and after a 12-13 year hiatus I'm bringing back my night shift.  Many moons ago in a fit of major frustration I dumped night shift and have done just fine with only breakfast and lunch, but not lately.  I've crunched the numbers six ways from Sunday and they don't look to bad.  While I'm not real keen on going back to a three shift store (gettin to old for this shit) I must say I am getting abit excited about next week (starts Monday).   Oh well, we"ll see.

Hmm, guess I'll have to come up with a new name for my lunch plate though (since I'll be selling it at night).

Ray

http://www.dallasfamouschicken.com/

Dinner Plate?

Congrats or my condolences... Which ever one you want. :)

Food Write
The Responsible Serving of Alcoholic Beverages

Quote (original post by: Beth Food Write)

Hell I'm not sure which it is either.  This is either the dumbest thing or the smartest thing I can do right now.  But I had to do something.  We've put out fliers, told everybody and their brother and have banners up, so we'll see.  It was odd leaving for the store at 9:00 instead of 4:30am like I've done for the past 20some odd years.  It will really be strange getting home at 10:30 or so instead of my usual 5:30 t0 6.

Have actually done a few customers since 2 (our old closing time).  It will be interesting to see how our first night plays out.  Well guess I'd better go get everything set up for that big rush that we're going to get when the sun goes down.  Rock on.

Ray

http://www.dallasfamouschicken.com/

My place is only open for breakfast/lunch currently as well.  We, too, have been considering opening up until 9 pm, but it's the middle of the winter and with the economy the way it is, we're not so sure now is the right time.  We are thinking early Spring.

Let us know how it goes for you!!!!

Kristin

Well Ray...do share...how did it go????

Lizzie

Well Monday night went surprisingly well, better than I expected.  Eighty percent of my calculated break even.  Most of the people that came in had been in either for breakfast or lunch earlier in the day.  Tuesday night was not so good, cold and wet out.

Yeah doing this in the middle of winter wouldn't normally be my first choice as to timing but ,what the hell.  While it may be a bit of wishful thinking on my part I feel there are a few things that will work to my favor.  After 27 yrs we have built up a good customer base.  We did do nights for the first 15 yrs so lots of people still remember.  There is hardly a day goes by that somebody doesn't bug me about opening again in the evenings.  In the old days there was me and a Hardees next door with nothing but woods around us and nothing across from us.  Now I can stand in my parking lot , throw a rock and hit 4 other restaurants and a dozen other businesses.  So there is definitely some traffic around.

The question is wether I'm good enough to grab me a share of that traffic.  If I can pull this off now then when things pick up in the spring (more wishful thinking) (but they are building a WalMart right down the street)  we'll be good to go.

Ray

http://www.dallasfamouschicken.com/

Going home at 10:30 sounds good to me.  I am accustomed to seeing the paper boy on my way home.

Well after first week (Mon-Sat, closed Sunday) of nights I'm cautiously optimistic.  Last weeks average night was 65% of break even, I'll take that for a first week.   We'll see how this week goes.

Ray 

http://www.dallasfamouschicken.com/

Oh man, I should have done this a long time ago.  Oh well, hindsight is 20 20.  It's fun too.

Ray

http://www.dallasfamouschicken.com/

Now Ray, your mission should you decide to accept it...

You've built up a great breakfast and lunch business.  Dinner business sounds like it is going to be another profit center for your operation.  Your mission now is to figure out how to NOT lose the profits you earn at breakfast, lunch and dinner during the afternoon day part (2-5pm).   This thread will self-destruct in 5 seconds.

Several years ago, I learned a valuable lesson from Henry83565 and I believe that it relates to this thread in an indirect way and could even help some operators during these tougher economic times. 

Any ideas...anyone?