When is it acceptable to go into a restaurant within a half hour of its posted closing time?

Question

Never. Go somewhere else!

A closing time is when the place closes.

smcdevitt2001- no truer words have been spoken. Good manners are necessary.

Atila-common sense is also helpful, but most who go out to eat don't have it.

Answer 1

I think it's not respectful to go to a restaurant shortly before it closes. There's nothing worse than making plans and have them shattered because a couple of people decided to walk in 5 minutes before the restaurant closes. In most cases these people don't tip well. It's a double-edged sword!

For those of you who have never worked in a restaurant, I want you to imagine yourself at work. You're scheduled to get off at 5, and you have made dinner plans with you're family. A few minutes before you would have been getting off work, a customer or client demands your time, and next thing you know, you're leaving at 6.

So if you think it's a necessary to go into a restaurant just before it closes, just keep in mind how much inconvenience it causes. The servers, the cooks, the managers, the bussers, and the dishwashers all thank you.

Answer 2

to me personally it depends on a few things. What time do they close, are they already busy, and are they a restaurant you'll sit and chat in for an hour and a half or get in and get out.
If a place closes early i'll go in close to closing time, if they close late i'll usually give a break to the service. If they are busy enough that they arn't locking the doors at closing time i'll go in, but not if they have a wait up until their 'close time', and i never go to a place i plan to erlax at for a while with friends close to their closing time.

I suppose its just a common sense thing to me, i'm not going to push them to stay later because of me, ive been a waitress and i know that when closing time comes you don't want to have 8 tables that will all be sitting there for an hour.

Answer 3

30 minutes before isn't a big deal if they order to go, or at least make their meal quick and get out of there before we're actually closed. But of course, sitting around long after a restaurant closes, or coming in to eat 10 minutes before they close is rude!

Answer 4

For something to drink or a piece of pie. I wouldn't go into a restaurant that close to closing time and be arrogant enough to demand being served a full meal. Some people just don't seem to realize that good manners are necessary in all public establishments.

Answer 5

you might get some food thats been sitting around all evening or maybe what nobody else wanted, also the employees wont be wanting to serve you as they are trying to set up for tomorrow and get out of there themselves.but If it was my rest iwould certainly serve them but tell them its an awkward hour to be expecting any really good menu at that point in time. with that said I would feed them quickly and then close. but I wouldnt let anybody go hungry.

Answer 6

No. The whole resturant closes at closing time, not just the kitchen. It's rude to assume that staff don't have lives of their own or plans that won't be interrupted by you staying past closing time to finish you meal. So unless you know that you can order, have your meal cooked and eat it in under 30 minutes there's no way you would do it.

Answer 7

In Bussiness ethics: It is acceptable to go into any resturant up to the minute before they close.
In real life: Only enter a resturant 30 min before hand if you know someone on the staff, are only get a drink or two, to validate parking.

Answer 8

I wouldn't do it. I've worked in restaurants and on a bad day anything could happen. Plus I understand that if you walk in and the restaurant is mostly empty the poor folks have probably started cleaning up for the night.

Answer 9

I agree with Rick p if the restaurant is open until 11, I think you can go into the place until 11 because thats when it closes up-thats like going into a bank to open a checking account at 4:45 do we do it-YES! thats because we are open until 5:00

Answer 10

It is acceptable to go to a restaurant up until the closing time. The closing time is when they stop taking customers. It wouldn't be the closing time if it were unacceptable to go there.

Just because the stupid servers and cooks whine about doing their job does not mean that people should avoid restaurants within half of an hour from their closing time.