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It is not a particularly British concept, being able to get a decent meal at any time of the day, but an increasing number of
restaurants are deciding to extend their opening times to
24 hours a day.
And why not? Surely it would be a popular move for many customers wanting to chow down on their favourite dishes expertly cooked at any time of the day. It is something that has occurred for a long time in places such as
New York where the locals see it as completely normal, and this may well be the point.
The idea is a good one but can only work in certain places, such as New York and closer to home,
London. After all there are a number of considerations to be taken into account before providing a round the clock restaurant service.
Firstly there needs to be the demand for it as there is no point heating and staffing a restaurant with no people or very few customers in it. Another consideration is continuing to maintain high standards as the people who want to eat a sumptuous meal at three o'clock in the morning will want it to maintain the quality expected at three o'clock in the afternoon. One of the reasons why the 24-hour restaurant trend is starting to kick off in Britain may be that the alcohol
licensing laws final make it more feasible. Without the possibility of a glass of vino alongside a fine meal then it loses its appeal for many, but it seems that this country is moving towards an anytime, anywhere dining society.
Some restaurants already open much later than others, with food offered until two or three o'clock in the morning. But this begs the question, what kind of a crowd are these restaurants targeting?
If it is those rolling out of the pub then maybe this will not fit with the overall standard of the restaurant at other times of the day and could ruin what is otherwise a good reputation.On the other hand international businessmen arriving in the capital late and from another time zone may relish the fact that they can secure a decent meal without hassle. This could lead to more daytime and early evening business in the long term and could therefore make it a good business move.
These considerations should all be taken into account before a restaurant decides not to close its doors at the usual end of service.
