A common restaurant "issue" is late-nighters. What is a late-nighter? A table that comes in either right before you close or shortly after. What does this mean for the restaurant? That's a tricky question.
When I was an employee, I hated that table. I know that almost all employees feel this way. Employees always say the same thing, "Where do they work? What if I show up right when they are closing and sit for an hour How would they like it?" As an owner I see it quite differently. Making people happy is what creates repeat business. As long as they come in within our seating hours, I feel we should happily serve them. The downside is that it costs me a lot of money to stay open later, much more than I am going to profit from that table so if we don't make them happy it does me no good.
Now there are other variables in play here. I don't ever mind staying open for a "late-nighter" as long as they pay a little respect that we did so. Unfortunately not all do. All we is ask is that you take care of your server appropriately and you don't over-extend your stay. Tonight we had a very nice couple call and ask for a nine-o'clock reservation. We politely told them we don't accept reservations for parties under five so as long as the get here before we close at 9:00 pm they would be ok. One of the party showed up at five-to-nine and reserved the table. All the other tables but a single guy at the bar had left before the other person in the party showed up at close to quarter after. They then proceeded to have a very leisurely meal and were still enjoying themselves when I left at 10:45. How do I feel about that? I don't know. I am conflicted. I feel they abused our hours, but the spent a decent amount of money. They seemed happy, but will they come back? I definitely wasn't to happy they were taking their sweet time, but that was probably because I was tired and cranky today. It really doesn't matter at this point. If someone came in tomorrow at the same time, I would do it again...
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