AIBU to expect cafés to stay open after 4pm?

Yes, you're being very unreasonable!

If it were profitable they would stay open - they're not a social service.

I was puzzled by this on our recent holiday. Don't people want afternoon tea anymore?

Probably run by mums with school age children who need to get home

Found the same locally. I think some start cafes thinking it’s easy profitable work, but probably far from it. Not sure if many have a business brain.

I know the one I often go to clears up by 4 and the lady that runs it doesn’t have children and most of the staff are teenagers
I guess with an hour clearing up that is a 9 to 5 day, then the pub grubs take over
They do do lovely cakes and scones but think they are bought at all times of the day

I don't think they are unreasonable hours for a café.

When my children were young there were a few cafes near the primary school that didn’t open until 10.00. I always thought they were missing out on custom from people dropping off children who may have liked to meet friends for coffee before going home.

I always thought it was the law that tea time was 4 pm. When I was at work, the tea trolley was wheeled past my office at 4 pm. Everyone would then meet in the Common Room for a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

I think the days of afternoon teatime are long gone LLFL

The business is doing what profits the business.

BlueBelle

I know the one I often go to clears up by 4 and the lady that runs it doesn’t have children and most of the staff are teenagers
I guess with an hour clearing up that is a 9 to 5 day, then the pub grubs take over
They do do lovely cakes and scones but think they are bought at all times of the day

Might be an 8am start BlueBelle if they bake and other prep before opening, so a longer day which I think is enough.

If cafes could do enough business after 4.00pm, then they would stay open.

Many cafes also open quite early in the morning, some as early as 7.00am to do breakfasts. It can be a long day and they need at least an hour after shut down to clean up and make sure there cleanliness etc adheres to the highest standards.

Many cafes are run by couples or families, often without extra staff, or a few waitresses at busiest times.

If you want tea or coffee all hours go to a Starbucks or Costa Coffee or Cafe nero.

I frequently stay at a small hotel in Dorset. They have always done bed and breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. During my most recent visit I was speaking with the proprietor. He said he has stopped serving afternoon tea as there was no longer any profit in it.
They stop serving once the lunches are over. The proprietor broke down the figures involved, staff wages etc. and I could clearly see his point of view in closing earlier.

If it paid them to stay open, they would. It obviously doesn't. Cafes and restaurants are already struggling with supplier, wages and other overheads costs, not least of which is the massive hike in the cost of energy, which has been the last straw for some. Once late lunches are out of the way, it's hardly worth staying open for the odd cup of coffee.

I think that, as others have said, a lot of work goes into running a cafe. Not only do they have to clean up after everyone has left, if they sell home made cakes etc that’s probably when they start making them ready to sell the next day. So it’s a long day, and they have homes and probably families to look after too.

I agree 4 o clock is reasonable especially as some start at 7.30 where I live, they catch the commuter trade.

I know why they close... but it IS exactly when I'd like afternoon tea!

I don't think we have that cafe culture mainland Europe enjoys, sometimes that is down to the fact they have more of a split day than we do here, siesta in the afternoon when it's a bit of a dead time but come late afternoon onwards it's all go again. I think it's quite usual for the cafe day to finish around 4ish here, it's a shame really, but as others have said it does take a lot of work to run such a business.

If you want tea or coffee all hours go to a Starbucks or Costa Coffee or Cafe nero.

And if you look at them, they are not usually busy after 4-ish.
So I guess it just isn't profitable for a small business to do.

Is there a chip shop with a seating area? Not quite the same, I know, but can be better than nothing.

I think this habit of closing early applies to pubs too. My DD lives in a popular town in an area that is frequented by lots of tourists. One of the best cafes to lunch in is not privately owned it serves not just tourists but the locals. It is always busy and often runs out of food just half hour after opening even in the winter.

A notice was put up recently stating they are only opening three days a week now. The money they will lose will be significant the tourists and locals who go there will be disappointed. My daughter asked why they changed their hours when it such a popular place she was told they won’t employ more staff !

Where we live two pubs have been totally refurbished to everyone’s delight initially. Both are very popular and service a large area but stop serving food early evening and close completely by 9 pm. What ever happened to going to the local pub for a quiet drink yet clubs in city centres are open 24/7 ?

Just returned from keswick. We tried to eat after 8.30 in most of the restaurant stopped serving. Also local fish n. CHip shop closed. We had to get a takeaway . Funny though it was a Saturday night.

I think that venues in tourist areas are missing a trick. There's custom to be had but maybe they make enough to not bother?

Paying staff and running costs to stay open for the odd cup of tea does not make business sense.

Bing on my own on and off I have so often wished for what they have on the continent - the evening local cafe.bar where its OK as a single woman to go in an sit and have a coffee etc and it be OK. Even in a city costa etc stop at 6pm, tho city centre cafe/bars are around they are really for the young and not the single really.

I know this is not strictly on topic, just wish, is all.....