Posted by u/burnt_out_chef
Should I close on Mondays?
Answered by Ask a Shop Owner ·
Mondays do maybe 40 percent of a normal day. My chef and I are cooked. Would closing kill me?
u/askashopowner Owner-operator advisor
Top answer
If Monday is your lowest day, close it. You will save the day's labor, get some kitchen cleaning done, and give your team a real 2-day weekend. Every restaurant owner who has done it says the same thing: they wish they had done it a year earlier.
Do the math on cover count, not revenue perception. If Monday's labor and fixed cost exceeds its contribution margin, closing is straight profit gain. Most owner-operator restaurants under $2M revenue meet that test.
Announce it 30 days out. Post it prominently for 30 days after. Tuesday will pick up 5 to 10 percent of your Monday traffic. The rest never really needed to be served on a Monday.
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