Why Are Chinese Restaurants Closed on Mondays? Answered

Last Updated on July 14, 2024 by Shari Mason

If you’re craving prompt and delicious food, a Chinese restaurant is the perfect choice. But have you ever noticed that many of these restaurants are closed on Mondays? Don’t worry, you’re not alone in noticing this.

Most Chinese restaurants tend to have different working days compared to other restaurants. But, really, why are Chinese restaurants closed on Mondays?

Read on, and let’s uncover why your favorite Chinese restaurant doesn’t keep normal working days.

Why Are Chinese Restaurants Closed Every Monday?

Some Chinese restaurants stay open for normal business hours for a week. But many Chinese restaurants shut their stores on Mondays because of some traditions and beliefs.

Small Chinese restaurants and family-owned businesses might be overwhelmed by the demand the large weekend crowds bring—so they need a day to rest.

Since weekends are the busiest times in Chinese restaurants, they believe the next day, Monday, is the least busy day of the week.

Also, some Chinese restaurants choose to close on Mondays due to delivery issues on Sundays, and it affects their food preparation every Monday. 

Read: What Kind Of Rice Do Chinese Restaurants Use?

Real Reason Behind It

It’s Their Day Off 

Small Chinese restaurants are commonly family-owned, which means a family runs the business, and the staff members might also be family members that work whole shifts.

Some Chinese family members prefer to have the same day off to spend time together, but it’s not always the scenario. 

Unlike small businesses, larger restaurants can continue the business for the whole week because of having enough employees to cover those on their day off.

Read: Why Did Graham Elliot Close His Restaurants?

Sunday Delivery Issues

After huge demand for its products on weekends, many restaurants usually experience delivery issues because their suppliers are closed on Sundays.

Restaurants need to restock their ingredients for their quality menu items. Most of the time, the head chef or manager chooses Monday as their stock replenishment day.

Monday is also a good day for restaurants to do a deep cleaning in the kitchen while the stocks are low, especially for a small family-owned restaurant.

It’s the Start of The Week

Many Chinese restaurants close on Monday because they believe it’s a certain day that is normally the least busy or the slowest in the restaurant industry.

“New beginnings are available to all of us over fifty times a year; they are called Mondays.”

Byron Pulsifer, Author

They believed that Monday was the start of school or work, so guests were less likely to dine in, and customers had already gone to their favorite restaurants on the weekend.

In some Chinese beliefs, Monday is the start of the week [1], and you should hold off, save, and not spend too much money at the beginning of the week.

Read: How Many Sweetie Pie Restaurants Are There?

Food Preparation

For smaller restaurants, stocking up on ingredients for Chinese food preparation for the entire week can be a problem because of some financial resources.

But food preparation is never an issue in larger restaurants with many staff members. Chinese chefs and employees would work on weekends and then could take their day off on Mondays.

Also, the Chef and Chinese cooks could leave their tasks to other cooks and team members on duty in chain restaurants. But what’s New York-style Chinese food?

Low Traffic 

In some Chinese traditions, Monday has the lowest traffic because it’s the first day of the week. Most people believe it is the slowest day, with fewer potential customers, like Tuesday.

Some Chinese restaurants believe it would be more costly to stay open and pay staff than the income they could generate on Mondays.

Owner’s Personal Preference 

Some Chinese restaurants are closed on Mondays because of the owner’s discretion. When operating a business, the owner gets to manage when they want it to be open or closed.

However, many businesses in China, especially running restaurants, are also affected by Chinese superstitions, culture, and traditions.

No specific Chinese law explains why Chinese restaurants are closed on Mondays. But Chinese people have developed a strong belief in their traditional superstitions. [2]

FAQs

Summary

There are many reasons why Chinese restaurants stay closed every Monday, and it’s typically because of a regular employee rest day or issues in stocks that affect food preparation.

Also, it might be related to some Chinese traditions and beliefs that Monday would be low in traffic, making it a slow day in a Chinese restaurant. 

Now, you won’t be clueless about why some Chinese restaurants close on the first day of the week. It’s all a mix of the owner’s personal preferences, Chinese culture, and traditions.

References:

1. https://www.dummies.com/article/academics-the-arts/language-language-arts/learning-languages/the-chinese-calendar-169954/ 
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19708408/