Late Night Dining

Recently, I was reading a restaurant blog, and their main topic of discussion was about a restaurant manager who was struggling with how to handle the late night arrival of new customers. He was searching for help on how to handle his customers when they walk-in with only 5 or 10 minutes until closing time. He had just recently had that scenario happen on his shift.

When the customers arrived, they asked if they had enough time to have dinner. He told them yes. After about an hour, when the customers finished their dessert, they began to sit around and visit. The manager, who was ready to depart with his floor staff, told the customers it was time to close and they had to leave. The reason he was searching for advice was because the customers were very upset with being asked to leave. The customers told him if they knew they had to leave right after dinner, they would have gone elsewhere because they were traveling and wanted to visit. Overall, the answers he received were that the situation was handled poorly.

There are a few reasons I bring this up. One, with graduation and the summer season around the corner, many people will not be able or want to go out until later in the evening. We are here to remind you that we are OPEN LATE for a reason. We don't stay open until 10pm on the weeknights and 11pm on the weekends because we don't have anything else to do. We are open to serve you! 

Two, nobody wants to be that last table where the staff gives you the death stare or vacuums around you. And in return, your experience is nothing but uncomfortable. I'm sure we've all been there, right? You will never be treated that way here. We accept and encourage those late night parties or late night dinner dates.

Besides being open late, we are usually here late anyway. Very, very rarely do we walk out the door at closing time. The restaurant needs to be cleaned up, staff has to be checked out, the next day's parties have to be set-up. The list is endless. If we have to be here, we'd rather someone be around with us.

Overall, it's hard to say why restarants have seen a decline in late night business.  Are people more conscious of their diet or afraid of a DUI after a couple of drinks? Or perhaps with instances like the blog example above, nobody wants to be the last table?

Thankfully, we do see our fair share of late night owls, and we will continue to treat them with the same care as someone from the dinner crowd.  The more the merrier!  We want and encourage your late night business... it can turn a good night into a GREAT night!

You are always welcome, and if you were ever made to feel uncomfortable, we certainly hope you would let us know. See you later?