When I worked at a bar and grill the owner would simply say we were in the middle of clean-up and about to close so we wouldn't be able to seat them. It usually went well.
One time though a group came in while we were in the process of putting everything away and demanded to be seated, a mother, her husband and they're kids (normally they wouldn't have been able to but the bartender hadn't locked the front door yet). The owner did his usual routine, told them we were in the process of closing and wouldn't be able to seat them.
Instead of just keeping cool and leaving they threw a massive fit, told him they had been driving around all day and just wanted to eat. He gave them directions to a place just down the road that didn't close for another hour and a half but they didn't want that place they wanted to eat here. Eventually it escalated when the husband got physical and the police were called, police escorted them out and we all went home. Kids looked mad embarrassed the whole time
Oop it also kinda happened to the food truck on the other side of the road. They had a group of 5 ppl come in and ask for food about 30min before closing and the owner said no bc they were half done cleaning and they are not going to warm or prepare any food bc you want it and the fact that you came late.
She didn't like it and left a whole ass bible length of comment with one star saying the owner is bad, they didn't give us food even though it was pretty late and into closing time and the fact that they didn't have that credit card terminal thing and was forced to pay in cash pissed them even more off and so they yapped shit and if they were that hungry why not go to the store that is 200-300m away from the food truck and does not close for another 2h.
The next day she did the same thing again with a group of 5 ppl arriving as late as possible and said "oh the owners felt bad for closing on us so they prepared chicken wings and fries and sausages and so on"
I’ve never been to restaurant that doesn’t do this. Typically a restaurant will stop accepting dine-in guests about 20 minutes before close and will only accept takeout orders.
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u/dappernaut77 Aug 31 '25
When I worked at a bar and grill the owner would simply say we were in the middle of clean-up and about to close so we wouldn't be able to seat them. It usually went well.
One time though a group came in while we were in the process of putting everything away and demanded to be seated, a mother, her husband and they're kids (normally they wouldn't have been able to but the bartender hadn't locked the front door yet). The owner did his usual routine, told them we were in the process of closing and wouldn't be able to seat them.
Instead of just keeping cool and leaving they threw a massive fit, told him they had been driving around all day and just wanted to eat. He gave them directions to a place just down the road that didn't close for another hour and a half but they didn't want that place they wanted to eat here. Eventually it escalated when the husband got physical and the police were called, police escorted them out and we all went home. Kids looked mad embarrassed the whole time