Why So Many Restaurants Are Closed On Mondays

If there's a day of the week that people generally despise, it's Monday. After all, Fats Domino called it "Blue Monday," the Bangles deemed it "Manic Monday," and the Boomtown Rats clearly confessed, "I Don't Like Mondays." The first day of the workweek is so dreaded that there's even a term for how we feel the afternoon and evening before, the Sunday Scaries. But restaurant workers and owners may disagree given that it is often the only night of the week a restaurant is closed. As the slowest night of the week, it's the least financially successful and may cost restaurant owners more to open than to stay closed. And that means owners and staff get a well-earned night off.

A 2024 report from Toast confirms that consumers are loath to go out on Monday nights. The digital platform for restaurants says that just 6% of restaurant reservations are made for Monday nights, followed by Tuesday nights, which account for just 8%. And it isn't just restaurants — it's also the best day to shop at Trader Joe's.

It's hard to find statistics that identify how many restaurants actually close on Mondays, but industry insiders generally agree that smaller, independently-owned restaurants are more likely to close than chain restaurants. Chains generally have bigger staffs and are owned by big companies or shareholders focused on profitability. For smaller operators, the cost to open and the ability to staff a restaurant on Mondays may be more challenging than it's worth.

After a weekend of going out and indulging their pocketbooks and their appetites, people are more inclined to stay home on Mondays, and, if they do go out, they spend less, particularly on alcohol. Restaurant-goers may also be a little worried that the food won't be as fresh on Mondays. Although Anthony Bourdain backtracked his advice to avoid ordering fish on Mondays, many people are still concerned that their local favorite is relying on food delivered before the weekend. Bourdain, in an Insider Tech video, acknowledged that since more restaurants were open seven days a week, people could get food deliveries whenever needed.

It appears, however, that times may literally be changing. The Toast report says that, compared to 2023, Monday and Tuesday night reservations made on the platform increased 11%, while Saturday night reservations dropped by 1%. Preferred days of the week aren't the only things that are changing — so are the most popular restaurant reservation times. It seems more people may be looking for early bird specials and happy hours. While the busiest times for reservations are still 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., reservations for 4 p.m. were up 3% and up 8% for 5 p.m. Higher-end restaurants are also starting to open on Mondays, since it is a good night to host other restaurant workers as well as loyal customers. Who knows? Maybe Monday nights will end up being the new Thursdays.