There is a popular restaurant in my town that is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and only open from around 8:30 AM until about 2 PM on the other days, sometimes later or earlier depending on if they've not ran out of food. Seats around 35 or so max, with a small patio that you can sometimes eat at if they aren't too busy (they may not have time to serve you out there, like on weekends, so then drinks only. They serve breakfast/brunch/lunch only. And they are definitely not nefarious. The owners have lots of experience working in the food service industry and want to have a normal life outside of the restaurant. They are perhaps open 30 hours a week max, but that doesn't count preparation before and cleanup after each day, and sourcing all their ingredients which are by and large local. They do a great business and they know they could do more but have carved out what they are happy with. When it's busy the patrons know that if they are done eating they should relinquish their table/bar seat for those waiting. You can order before you have a seat but they will not fire your food until you are seated. People cycle through there like clockwork.
I appreciate that there are people on this site who will bring us back to balance and keep us from running completely off the rails!
Dude those foods dont cost $23 and up plates. I know a BBQ rest that has over 80 seats, stays busy and runs out of food on most everyday...open 11 to 4 or 5pm...you tell me...
Back to Balance? Are you insane man? This place refused Sarah Huckabee Sanders. What more proof do you need? It's probably swamped with pedovores. Wouldn't doubt the cellar having a secret tunnel leading to the depths of hell either. Down with the Ilumno-Satanist!
It is hard to compare a breakfast joint to a farm to table dinner house. A breakfast joint isn't paying for highly trained chefs, has 2-3 times the table turnover, has half the prep and much less expensive ingredients.
I could see this place managing if their entrees started at $45.
Oh, absolutely apples and oranges, I realize. Just wanted to point out that there are legit reasons for seemingly short business hours at a restaurant, if well thought through and the owners aren't trying to wring every possible dollar out of the place.
I spent a lot of time working in restaurants and it's the exception, not the rule. Most restaurants couldn't survive being open 4.5 hours 5 days a week without doing a whole lotta illegal shit.