Why do restaurants and takeaways close so early now?

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.

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.

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.

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! 😡

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 think it depends on your location . I’m London /Surrey border and restaurants and take aways close quite late . The pubs which serve food , stop taking orders at about 9.30 .
My AC both live in London and restaurants and fast food places are open very late

Yes, I remember those days! My dad and my older brothers usually came home with fish and chips when they had been to the pub. It was a normal thing to do, however, it wasn't a very healthy way to live really. Both my dad and one brother died fairly young, and the other brother went to live in Australia!
I don't have take-aways myself, and rarely go to the few chippies we have nearby.
Our local chippie closed during Covid and never re-opened...althought he local high street is full of fast-food places.
People are still storing up trouble for their long term health, it would seem...

I would love to have dinner at 8.30 or 9pm sometimes.

I can get an Indian meal at that time some days of the week but nothing else locally. Not even the Italian unless it's a weekend.

Also, it's often a Monday when we fancy a meal out. SO many places are closed altogether on a Monday!

I know times are tough (post covid) in hospitality.
😕

petra

Desdemona

I don't eat out much nowadays, and if I have a takeaway it is usually early in the evening.

But I remember when I was younger bing

Not enough customers to cover wages, energy costs, business rates. Simply put, they can’t afford too 😥

You beat me to it!

It's similar here in Germany. I don't know if it's because we're older, but since Covid we've started reserving tables for 6 pm whereas before, it was usual to meet for dinner at 7.30 or 8 pm.

The very good kebab shop in the nearest town to where I live stays open late, but the fish and chip shops close at about nine. We had fish and chips a few weeks ago, and it was £16 each, so I suspect most people who are eating late at night consider that is too steep a price to pay for food on the way home from a night out?

In our semi rural village the chippie closes at 9:30, the Indian takeaway 11.

MartavTaurus

GrannyGravy13

I think it depends on your location London is still open all hours as are other busy cities.

I was out with a friend a few weeks ago and still in the restaurant at midnight on a Thursday.

Yes. It's weird, that here in the west, Devon, everyone appears to go to bed at 6 pm, yet the sun sets here later!?
(Slight exaggeration, but the comparison is noticeable).

The restaurant was the local Malayan, reservations are like gold dust, food is excellent.

GrannyGravy13

I think it depends on your location London is still open all hours as are other busy cities.

I was out with a friend a few weeks ago and still in the restaurant at midnight on a Thursday.

Yes. It's weird, that here in the west, Devon, everyone appears to go to bed at 6 pm, yet the sun sets here later!?
(Slight exaggeration, but the comparison is noticeable).

I think it depends on your location London is still open all hours as are other busy cities.

I was out with a friend a few weeks ago and still in the restaurant at midnight on a Thursday.

Meant to say …. Food is so expensive now too. Yesterday I was in Tesco and picked up a modest piece of beef which was reduced - to £17.54! No way would I pay that for a small piece of meat. My shopping bill has soared in the past 12-18 months.

People can’t afford it now. We used to go out to cinema, theatre, club or pub then go and have a curry about 11pm and it was affordable. Not any more! You’re lucky to get anything after about 9pm as it’s not worth the takeaways and restaurants staying open any later.

I think it depends on the location. We lived near a busy tourist town in the NW of England for a long time. Magnet for hen and stag parties and most takeaway outlets were open until around 1am.
Here in our much quieter Scottish city, 9/10 pm seems to be the norm.

Yes. I've noticed when abroad that the final service is around 9 pm when most restaurants here are closing up at that time.

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.