How soon is it OK to arrive before a restaurant closes?

I'm in the business and this is my take on it.....we are open until 10:00pm which means we seat until 10:00pm. If a guest arrives at 9:45 they should expect the same menu options and service that one would receive at 7:00. Yes the kitchen begins breaking down but they don't have to put it back together, they can wait till the order is in and fire as necessary. Is it smart to call? Absolutely-it gives a heads up, but to ever ask a guest to leave or hurry up is unacceptable unless its a licensing issue (say you can only serve liquor till 2:00am for example). Is it nice to acknowledge to the server that you promise to hurry up and he can bring the bill as soon as the food is out, yes, but any decent restaurant would let you dine at your leisure and present the bill at the conclusion of your meal. Because you choose to come at the end of the night versus the beginning should have no bearing on the service. Its called the "hospitality" industry for a reason.

bucktownie in Not About Food