Call ahead, because many Phoenix restaurants will be closed Labor Day
Sep 2, 2018, 4:54 AM | Updated: 10:03 am
(PIxabay Photo)
PHOENIX – If you’re planning to go out for a nice dinner on Labor Day, you better call ahead.
That’s because many restaurants in the Phoenix area will be closed Monday – perhaps more than half.
“That’s according to Square, which is a point-of-sale register company,” David Landau, an adjunct faculty instructor for the Grand Canyon University hospitality program, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
“That half number might be a little misleading, but a great number of what we call sit-down, dining-type operations will be closed, and for good reason.”
According to Square’s statistics, 53 percent of Phoenix’s restaurants will be closed Labor Day, by far the highest percentage of any city in the country. Orlando, Florida, was No. 2 at 41 percent.
Landau said it makes sense for local restaurateurs to give their staff the day off.
“Our busy season in the Valley is right around the corner; it’s coming,” he said. “If you’re going to give your employees a chance to have a couple of days off, this is it.”
In addition it being a holiday, Landau said many restaurants that close once a week already do so on Mondays, which inflates the number of closed locations.
In addition, he said, it’s a slow time of year for tourism, a large source for restaurant business. And wealthy residents who eat often tend to leave town for the weekend or have cookouts at home.
That doesn’t mean you’ll have to go hungry, do your own cooking or order in.
“Look for that local neighborhood restaurant that isn’t dependent on the tourist crowd,” he said. “They’re going to be open. They’re going to be your best bet.”
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jeremy Foster contributed to this report.