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What does "Sunday 4pm - 11pm" mean to you?

My husband and I planned to check out a new local restaurant recently. We checked the website, which listed the hours as follows:

"Now Open - a complete website coming soon!
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 4pm–11pm
Friday & Saturday 4pm–2am"

After a movie, we showed up at the restaurant at about 10:00 on Sunday night, expecting to be able to get food. The waitress/hostess told us that the kitchen had closed at 9:00 because they were really slow, and that they were only open for cocktails. I expressed my surprise, saying that I had checked the website and that it said they were open until 11:00. She replied, "We are open until 11. For cocktails."

Am I totally out of line thinking that if the website says that they're open until 11, I should be able to get food at 10? If they're going to close the kitchen at 9,shouldn't the website disclose that information? Is it also unreasonable to expect the waitress to apologize for the confusion and lack of clarity on the website? I left feeling moderately irritated, because it meant we had to change our plans in the middle of date night and because I felt like the waitress hadn't been even remotely conciliatory - I felt like she acted like "I" was the crazy one, expecting a restaurant to seve food at 10:00 on Sunday night. My husband tells me that I'm crazy and totally blowing the whole thing out of proportion. What do you think?

Emily Steed asked in Eating Out about 1 year ago | Report

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  • Avatar_default
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    If they are open and serving cocktails they also have to have "minimum food service" at all times that liquor is being served, according to the WSLCB.

    I also don't like the "we close when it is slow" attitude of a lot of restaurants. Pick a time and stick with it. Come up with a late night menu that you can cook with one person in the kitchen. I can guarantee that if they keep closing when it gets slow, the slow will start happening sooner and sooner.

    Sparky answered in Eating Out about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Gold-head_small
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    You are right, they are wrong.

    However, they're just getting the hang of it, so they're making moderately forgivable mistakes. But they really should change their website to reflect reality. "Kitchen closes at 9" takes only a second to type.

    Fnarf answered in Eating Out about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Medium_2868373187_b2c11c89cf_o_small
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    Sounds like a new place (going by the fact that they are still working on a website). I would cut them some slack, they are probably still getting their name out there and trying to cut costs. The kitchen probably closed early because they were paying a bunch of chefs to stand around and do nothing.

    You are right to be irritated a bit, and it is not a good way to get their reputation out there - even if it cost them some money in the long run they'd gain more from reputation by serving food till they say they will - but new places struggle a lot to survive and need to do whatever they think they can to make it.

    Basil answered in Eating Out about 1 year ago | Report
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  • Cappa_small
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    I empathize, but I would regard any "restaurant" hours after 9pm suspiciously and I have been disappointed often enough in the way you describe to call ahead to confirm standard kitchen closure hours. I've found that it isn't unusual for restaurants (around here in particular as well as around the country in general) to close the kitchen or move to a very limited late-night menu after 9pm.

    Hell, for some places like Malay Satay Hut, I don't even trust the posted days they're "supposed" to be open, much less the hours.

    capicola answered in Eating Out about 1 year ago | Report
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    If it was primarily a bar or something - i.e. if it were advertised as a bar/cocktail lounge and the restaurant bit was secondary - then I don't think there'd be anything wrong with the kitchen closing so early.

    But from the sound of things this place is primarily a restaurant - so yeah, I would definitely expect to be able to get food at 10pm if they advertise that they're open until 11pm.

    I'd say moderate irritation is warranted. (Especially given the waitress's attitude).

    NowhereMan answered in Eating Out about 1 year ago | Report
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  • 195553_1156798318_1946354_n_small
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    you are right i own a pizzeria in ki Kirkland called tavolino's and we serve food till 1:
    30 am Sunday -Thursday & 2:30 on Fri & sat if that helps give us a call @ 425-825-1600

    Dave Downing answered in Eating Out about 1 year ago | Report
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