How late is too late to go to and stay at a restaurant when they are closing for the day ?

How late is too late to go to and stay at a restaurant when they are closing for the day ? I work at one, and we close at 3:00 on Sundays and the back room is closed before so the waitress can close and go home.

A party of 13 came in after 2:40, got food at 3, and stayed until 4, an hour after closing.

There comes a point the staff is ready to clean and get ready to go home. It is our job to be courteous, good workers, with great customer service. We were.

Is it all right to come in late and stay so long after closing or should someone come in and leave earlier ?

How late is too late to go to and stay at a restaurant when they are closing for the day ?getting late

It really depends on the restaurant's policy. I used to work at a restaurant that closed at 10pm for the day, 11pm on weekends and it was their policy that as long as you were in the door prior to closing, even if it was 10pm on the dot, you got served. And there was no limit to menu options at that point either. We always had people coming in right at closing. I hated closing for that very reason. It would make me so mad, but on the other hand, what can a restaurant really do? If you say, the kitchen closes at x time, say 9:30pm, then basically, the place closes at 9:30, not 10. It's irritating, but closing time is closing time and if you're there before that time, then they kind of have to serve you.

I agree with you as far as the etiquette of people go. If they know the place is closed, they shouldn't stay and stay. But, from their point of view, they're paying the same amount of money either way (whether it's early or late) and they have a right to enjoy their meal and not feel like their being shoved out the door. They should have some consideration, though....yes. I'll give you that!

How late is too late to go to and stay at a restaurant when they are closing for the day ?regal theater opera theater

It's rude as heck to do what that party does no matter what the policy of the business is. The policy of the business is to make money and never mind what the employees think. It's always been that way. However, we as a people need to be a little more thoughtful about going into any business just before they close for the night. I've been on both sides of this issue. I always feel guilty about going into someplace at their last minute. I always hated those unthoughtful people who came into my place of business at the minute. Go rent the movie Waiting. It's funny and deals with that issue in the way a lot might deal with it.
As an ex waitress I may be a little more considerate than many but I would say the cut off point is an hour and a half before their closing time and even then I would eat and go. Restaurant staff have lives and families as well and I am mindful of that, after all, I used to be one :) If it's becoming a problem in the restaurant where you work how about a discreet (but not too discreet) note on the door advising customers of opening and closing times and "last orders " are taken. It's worked well at the restaurants where I have worked in the past.
It would be more considerate to go earlier and leave before closing time. The staff need to clean up and go home. Staying an hour after closing time is too much and it should not be allowed anyway. They have the right to tell you to leave at closing time because obviously the meal has ended and you are staying only to chat.
I used to work in a few different resturants.... I HATED when people would do that! Agh! At one, where I was a host, we'd cloes at ten. SO, at ten, I'd turn off half of the lights. People usually got the picture.