Why do restaurants and takeaways close so early now?

I think people are more health conscious now with all the fast news and social media and menus having calorie and nutrition information, On has definitely changed my eating out . We always enjoyed eating out early before most diners would think about going out for the evening but definitely home entertainment in its various forms, delivery options and costs have changed the norm from years ago.

I don't see calorie or nutrition info at restaurants I use. I admit they tend to be independent restaurants.

As far as I understood the legislation it only applies to eateries with 250 or more staff. So larger chains, fast food outlets, pub "multiples".

I think it's really the "mass catering" places.

We were just saying the other day that last orders in the pubs near us is at 9 pm now, much earlier than it used to be. I'm guessing that it saves the pubs a lot of costs in wages as they can start cleaning up at earlier and leave earlier.

Some of the takeaways are open a bit later but we don't have many near us.

Agree notspaghetti our local options are limited so the majority do have nutritional information on their menus. It’s interesting because some appear independent and then because of the information available you find they are not independents after all. Also some have the information available online but not on all the paper menus. We have been asked if we want a menu with or without too. Different times.

Depends on the area around here you can get fast food up to around 1am to catch the nightclub revellers.

Try South Devon! We moved here in November 2020 and around 8pm OH went to the chip shop to get a quick takeaway. Every chip shop and kebab, pizza shops etc was closed. It was Saturday evening too. They all closed early around 7.45pm out of season. We had coffee and biscuits for tea lol.
Cafés are the same even on Bank Holidays all shut by 3pm despite crowds of tourists walking in the main shopping streets.

Yes around 21:00/21:30 here too, I’m usually in bed but of late I’ve startled doing some evening voluntary work and faced a spring roll at 22:00, could I get one, could I fuck! 😡

There are so many ‘eateries’ now, both eat-in and takeaway - so many more than when I was young. Perhaps it’s not surprising that it’s not worth their while for a lot to stay open until late.

I live in the United States and find it's a pattern with certain restaurants in my area as well. I think restaurants do a cost benefit analysis and find it's not feasible to keep restaurants open past a certain time.

It's a pattern here in the United States as well. I think restaurants do a cost benefit analysis and find that it's just not feasible to keep fully staffed operations after certain hours.

Slimswim

Perhaps it’s because there are companies like Deliveroo who deliver to your home now. We’ve never used them as we still use takeaways but I know the younger generation seem to use them.

I agree.
Do the the majority of the younger generation actually cook anything?
Also the price of delivered food seems very expensive to me.

They are always complaining about living costs. How do they afford it?

Where l.live .There seems to be tons of these Deliveroos especially from tea time until later at night.

They all cycle on the pavements by the way. Instead of the cycle lanes which the Blessed Andy Burnham had built at the cost of millions of pounds.

Our local takeaways are very expensive even for simple meals.
Even a carton of chips can set you back about £3.50.

Lack of business. People fancy cooking for themselves.

Pubs are vinishing, people have changed.

The restaurants I go to in the Algarve don’t open until 7pm. Then they stay open until about 11pm. Depends when people have finished eating. It’s not unusual for large groups to come in after 9pm. It’s probably different on the coast of course.
Lunchtimes are from 12 ish to 3pm.

I have 2 pub/restaurants near me, one with accommodation, but neither are in walking distance for most patrons. Taking Little Dog out, I’m surprised to see the carparks at both almost empty by 8.15 to 8.30pm. The only exception was a quiz night at one of them.
Now, Sunday lunch time is a different story - both are heaving.

Went to a pub with a friend a few years ago - middle of winter, snow on the ground and after we’d eaten, we were asked to leave, as the manager said it wasn’t worth keeping the place open just for us. We were left standing outside waiting half an hour for my DH to pick us up!

TillyTrotter

There are 24 hour KFC’s & McDonalds on the outskirts of our town but not in residential areas, on retail parks.
They are no use to people who walk home from the pub but plenty who drive around in cars use them.

People move next to a residential area chippy etc and then complain about late hours, noise and smell, and councils uphold

We have several coffee shops but they all close at 3pm!

Sure have, everyone staying in their own little pods, they dont socialise, there lives revolve around their phones, social media etc, no wonder theres so much mental health, no one knows how to have fun

Our chippy shuts at 7pm but it totally gone crap. I am sure it’s not cod they are selling.

The market has been evolving with the introduction, and now swamping, of streaming services. People remain at home to watch what they want on their own large screen TVs or laptops. Cinemas have been closing for years, many restaurants and pubs folded after lockdown. Where I live there's no food available after 9.00 pm and even the fish and chip sellers encourage you to ring in your order so they can plan and not have food going to waste, However, people are relatively healthy around here - not seen a Deliveroo rider since moving out of London!

My gym and pool has started closing at 9pm instead of 10.
Maybe it's everything!

On a recent visit home to U.K we were unable to get food in a pub after 7.30p.m which seemed crazy. The chippy was the only alternative.

jakuss

Sure have, everyone staying in their own little pods, they dont socialise, there lives revolve around their phones, social media etc, no wonder theres so much mental health, no one knows how to have fun

We have lots of fun, really enjoy having close friends over to dinner. Have never enjoyed pubs/takeaways very much.

Yes Cardomom, i remember about 20 years ago or so, when we'd meet friends at a social club near her for drinks till about 11.30pm or after then we would always nip round to the chippy nearby it to get fish suppers before walking down to her house.Also,the buses used to run much later even about 10 years ago- i used to go out with another friend who would go catch the 'late bus' home at 11.30pm. Now they dont seem to run that late.

some of the takeaways here close in the early hours of the morning

WithNobsOnIt

Slimswim

Perhaps it’s because there are companies like Deliveroo who deliver to your home now. We’ve never used them as we still use takeaways but I know the younger generation seem to use them.

I agree.
Do the the majority of the younger generation actually cook anything?
Also the price of delivered food seems very expensive to me.

They are always complaining about living costs. How do they afford it?

Where l.live .There seems to be tons of these Deliveroos especially from tea time until later at night.

They all cycle on the pavements by the way. Instead of the cycle lanes which the Blessed Andy Burnham had built at the cost of millions of pounds.

Our local takeaways are very expensive even for simple meals.
Even a carton of chips can set you back about £3.50.

my kids in their 20s who have their own places, cook their own dinners. I get no end of photographs...also a modern phenomena