Two-and-a-half years into a pandemic that’s turning endemic, bars and restaurants are finding they need to do healthy business earlier in the day for a simple reason: Late-night eating and drinking just isn’t what it was. And it may never be again. “Happy hour and early evenings are much more robust than pre-pandemic,” said Long Room co-owner Jason Burrell. “People are going out earlier and getting home earlier — myself included.” Even as business climbs back to pre-pandemic levels for many bars and restaurants, owners say the late-night crowd has remained stubbornly elusive, leading countless establishments to close earlier or even open fewer days during the week. Many bar and restaurant operators are mostly left to guess why. Most obvious are pandemic restrictions, which bred new habits that haven’t gone away with a return to normal operations. Also, countless people continue working from home or in a hybrid model that has them out earlier, even in the middle of the day with a laptop while working. There are other factors, too, like the expense of ride-sharing services spiking late at night. Either way, many bars and restaurants are recalibrating how late they’re open as they adjust to shifting consumer habits. Tap the link in our bio to learn more. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
October 12, 2022
Two-and-a-half years into a pandemic that’s turning endemic, bars and restaurants are finding they need to do healthy business earlier in the day for a simple reason: Late-night eating and drinking just isn’t what it was. And it may never be again.
“Happy hour and early evenings are much more robust than pre-pandemic,” said Long Room co-owner Jason Burrell. “People are going out earlier and getting home earlier — myself included.”
Even as business climbs back to pre-pandemic levels for many bars and restaurants, owners say the late-night crowd has remained stubbornly elusive, leading countless establishments to close earlier or even open fewer days during the week. Many bar and restaurant operators are mostly left to guess why.
Most obvious are pandemic restrictions, which bred new habits that haven’t gone away with a return to normal operations. Also, countless people continue working from home or in a hybrid model that has them out earlier, even in the middle of the day with a laptop while working.
There are other factors, too, like the expense of ride-sharing services spiking late at night. Either way, many bars and restaurants are recalibrating how late they’re open as they adjust to shifting consumer habits.
Tap the link in our bio to learn more. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
“Happy hour and early evenings are much more robust than pre-pandemic,” said Long Room co-owner Jason Burrell. “People are going out earlier and getting home earlier — myself included.”
Even as business climbs back to pre-pandemic levels for many bars and restaurants, owners say the late-night crowd has remained stubbornly elusive, leading countless establishments to close earlier or even open fewer days during the week. Many bar and restaurant operators are mostly left to guess why.
Most obvious are pandemic restrictions, which bred new habits that haven’t gone away with a return to normal operations. Also, countless people continue working from home or in a hybrid model that has them out earlier, even in the middle of the day with a laptop while working.
There are other factors, too, like the expense of ride-sharing services spiking late at night. Either way, many bars and restaurants are recalibrating how late they’re open as they adjust to shifting consumer habits.
Tap the link in our bio to learn more. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
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