've never worked at a real restaurant, but I worked at Sonic in early high school. Each night, there was a list of closing duties we had to do. We closed at 10, and I'd get started on the duties around 9-930, but we did not turn off the lights and stop serving people outside until 10.

There's nothing wrong with starting on your closing duties early if you want, but you should not EVER refuse to serve someone or give them shitty service while you are still within opening hours.

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That's not what I got from this thread. Bit of an exaggeration.

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Why would you walk into a restaurant that late. The wait staff is already cleaning and doing their book. The kitchen has already rolled their post service joint and pulled the mats. Everyone is tired from being on their feet all day. Just go grab a burger somewhere.

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But if you walk into a completely dead restaurant off the street at 5 minutes before close, the hostess takes a few minutes to even walk to the front to seat you (hoping you'll leave), the entire kitchen is looking at you through the expediters window (planning all manner of retaliation) and they turn off all the TV's, fans, shut down the bar and begin vacuuming under your feet (restaurant code for GTFO)... You. Are. A. Dick.

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All I can tell you is I've worked in kitchens, and yes, we are ready to GTFO at the end of the shift. Not only that, but the fact is that at best you'll get a hastily prepared meal. At worst you'll get some floor spice on your meat. (Largely dependent on your attitude and that of the cook in question)

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Try walking in two minutes before close, and I will probably tell you "Too late. Come back earlier next time." And you know what? Deal with it.

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I absolutely understand it pissing people off (it would piss me off too) but part of the service industry is putting on a smile when you're not happy and doing things right regardless.

I'm not saying the customer isn't a dick.. because they are. But since they are the customer and being within open hours, you should serve them happily.

I think the last 90 minutes is pushing it.

If you work in any type of descent upscale restaurant you realize that working after hours is part of the job. When I cooked and they were sitting people a hour after closing I didn't really care, just kinda seemed like a slap in the face of the BOH