In a recent social media discussion, Portland locals discussed why so many local restaurants had early closing hours. Naturally, this led to a large contingent who weren’t exactly happy with this culture, to say the least. So, first things first – why do so many Portland restaurants close early when compared to eateries in other cities?

As often in life, the main reason mostly boils down to cold economics. At some point, many restaurants realized that financially, it ate into their profits to be open after 9PM. So, some started closing around 8PM. Imagine owning a restaurant where its peak hours are between 6-9PM.

Financially, it just doesn’t make sense to continue operating and paying staff and utility bills after this period, if the number of diners doesn’t justify doing so. In this sense, this is why you won’t see a restaurant open at 3PM either – as it’s just an awkward time. Many locals also alluded that the post-covid economy had also made restaurants more financially wary compared to pre-2020.

Speaking on this, one person chimed in saying, “The reason is that a lot of people in this city are just plain lame” whilst another quipped, “I just got home from San Diego and was SHOCKED at how busy Gaslamp quarter was and how late everything was open until. Really highlighted how dead Portland is.” Lastly, one even went as far to say, “Portland has always been an early city. And a very lazy one.”

So, are these comments fair, or are they just plain nasty? Let us know what you think regarding the earlier closing hours of PDX restaurants.