“Customer habits changed after the pandemic. When the curfews were in force we moved the hours forward and people got used to coming to dinner at eight in the afternoon. Now, we continue with two shifts and the first one from 8:30 p.m. to 10 a.m. works very well.” Carlos Langreo, co-owner of the Bacira restaurant in the traditional Chamberí neighborhood of Madrid, does not understand that the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, attacked the restaurant hours. “She herself realized her mistake. There are not many restaurants, at least in Madrid, where you can go to dinner at 1 in the morning. As for compliance with working conditions, it is a matter of standards and greater inspections,” he assures.
This entrepreneur opened Bacira 10 years ago with two other partners, chefs like him. And like him, tired of exhausting schedules in his sector. Therefore, now they apply reason. “This is a business to serve customers and adapt to their demands. When there are no reservations, we leave earlier. And when there is no income, we adjust. For example, last summer the partners were left unpaid to pay payroll and taxes,” he acknowledges.
Restaurants with quality projects or establishments that take care of their staff usually maintain staff for years. “It is true that adapting the workforce to extended hours is a challenge for which solutions must be sought. Higher margin establishments can raise salaries or be more flexible with their hours. For the little ones with less margin, the solution becomes complicated. But banning does not solve any problem and puts not only the restaurants' business at risk, but also that of their suppliers," admits José María Bonmatí, president of Aecoc, the distribution association and spokesperson for the Together for Hospitality Platform.
Langreo is clear about the consequences. “Topping closing times or adjusting to eight straight hours of work would mean reducing shifts and staff or raising prices. Which given the current situation, would mean less clientele and we start the wheel again. In the worst case scenario, it could mean closure,” he acknowledges.
Added to the tourist attraction of extended hours in Spanish restaurants is the country's culture. “The offer is attractive to consumers who, even in times of crisis, with skyrocketing inflation, prefer to save on white label products and go out to eat. Even the afternoon has been established and now people extend their after-dinner hours, when before it closed at noon,” insists Bonmatí.
A market study by the consulting firm Circana, specialized in the sector, ensures that Spanish restaurants, after being one of the most affected by the pandemic, “emerged as a leader in the recovery.” In 2023 it grew by 11%, the most in all of Europe. “In the midst of a challenging economic context (rising inflation), they prioritized the return to their consumption routines in bars and restaurants, demonstrating once again the cultural roots that restaurants have in daily Spanish life,” he points out. In this trend, nighttime catering (between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.) is relevant, it is the third time of day with the most traffic and contributes annual income of 4,000 million euros per year to the Spanish economy.
The view from the union world introduces some nuances. The head of hospitality at UGT Catalunya, Jesús Lodeiro, agrees that advancing closing hours in hospitality is “unviable due to a cultural issue.” Now, rather than modifying the schedules, he demands compliance with the collective agreement. “If they pay us extra and night shifts as required by law, I am already satisfied,” he says.
Marc Conte, CEO of Umai Group (Robata and Monster Sushi restaurants), describes Vice President Díaz's proposal as “unfortunate” and, like Lodeiro, defends that the key is to provide good working conditions in the sector. “Respect the two consecutive days of rest, pay the 25% extra for night shifts... we must all respect it,” insists this restaurant businessman, who regrets that the focus is always on this activity when other jobs also have schedules. complicated –health, security, transportation...–. At the Maleducat restaurant in the Sant Antoni neighborhood they have introduced a three-day break in a row to compensate for the hours and attract workers, explains Marc García, co-owner of the establishment.
The key, then, is to enforce current regulations and provide good conditions rather than cutting kitchen hours, which in very few cases goes beyond 11 p.m. Inspecció de Treball de Catalunya proposed fines of more than 1.6 million euros in the restoration for violations related to working time and overtime between 2022 and 2023, with a total of 2,204 actions in those two years.
