A Minor Complaint

[robyn]

I am planning our larger meals in Paris now. And - as I have mentioned before - I have to pace them. No way I can eat large meals every night we're there. Although we'll be in Paris for a little over a week - it is very difficult planning because many higher end restaurants are closed at least 2 days a week - or sometimes 3 (a combination of Saturdays/Sundays/Mondays are most common - although some restaurants are closed all 3 days).

I know this is nothing new - but why is this the case? Certainly it is not unusual where I live for a restaurant to be closed 1 day a week (usually Sunday) - 2 is very unusual - and 3 is unheard of. BTW - this is a great reason to buy a restaurant guide like Michelin or Zagat's or both (both have listings of restaurants open on certain days of the week).

Also - in terms of higher end restaurants - is there any time of the week when it's better to eat than others (e.g., Tuesday versus Saturday etc.). Robyn

[42390]

I've heard it is because of the 35 hour work week. When that law passed a few years ago instead of hiring more workers business owners just chose to reduce hours of operation. Not sure if this is true but sounds likely.

The rationale behind the 35 hour work week was since 35/40 = .875, the result of a 35 hour work week would be that 12.5% more people would need to be employeed to maintain pre law levels of business activity.

My guess is that Monday is a slow day for restaurants so rather than hire more people to support a slow day of the week the best choice would be to close.

[fresh_a]

It's been in effect way before the 35 hour work week.

[John Talbott]

I am planning our larger meals in Paris now.  And - as I have mentioned before - I have to pace them.  No way I can eat large meals every night we're there.  Although we'll be in Paris for a little over a week - it is very difficult planning because many higher end restaurants are closed at least 2 days a week - or sometimes 3 (a combination of Saturdays/Sundays/Mondays are most common - although some restaurants are closed all 3 days).

I know this is nothing new - but why is this the case?  Certainly it is not unusual where I live for a restaurant to be closed 1 day a week (usually Sunday) - 2 is very unusual - and 3 is unheard of.  BTW - this is a great reason to buy a restaurant guide like Michelin or Zagat's or both (both have listings of restaurants open on certain days of the week).

I think it's more often that they're closed Sat and Sun or Sun and Mon than all three.

Also - in terms of higher end restaurants - is there any time of the week when it's better to eat than others (e.g., Tuesday versus Saturday etc.).  Robyn

←

One could once fear fish on Mondays or Tuesdays but I thinnk that's no longer the case. I find the days about equal.

[lapin d'or]

Sounds like employees get more respect in France. Restaurants have summer vacation closures and staff gets 2 days in a row off. I doubt the staff are complaining.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

Ducasse and some others serve only seven meals a week. That's because they want to keep only one team. That's also because fine dining is more and more about the happiness of the chefs -- see l'Astrance, Spring, Ducasse indeed...

Actually, as Degusto would argue, it's impossible to maintain real fine dining levels with frequent openings. If you are open 365/7 then you have to have an industrial approach to your production (and sourcing), even if it is high end. Those who still make a difference between an industrial and a human process can taste the difference.

[PhilD]

I suspect there are a number of factors that will contribute:

Economic - when you can charge €300 to €400 a head and get high levels of occupancy for most services I guess you will cover your fixed overheads quite quickly. Couple this with the fact that quite a number of restaurants are well established, in premises they may well own and thus have minimal rent or mortgage payments. And then throw in interiors that are nurtured and evolve rather than multi million dollar designer ego trips. I imagine the pressure to fill the seats twice a day, seven days a week isn't that strong.

Economic x 2 - a lot of wealthy Parisians escape to the country at the weekend, if your prime market decamps at the weekend, it makes sense to follow suite. Close the restaurant and head to your home in the country. The same happens in the Summer/Christmas - those Parisians that can afford to leave, leave. Thus it is not worth opening shops and restaurants (and it is a good time to dig up the roads).

Tradition - the French love and respect tradition. There is little pressure to move towards an "industrial approach" the craftsman is respected and admired. In-fact there is a lot of resistance to what is termed the "anglo saxon" influence (UK/US socio economic models), instead there is a strong preference to retain the traditional French approach. The long summer breaks, bridging the days between bank holidays and weekends, not opening shops on Sunday (although this is threatened with change and I hope it is resisted), and restaurants keeping idiosyncratic hours. I love it and would hate France (and Spain, and Italy) to lose these traditions - it made living in France really civilised.

And as Julot says it really does help to keep the standards high, the team is fresh and it is likely that the chef with their name on the door may actually be behind the pass - thankfully no one has gone as far a Adria and closes for 6 months a year..

[David Naylor]

It is also very expensive to employ staff in France. Whilst in the States the employer pays not much more than $2 an hour and expects the customer to leave a little extra to pay his wage bill.

Civilised country? Hey that quaint little thing called slavery.

Edited June 3, 2008 by David Naylor (log)

[Andy Fenn]

London is not quite so limiting, but some only open Mon-Fri (Gordon Ramsay, Tom Aikens) and a whole load open Mon-Fri and Saturday dinner only. So it's impossible to take advantage of well priced lunch menus.

I can understand why they do it - mid-week lunchers are likely to be business and therefore spend higher on wine - but I do think it's a shame.