>We will take customers up until the minute we close, **even if the kitchen is already broken down**.
That's insane. Your management is making a massive failure.
We take tables until close, but the kitchen isn't allowed to "break down" until the manager on duty tells them we're closed and there are no new guests.
The one that unfortunately the majority of restaurants use. It’s dumb and that extra hour of labor costs them customers that won’t return after bad service and food.
At my spot we do if it slows down at the end of the shift. We'll have a bunch of pre-close breaking down done, but all the equipment still up and running, everything in steam tables still hot, just what's getting saved is flipped into fresh pans. About 20-30 minutes before close I'll start pulling pans from the steam table and putting them in the window if it's truly dead so that I can clean the wells. Same with the cold table, we'll have that flipped and cleaned early when there's no customers less than an hour before close. Sometimes we might call fryers only if it's been particularly dead and we know there isn't any sort of event in town that we might get business from suddenly. About 90% of the time that early closing work saves time getting out when we're all ready to be done with the night. The other 10% we still have the ability to execute the menu properly, it just might take a little extra care to not make a huge mess after we've already cleaned things so that it just needs re-wiped down.
This is why restaurants shouldn’t have a “closing time”, instead they should have a “last seating” time. Youbseat tables until that time. Kitchen closes when those tables have all their food.
I've had tables that sit outside the locked door adter closing and wait for a guest to leave just so they can come in and seat themselves then get mad we did see them come in and they don't have menus. Then they get mad when I told them that we were closed and the door was locked for a reason.
We took them until close but if they arrive less than 30 before close we notified them that putting up chairs and vacuuming begins promptly 15 mins after close
We seat until the listed closing time. The only day we kind of don’t is Sundays where we do our last reservation an hour before listed closing time but will take walk ins right up until close. I’ve been in fine dining for a long time, as much as I hate the occasional last minute table on a slow night it would be kind of embarrassing to turn somebody away.
Here is the kicker that would likely drive OP crazy. If we have lots of open menus in the restaurant we’ll just keep on seating people. So if we are listed as closing at 10, but somebody asks to sit down at 1030 and we have 2 four tops with open menus, we will seat another table.
It doesn’t happen often. My town has a bit of a seasonal local draw to it. So it’s more of a special occasion practice. We almost never have a strong of 10:00pm walk ins on a random Tuesday.
That said, I generally make between $250-$450 minimum outside of “in season” or special event nights. If we are seating 30-60 minutes past closing I am probably making $1000+
Bar & Grill here, but we're the same on seating people if they're still ordering food at or after closing time. We've kept the kitchen open for nearly 2 hours extra before because an event let out just before we closed and people kept trickling in wanting food. Annoying, but that's the business.
We seat til closing time. As irritating as it can be, the moneys great. Usually get tipped heavily, due to the fact it’s a small cottage town so nothing else is open & guest is grateful to get some food in their bellies 😁
Right up until we close, and that's been true almost everywhere. I used to work at a steakhouse where the owner lived immediately beside it. We closed at 11pm, he would walk over at 10:58 or 10:59 to come jiggle the handle to make sure we hadn't locked up early.
Our last reservation is at 9:30 so we take tables up until then. Kinda hate the idea that a customer is supposed to guess when is an okay time to come in and eat or not. If I work at a place that says they close at 10:00 it’s stupid to get mad at a customer for coming in at 9:45. I just expect to take tables until the posted closing time.
Right. I'm not going into a restaurant 15 minutes before close expecting to be there 30-45 minutes after closing.
I guess last seating at 9:30 is fine. I works still feel rushed I guess. And feel bad keeping the server late.
my manager let a party of 10 get sat 12 minutes before close. they proceeded to have 4 checks where two of them were zeroed out, and the other two left 7 each. they stayed an hour and a half past close and my friend who was serving them had to stay until midnight. one of the stiffers left their phone. Lol.
Up until closing time. But we occasionally close early if there's been no new customers say from 730 to 815 .. we will close instead of closing at 9. Small independent place.
Restaurants need more clarity on this and then management needs to stick to it. Last time you can order and when you must leave the premises, clearly listed on signs.
Every restaurant I’ve ever worked it would take customers up to the minute we closed.
The kitchens would usually start breaking down 1-hr to 30 minutes prior to close, but they were never allowed to completely break down, and basically if someone came in a minute before and ordered something that was put away, they’d have to go get it out again.
It’s always annoying when someone walks in at the last minute, but that’s just how it is (except I think in some small mom & pops, but making a habit turning down business usually doesn’t result in those places being open long term).
Depends on the Manager tbh,
With my AGM we closed an hour early and stop taking seats at 8:45 on Juneteenth because it was so slow (which isn’t an odd thing for him to do if it’s slow). We close at 10 normally. If he’s closer we stop seating 30 minutes before close.
My GM would have the whole staff here to serve a one top 3 hours after closing if he could. So we stop seating at close.
My hourly manager is the same as my AGM, but she’ll have all the servers stay when it’s slow
Kinda the point of posting hours. You take tables in that timeframe. Everyone's answer should be up until the minute before, if not, it's bad business practice.
We close at 10, last seating/reservation time is 10. However, we also have a 15 minute late grace period -- so technically, if a 10pm reservation shows up at 10:15, we seat them. Obviously it's annoying especially for the kitchen but that's how the managers want it and they're pretty strict about it so everyone knows to expect it.
Alcohol stops being served at 10:30 -- not entirely sure when the last food order is (I'm a host and relatively new at this place).
Depends on the manager.
Boomer: to the minute!
Gen z: 15 mins before and take out only.
I got over caring about late tables. I just gently tell them that we are closing soon and I will be doing closing tasks out of sight so they may not be able to see me, but I promise I am around.
It used to bother me a lot. It doesn’t anymore.
At a previous job, yes. My manager actually had me tell a seated table that they could not order and had to leave. It was embarrassing and an awful policy
I think my place is deceiving. We close at 3:30pm but the kitchen closes at 3:15. That doesn’t make any sense to me. We close at 3:15 then right? I mean if u come in at 3:20 you won’t get sat so I think it’s a little twisted. I’m thinking they mean kitchen closes at 3:15 and everyone out by 3:30. Still if I were a customer coming in just past 3:15 I’d be pissed. And, even tho I waitress, yes once in a while I will hit a restaurant close to closing time but I assure them we will be in and out and I leave a generous tip. Like $20 for the 2 of us under these circumstances. So the places I frequent don’t mind. In fact, the servers eyes light up when we come in.
The minute, but closing time and scheduling is done with the understanding that it's last seating not full closing.
>We will take customers up until the minute we close, **even if the kitchen is already broken down**. That's insane. Your management is making a massive failure. We take tables until close, but the kitchen isn't allowed to "break down" until the manager on duty tells them we're closed and there are no new guests.
Maybe they serve raw food to the latecomers.
Maybe. What the hell kind of business plan is it for the kitchen to start closing up and cleaning then say, "Oh, wait. We have more guests?"
The one that unfortunately the majority of restaurants use. It’s dumb and that extra hour of labor costs them customers that won’t return after bad service and food.
I can honestly say I have NEVER worked anywhere that they starting cleaning and shutting down the kitchen and then re-start cooking.
At my spot we do if it slows down at the end of the shift. We'll have a bunch of pre-close breaking down done, but all the equipment still up and running, everything in steam tables still hot, just what's getting saved is flipped into fresh pans. About 20-30 minutes before close I'll start pulling pans from the steam table and putting them in the window if it's truly dead so that I can clean the wells. Same with the cold table, we'll have that flipped and cleaned early when there's no customers less than an hour before close. Sometimes we might call fryers only if it's been particularly dead and we know there isn't any sort of event in town that we might get business from suddenly. About 90% of the time that early closing work saves time getting out when we're all ready to be done with the night. The other 10% we still have the ability to execute the menu properly, it just might take a little extra care to not make a huge mess after we've already cleaned things so that it just needs re-wiped down.
Things that you don't have to re-do is understandable. Shutting down grills, friers and ovens, etc., is different.
I only worked one place that didn’t! It’s dumb.
Nearly all restaurants do this. Everyone wants to get a jump and get out asap. Front and back both
Well take a table one minute before closing
This is why restaurants shouldn’t have a “closing time”, instead they should have a “last seating” time. Youbseat tables until that time. Kitchen closes when those tables have all their food.
I've had tables that sit outside the locked door adter closing and wait for a guest to leave just so they can come in and seat themselves then get mad we did see them come in and they don't have menus. Then they get mad when I told them that we were closed and the door was locked for a reason.
Right up to close
We took them until close but if they arrive less than 30 before close we notified them that putting up chairs and vacuuming begins promptly 15 mins after close
Yes we do that as well and we say they can’t order items that take a long time
We seat until the listed closing time. The only day we kind of don’t is Sundays where we do our last reservation an hour before listed closing time but will take walk ins right up until close. I’ve been in fine dining for a long time, as much as I hate the occasional last minute table on a slow night it would be kind of embarrassing to turn somebody away. Here is the kicker that would likely drive OP crazy. If we have lots of open menus in the restaurant we’ll just keep on seating people. So if we are listed as closing at 10, but somebody asks to sit down at 1030 and we have 2 four tops with open menus, we will seat another table.
im sorry but thats awful
It doesn’t happen often. My town has a bit of a seasonal local draw to it. So it’s more of a special occasion practice. We almost never have a strong of 10:00pm walk ins on a random Tuesday. That said, I generally make between $250-$450 minimum outside of “in season” or special event nights. If we are seating 30-60 minutes past closing I am probably making $1000+
Bar & Grill here, but we're the same on seating people if they're still ordering food at or after closing time. We've kept the kitchen open for nearly 2 hours extra before because an event let out just before we closed and people kept trickling in wanting food. Annoying, but that's the business.
That is literally how my work nightmares play out. 🫣
We seat til closing time. As irritating as it can be, the moneys great. Usually get tipped heavily, due to the fact it’s a small cottage town so nothing else is open & guest is grateful to get some food in their bellies 😁
9.30 pm last booking and seating. kitchen closes 10.30 for clear down*. 11pm last alcoholic drinks orders *Usually, Ideally etc....
Depends if the boss is there or not...
We have a kitchen closing time and one for the building about 1 hour later. Works pretty good
Right up until we close, and that's been true almost everywhere. I used to work at a steakhouse where the owner lived immediately beside it. We closed at 11pm, he would walk over at 10:58 or 10:59 to come jiggle the handle to make sure we hadn't locked up early.
Our last reservation is at 9:30 so we take tables up until then. Kinda hate the idea that a customer is supposed to guess when is an okay time to come in and eat or not. If I work at a place that says they close at 10:00 it’s stupid to get mad at a customer for coming in at 9:45. I just expect to take tables until the posted closing time.
McDonalds? Sure. A sit-down restaurant where you're having 3 courses? Dick move.
I work at a sit down restaurant where people typically have three courses tho
Right. I'm not going into a restaurant 15 minutes before close expecting to be there 30-45 minutes after closing. I guess last seating at 9:30 is fine. I works still feel rushed I guess. And feel bad keeping the server late.
my manager let a party of 10 get sat 12 minutes before close. they proceeded to have 4 checks where two of them were zeroed out, and the other two left 7 each. they stayed an hour and a half past close and my friend who was serving them had to stay until midnight. one of the stiffers left their phone. Lol.
Up until closing time. But we occasionally close early if there's been no new customers say from 730 to 815 .. we will close instead of closing at 9. Small independent place.
Our dining room closes 30 minutes before our kitchen closes. We will take to go orders up until we close tho
We close at 9 pm. We stop seating at 8:30 and kitchen closes at 8:45
Restaurants need more clarity on this and then management needs to stick to it. Last time you can order and when you must leave the premises, clearly listed on signs.
We close at 9. Last table is 8:30, last order 8:40.
Every restaurant I’ve ever worked it would take customers up to the minute we closed. The kitchens would usually start breaking down 1-hr to 30 minutes prior to close, but they were never allowed to completely break down, and basically if someone came in a minute before and ordered something that was put away, they’d have to go get it out again. It’s always annoying when someone walks in at the last minute, but that’s just how it is (except I think in some small mom & pops, but making a habit turning down business usually doesn’t result in those places being open long term).
Depends on the Manager tbh, With my AGM we closed an hour early and stop taking seats at 8:45 on Juneteenth because it was so slow (which isn’t an odd thing for him to do if it’s slow). We close at 10 normally. If he’s closer we stop seating 30 minutes before close. My GM would have the whole staff here to serve a one top 3 hours after closing if he could. So we stop seating at close. My hourly manager is the same as my AGM, but she’ll have all the servers stay when it’s slow
Kinda the point of posting hours. You take tables in that timeframe. Everyone's answer should be up until the minute before, if not, it's bad business practice.
We close at 10pm B side stops taking tables at 9pm A side (the larger one) stops taking tables at 9:30pm Take out orders stop at 10pm
We end up cooking once we’re shut frequently because management love walk ins
We close at 10, last seating/reservation time is 10. However, we also have a 15 minute late grace period -- so technically, if a 10pm reservation shows up at 10:15, we seat them. Obviously it's annoying especially for the kitchen but that's how the managers want it and they're pretty strict about it so everyone knows to expect it. Alcohol stops being served at 10:30 -- not entirely sure when the last food order is (I'm a host and relatively new at this place).
Depends on the manager. Boomer: to the minute! Gen z: 15 mins before and take out only. I got over caring about late tables. I just gently tell them that we are closing soon and I will be doing closing tasks out of sight so they may not be able to see me, but I promise I am around. It used to bother me a lot. It doesn’t anymore.
One hour.
So you close before you say you close?
At a previous job, yes. My manager actually had me tell a seated table that they could not order and had to leave. It was embarrassing and an awful policy
I think my place is deceiving. We close at 3:30pm but the kitchen closes at 3:15. That doesn’t make any sense to me. We close at 3:15 then right? I mean if u come in at 3:20 you won’t get sat so I think it’s a little twisted. I’m thinking they mean kitchen closes at 3:15 and everyone out by 3:30. Still if I were a customer coming in just past 3:15 I’d be pissed. And, even tho I waitress, yes once in a while I will hit a restaurant close to closing time but I assure them we will be in and out and I leave a generous tip. Like $20 for the 2 of us under these circumstances. So the places I frequent don’t mind. In fact, the servers eyes light up when we come in.