When Should You Stop Serving Customers?

Should a restaurant serve a customer who comes only a couple of minutes before closing?

All restaurants do things differently in this regard, but to me, the kitchen doesn't close until all of the tickets are complete. 

Sometimes, that means we are cooking well after our "closing time", but if it means that all of our guests get served, it's well worth it in my opinion. 

- Chef Mike

#restaurantlife #customerservice #chefstalk #restaurant

[nathanbyrne]

Managers, when they left 6 hours ago, be like

[Twangy]

Everyone whose ever worked at a restaurant recoiled in disgust from memories of customers coming in a minute before close

[TheP_]

The people in the back looking like “what did he just say “😂

[MidTennPews]

Sounds like a manager that goes home early with no excuse but berates an employee for being 5 minutes late.

[NoseCandyKermit]

Easy solution: Grill shuts off 7pm. Fryer shuts off 7:55.

[spencerstockwell]

i worked at a restaurant as a teenager and now i won’t even go to restaurant an hour before closing lol. no matter what you say everyone in the restaurant hates you if they’re waiting on you to go home

[pragmatiste]

Easy solution: closes at 8 last serving 7:30😅 (heard it from bistro huddy actually)

[-noyb]

If a place closes at 8 and it's 740, I'm not walking in. I'll go somewhere else. Those employees have to clean before going home. They have families, and I'm not going to be the reason they have to stay longer.

[nelauren]

I used to work at a pizza joint next to a theater. We would close at 10 and an order was called in five minutes before closing time. The theater said it wanted 35 pizzas because it wanted to have a pizza party for its staff. Interestingly, enough only two out of the 35 pizzas were cheese and the rest were ones that had multiple toppings. We made the pizzas, even though the kitchen was spotless. But our frustration turned to anger when half an hour later no one came to pick the pizzas up. And that anger turned to rage when we discovered that our manager who took the order never called the theater back to confirm the order.

[CorvoFG]

This is why we have a distinction between last service and close. Staff have homes and families too.

[astroapollo]

The problem is they show up 2 minutes before closing and then decide to order 30 minutes after closing

[yahooyaboo]

Owner says KEEP COOKING. When owner's not there, it's sorry....the kitchen is closed.

[gordophunkin]

*4 families walk in 5 min before closing*

[heylolp]

I'm working in a Restaurant and It depends
If you got a small order, either something snackish or just for yourself, sure give me a few minutes
If you're ordering 10 meals before closing, I'll reserve my right to refuse you service
I want to go home too, and I still have cleaning and stuff to do

[konastuff]

As a customer. I will not go to a restaurant an hour before closing.

[maryg]

Agree. But also, customers should be respectful of restaurant workers time. I don't think it's cool to bring 10 people in 5 minutes before closing.

[angelbulldog]

No need to ask why your truck is busy. You have great food, and you honor your customers. How could you fail??

[Moongod]

Idk bro . Food trucks aren’t the same as brick n mortar . We stop taking order 16 mins prior to closing

[asdfjkl]

Says the guy who profits from the 40 minute overage.

Now ask the guy who makes just wage who has his hours scheduled and has an appointment scheduled for 30 minutes after work.

[smellsuperb]

As a former restaurant worker, i will not go in a restaurant 10 minutes before closing, bc I know they have been busting their azzes all day and now they're delayed going home bc of me. I respect his philosophy but I do my best not to show up that late.