We're closed! Get out!

[draftermatt]

The only time I worked in a place that closed early, we only did it when the owner told us to. That place never made any money (I'm talking about like $200 a day) so he would tell us to close up by 6 or whenever.

I'm sure it lost us some business that hastened our going out of business, but when you aren't making enough to pay the bills, let alone the employees, something's gotta give.

[ahanix1989]

I don't mind if some people linger after close to finish eating. I wouldn't want to be rushed in that situation. We tell them that the place is closing in X minutes, and while they are more than welcome to stay, the doors will be locked from the outside.

What I do mind is when they come up to the counter 20 minutes after close complaining that we never came around with breadsticks.

1. The second we close, I go through and shut off everything. Pole lights, monitors, pasta cooker, steamtable, ovens, hotbox, drain all the water...
2. The dining room worker goes home at 9:00
3. I'm busy closing, and my arms are covered in old noodles

[Arcade Man D]

Here's my closing routine, though I don't use it often, due to my promotion putting me mainly on opening shifts, though I still get it Sunday evenings.

1 hour before close: Announce that closing will be in one hour.

30 minutes before close: Announce closing will be in half an hour, please take that into consideration with token purchase and gameplay decisions.

Keep announcing that every five minutes thereafter, including that the ticket counter will be closed for ticket redemption immediately at close.

Two minutes before close: "The arcade will be closing in two minutes. If you wish to redeem tickets tonight, I will need them at the counter by closing time. If you still have tokens remaining at the end of the day, you may bring them back at any other time we are open. Thank you, and have a good day."

Closing: Turn off token changers, as we are closed. "Attention patrons. We are now closed, please finish up your current game and then make you way to the exit. I ask that you do not begin any new games at this time."

((If there are still people there...))

Five minutes after close: "While we appreciate your patronage, we'd like to ask you to leave now if you have completed your game. Do not continue or start new games at this point."

Seven or more minutes after close: Anyone who has disregarded my instructions about new games or continues gets their game unplugged.


The reason for this? There is no such thing as an emergency, or even urgent reason to be in an arcade. None at all. Therefore you can leave at close and come back later.

[smileyeagle1021]

This might be a coworker complaint, but here goes.
Background, we have 2 call centers, charleston and salt lake. Both close at 11pm local time. All the hotels that participate in our program are assigned to one or the other, not both. Without fail, every night starting just after 9pm (11pm in Charleston) I start getting calls rolling over because the hotels are still transferring to macro. Now, this is a disservice to me, the guest, and the hotel. Oddly enough all three are for the same reason, the hotels information is only stored on the local intranet, so I can't get all the information I need for the guest (special rates, hotel information, etc), so now I have to struggle through a call, the guest doesn't get the service they deserve, and the hotel has left a bad impression on one of their customers... all because an operator couldn't look at a watch or worse knew all the problems and still transferred because they are lazy.