Cafes stopping food before they close

[athomemum1]

I love a cafe stop on a weekend but often find them stopping food or closing before they actually close. Today I went to a cafe that was advertised as closing at 5 at 3.55 we waited for a seat for 5 ish minutes to be told they stop serving food at 4. I can under stand stopping a bit before but a whole hour seems a bit much. Also walked to a cafe last month who closed at 4.30 and at 3.45 ish where told we couldn’t have a drink as they were closing at 4.30.

It's because they stop paying the staff at five. They have to have got all the washing up, cashing up, food storage, table cleaning, floor sweeping etc done by then. Starting more food prep will delay that.

I wouldn't post hard closing times for ordering food, where I've worked it's up to the discretion of kitchen somewhat. If it's busy you'll close the kitchen a little earlier, medium stay open a little longer and dead close early.

Also, you don't want to post "kitchen closes at 9pm" and have a group of say 8 people come in at 8:55!

I'm no expert, only somebody who has never been paid for a lunch break and just googled it! Gov.uk says that whether you get paid for breaks depends on your contract; the legislation just covers the number and length of breaks.

@SoNiceToComeHomeTo yes you're right, sorry.

I made a detour to go to a wholefood place that serves food. It closed at 8:00 but by 5:00 the deli stuff that I wanted was cellophanes over and I couldn’t buy any to take away, I didn’t understand that because it was a whole 3 hours before they packed up

Try getting food or sitting down for a meal in France (outside of Paris). It’s almost impossible.

You clearly have no idea how long it takes to clean and close down a hospitality kitchen!!

And the places that are open "non-stop" in France and Italy have inferior food usually, they know we're a captive audience!

Better off getting something savoury from a bakery, if you can get to one before they close...

Unless you've worked in a cafe you won't understand what needs to be done after food stops being served. The full kitchen will need cleaned down to a specific standard, again if youve not been used to that sort of work you won't know what this alone entails. All tables, chairs and floor will need completely wiped down and cleaned properly. Once a place closes as in doors locked, there will be cashing up to do and the final check and floor mop before staff can leave. If they stop serving food at a particular time it should state that in clear view. I worked in a small shop that sold hot food, they stopped serving hot items one hour before closing to allow hot plates and fryers to cool sufficiently to allow the staff to clean them. They did offer cold filled rolls up to 30 mins and still teas and coffees until 15 mins before closing. This was to also make sure the tea and coffee machines cooled and were able to have the cleaning programme run through.

It's mumsnet!

Most mumsnetters don't think these things through, just go straight in with the moaning..

This 100%

Then say so, upfront. Share those timings with your customers so that they can make their plans accordingly. Why are you putting this on your customers with the assertion that they should be paying more if they actually want the service they expect?

Only an incompetent eatery would keep their ordering-by useful nugget of information to themselves. Those that do that can just sit back and watch as their business collapses and I would have no sympathy for them.

It's no different than 'last orders' - perfectly normal and means staff can leave when the shop closes and not half an hour later.

It makes sense as it gives people ordering at 4 an hour to eat. Would you really be finished at 4 if last orders was 4.30? Or would staff be working late waiting for you to finish?

Any sane person knows that it takes time to order, time to cook, time to pay, etc., so it's entirely foreseeable to actually make sure you arrive at any form of eatery at least an hour before the stated closing time. It's not rocket science.

So you've done the following then if you're so certain?

Market research
Business plan
Retail experience
Catering experience
General business experience

I can guarantee that if there was potential for anyone to make a "small fortune", someone would already be doing it.

This is the point.

and

I don’t think closing the kitchen is the problem, it’s the lack of communication

I don't think anyone is advocating the staff shouldn't be paid for the time it takes to clean up, but why advertise the business as being open, when you can't get any food, which, is the reason why people go in to the premises.

Oh dear god.

Have you ever actually run a business?

Or are you one of those people that want to pay the absolute bare minimum but want to be treated like you’ve just blown £300 when in fact it’s a tea and cheese toastie?

A business is not going to collapse because it stops taking orders for hot food an hour before closing. It’s actually very good money management.

Oh for Christ sake.

No, because I'm not remotely interested in owning a cafe.

i have retail, business & general business.

i have had my own retail shop, service company & manufacturing company. I know what the locals want, I hear how much they despair of not having anywhere nice to go. It's an affluent area, with money to spend on meeting at a nice cafe. We have a lot of cafes, but they don't hit the spot.

someone who knows what they're doing would make money. The closest Farm Shop makes a lot of money & has expanded beyond recognition, but it's too far out of the village to easily meet up there. It's ok for occasions (birthday etc) but not everyday just 'fancy a coffee'

i think it's just finding the right person to do it properly (not cheap out on setting/interior and and have the right staff,& an
investor that just wants to invest, not piss about doing something he knows fuck all about.

but no, I definitely don't want a cafe of my own! I have NO interest in it.

Clearly. OP got to the cafe an hour before stated close and I think you should use words like 'sane' with a little more thought.

I couldn't care less what time a cafe stops food/drink orders. There's no reason not to let your customers know so that they are aware.

What nonsense you spout.

I think if you're upfront about when you stop serving hot food, it's fair enough.

However, I live in a historic, tourist city where a lot of cafés, particularly tea rooms, shut at 4pm - traditional tea time - when you would expect at least a hot drink and cake. This means that most people frequent the chain cafés as they are open. Unsurprisingly, a lot of these cafés shut down.

A business doesn’t close if there is enough trade. It might not have been viable to keep open for the odd customer.

@Vittoriosmistress obviously I don't know the full details, but quite a few of these cafés are in very busy streets with lots of footfall. Also, quite a few other cafés that are v busy but open longer hours.

No, what nonsense YOU spout. You do obviously care as you’ve been chasing people through this thread. Most normal people say ‘are you still serving food? ' if it’s near the end of the day.

Even pubs have had ‘last orders’ since they opened.