When my boyfriend and I kicked off our romantic journey, after-work late-night dinners were the order of the day; our jobs – his at an Apple Store and mine as a restaurant backwaiter-often had us seeking a restaurant that would accept us by 10 p.m. I noticed a difference in our attitudes, however, he would shy away from restaurants approaching closure within 30 minutes, unlike me who cherished the thrill of an impromptu late-night meal.

It seems my view isn't the commonly held one. A poll I conducted on Instagram revealed that a total of 60% of the 136 respondents prefer to land at a restaurant an hour before closing time. 34% were comfortable with a half-hour margin, and a meager 5% would arrive either 15 minutes before closing or exactly at closing time.

The results got me curious, had I been unknowingly causing inconvenience to restaurant staff with my last-minute requests for tables? To uncover this, I decided to seek insights from personnel in the hospitality industry.

Contrary to my assumption that any time before official closing hours is good enough for restaurant visits, hospitality workers argue that that’s not always the case. The type of restaurant, among other factors, can significantly influence the "acceptable" arrival time for diners. For instance, high-end establishments like the now-defunct language madre, 2022 F&W Best New Chef Ana Castro’s previous venture with a Mexican-oriented tasting menu lasting about two and a half hours, were not designed for last-minute walk-ins.

Castro’s new venture, Acamaya, is a different story. Thanks to its more casual, a la carte set-up, the New Orleans restaurant can comfortably accommodate guests close to its listed closing time of 9:30 p.m. However, there’s a catch: guests have to order their meals all at once (save for dessert) to facilitate faster service before the kitchen begins its closing routine.

Fast-food restaurants like Chipotle and Sweetgreen, with their previously prepared ingredients, might not find last-minute guests disconcerting. Though perhaps opting for a to-go order could lighten the burden on the staff, giving them a chance to close shop punctually.

On some occasions like Saturday nights, a last-minute visit could be accommodated without much hassle. "If the energy is high, with the restaurant bustling, then why not! I’d extend the closing time to around 10 or 10:15 p.m.," Castro adds. However, on slow days like Sundays and Mondays, she tends to stop seatings much earlier.

Other restaurateurs like Claudette Zepeda, a chef based in San Diego, will seat a guest even at the nick of closing time provided there’s space. After all, turning down potential income makes little sense to most businesses.

The duration of your meal can also determine whether your arrival time will inconvenience the restaurant. But don’t fret if you’re running late and feeling peckish-cocktail bars with late servings of snacks remain an excellent option.

In Washington, D.C., Pascual's 2023 F&W Best New Chef Isabel Coss will serve walk-ins near closing time, provided they place their orders quickly. She believes the kitchen's closing time (20 minutes following the public closing hours) forms the threshold for taking orders.

The general takeaway is to be considerate, especially if you arrive close to closing time. If the staff appears to be doing you a favor, acknowledge it and ensure that you don’t waste their time. And if in doubt, a quick call to inquire about their policy wouldn’t harm. As I often reassure my boyfriend: “There’s no harm in asking."