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What's your cutoff for how close to closing you'll go into a restaurant? - Page 2

post #16 of 29
4/11/10 at 3:18pm
45 mins, and even then I feel uncomfortable.
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post #17 of 29
4/11/10 at 3:25pm
If I am not a regular, 30 minutes before closing. If I'm a regular, I basically expect the doors to be locked behind me. I always make it worth the staff's time to serve me at my regular joints so expect a little give back in a pinch.
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post #18 of 29
4/12/10 at 6:19pm
At least 30 minutes if not more, depends on the type of place it is too.
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post #19 of 29
4/12/10 at 8:53pm
I find people usually tell you if the kitchen is closed. I get this a lot at hotel restaurants when I check in late.

Granted, I've walked in once on a Korean restaurant when they were closing early (I mean 2 hours early) and forgot to lock the door and the kitchen staff was out eating.
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post #20 of 29
4/13/10 at 7:08am
I'll ask if the kitchen is still open, and as long as it's still open i'll stay.
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post #21 of 29
4/13/10 at 12:28pm
I get the staff might not be thrilled, but F them. If I were the OWNER, I would be damn pissed if I had staff sitting on perishable inventory that could have been sold. As many others have said... if you don't want to seat people after x time, then close the restaurant at that time.. put it on the sign and lock the doors. but in ANY customer-oriented business... if you are an obvious buyer, they should stay. That goes for a car dealership, etc. Even a Target will leave the door open until the closing time, then start making announcements to grab your final items and head to the register. But if you've got a cart full of stuff, they're not going to say F-U come back and shop again tomorrow.
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post #22 of 29
4/13/10 at 12:36pm
Being on the other side of the equation, I've worked in different restaurants and hotels for the last five years.. Although technically not required, it is common courtesy to ask if the kitchen would mind if you arrive 30 minutes prior to the doors closing. I've been in places where a 5-top of customers walk in RIGHT at 10:59 (when the doors close at 11) and we've had to serve em, my shift ran an hour later that night (whooHOO, overtime baby!). I've also worked in restaurants where the front end managers turn customers away if they plan on ordering a meal, they were allowed to come in for a drink though.
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post #23 of 29
4/13/10 at 12:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by OHK View Post
Did twenty at Five Guys tonight. Wasn't intentional though; I thought they closed at 11PM, not 10PM.

Not sure five guys counts....they could cook your food from raw and have you out the door and still close in that time...

For a real restaurant, I would say you are clear until the posted closing time. Closing time should be last seating for a simple restaurant (if it has a bar component, then they may stay open later and just tell you the kitchen is closed) but you should try to get your order in quick and not be a douche when it comes to how long it takes you to eat.

For a place that has some more advance prep, I would be wary of going close to closing due to freshness and availability. A chipotle that closes at 11 sure isn't going to make a whole fresh batch of barbacoa at 10...if it runs out, it is gone and if they still have it...you might not want it. Was going to go to a well reviewed roasted/grilled/something chicken place on saturday night (you can always see them cooking a TON of chickens through the window) but it was getting late and I started to rethink that plan on freshness reasons. It was not yet closing time when we got there, but their open sign had been turned off and I took this to mean no more chicken. Instead we decided on something where the meat starts raw and cooks fast so you know it is still freshly cooked at 10:30
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post #24 of 29
4/13/10 at 12:57pm
I once went in to a restaurant about 30 minutes before closing. We were seated and ordered appetizers, then dinner. The food came out before closing time. We finished our meal about 20 minutes after closing (when there were still plenty of people in the restaurant). After we finished dinner, we asked to see the dessert menu, and we were told that the kitchen was already closed and we could not order dessert. I was like, wtf?

I understand the idea of closing the kitchen to new customers, but closing the kitchen to someone who was already seated and had already ordered a meal? That was a little bizzare.
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post #25 of 29
4/14/10 at 11:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by odoreater View Post
After we finished dinner, we asked to see the dessert menu, and we were told that the kitchen was already closed and we could not order dessert. I was like, wtf?

Well, that bloke just cut their tip in half.
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post #26 of 29
4/14/10 at 2:23pm
^ most waiters I've dealt with ask me if I'm interested in desert before the kitchen closes, so that the order can be put in beforehand.
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post #27 of 29
4/14/10 at 3:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3cyr3 View Post
I'll ask if the kitchen is still open, and as long as it's still open i'll stay.
Same here. And if they seat me, then I don't want to be rushed to finish my meal.
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post #28 of 29
4/14/10 at 4:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by odoreater View Post
I once went in to a restaurant about 30 minutes before closing. We were seated and ordered appetizers, then dinner. The food came out before closing time. We finished our meal about 20 minutes after closing (when there were still plenty of people in the restaurant). After we finished dinner, we asked to see the dessert menu, and we were told that the kitchen was already closed and we could not order dessert. I was like, wtf? I understand the idea of closing the kitchen to new customers, but closing the kitchen to someone who was already seated and had already ordered a meal? That was a little bizzare.
Happened to me about four months ago. My GF and I arrived at the restaurant around 7:30 enjoyed a nice bottle of wine, and each of us had an appetizer, salad, and main course. When we had asked to see the dessert menu around 10ish they had told us we couldnt order dessert because the kitchen was closed. Pretty ridiculous. When I was a bartender a couple of years ago, customers were always asking to order food after the kitchen was closed and the staff was gone. If I wasnt busy I would get the manager to keep an eye on the bar, and I would make some stuff in the fryer for the hungry customer/s.
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post #29 of 29
4/14/10 at 9:41pm
What also annoys me is when the server leaves for the night without telling you or making sure someone else covers your table.
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