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Labor Day is just around the corner and for restaurant owners, the question of staying open for the holiday is a weighty one. For Labor Day 2017, restaurants in San Antonio had the highest open rates at 96%, with Phoenix delivering the highest close rate at 53%.
According to Square seller data from Labor Day 2017, when it came to what cities had the most open or closed restaurants, the results were a mixed bag.
Whether talking about a family-owned restaurant or a single franchise, this is a segment dominated by small business owners. And in an industry where the margins averaged around 6% for the past 12 months, according to Forbes, closing is not an option for many operators.
On the Square blog, the company says staying open on a federal holiday should be based on a number of different factors, including the norms of the city in which your restaurant is located. It goes on to say, “While broad trends like this can help you determine what is relatively normal in your region, you shouldn’t base your decision on trends alone. You need to look at the norms in your area, labor costs, and the performance of your business during similar periods.”
Square got its data by studting the activities of restaurants using its products and services (or not using them) over Labor Day 2017. The percentages were taken by comparing restaurants that were open on Labor Day to the number open an average Monday.
Cities with the Most Restaurants Open on Labor Day – and the Least
The cities with the most closed restaurants included a surprising number of large tourist destinations. These included Phoenix at 53%, Orlando at 41%, Honolulu at 35% and Chicago at 35%.
When it came to open restaurants, San Antonio’s 96% was followed by Brooklyn at 89%, Sacramento at 85%, Washington DC at 84% and Seattle rounding out the top five at 83%.
You can look at the graphic below for the list.
Things to Consider
If you are looking to stay open on Labor Day, Square recommends a few considerations before you make the decision.
First, Square says you should look at how much business you did on the same holiday in the past. If you don’t have the data for Labor Day, you should look at a similar holiday to see the results.
Based on this, you can make a well-informed decision about whether you should open or close for the day.
Another important factor is the labor cost of staying open. Because labor laws vary by state, and even by county and city according to Square, make sure you will be in the black at the end of the day if you choose to open.
Some of the other factors you should consider include activities in your area which may bring in additional visitors, the number of staff you’ll need to stay open, and whether you want to stay open all day or not.
Happy Labor Day!
Photo via Shutterstock
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