I.. tell them we close in ten.

"Hey folks! just wanna remind you we're closing in ten minutes. thank you!"

I start moving tables and chairs (loudly) and sweep the lobby or put the chairs on top of tables to sweep! Bring out the mop bucket too!!! They almost always get the hint!!

Sometimes I’ll take the aux just to play ‘Closing Time’ by Semisonic, like 5 minutes before close.

Customers usually get a kick out of it, see them chuckling as they gather their things lol

Normally, we would announce 30 min, 15, and 5.

just walk up to them & say “thank you for spending time with us today. we do close in 10 minutes, so if you’d like another drink before heading out, i can ring you up at the front register! if not i hope you guys get to your next destination safe.” simple.

“Just to let you guys know we are closing in ___ minutes! Take your time getting your things together!”

Do you have a patio? I like to tell them they can hang out there as long as they like but I gotta kick them out of the cafe to close.

I will mop right at their feet and turn the music off 😂

I don't know about your location but here in Manhattan you have to say it directly. Christmas day we were busy all day! At closing time, for 30 minutes till, 10 minutes til, 5 minutes til, and closing I made an announcement. Even after everyone got their items they were still straglers in store🤦🏿‍♀️!!! I literally told them "guys were closed now, make your way to the door and have a good day"

I can say my old location in GA, the people are more civil and respectful of time so they'll leave accordingly. So in that case, just..... give off the vibe of friendly-ness..? There can be a difference by saying the same"we'll be closing in 10 min" is heavily based on your delivery.

I just go up to them and say we close in X amount of minutes. People only listen when you tell them straight to their faces.

“Hey! Just to let you know we close in about five minutes. Can I get you anything before I start shutting things down?”

I used to either shut the music off entirely or turn it up uncomfortably loud, while also being as obvious as I can about putting chairs up and bringing umbrellas in. Very passive aggressive lol

I used to mop literally right next to them lol, whether they’re there or not I still gotta mop to go home💀

1. 10 minutes verbal warning
2. put out trays for delivery to take
3. turn off music
4. dim lights (we used to be an evening store)
5. turn off pastry case
6. check bathrooms
7. push in chairs
8. lock one door
9. kick out remaining customers (@ close)

:)

im not sure i understand the question? I thought you needed subtle ways to tell them to leave, to which the response is you dont have to be subtle. "Attention, we are closing in x minutes!" It doesnt matter if they argue with you, your store closes. If they decide to stay then corporate will be alerted and they can and will be trespassed.

What's wrong with Gojira? Magma goes hard lmao. But honestly as someone who mainly closes we just turn the music off and keep checking the clock and loudly yelling to each other stuff like "woohoo only 10 more minutes" and stuff like that lol

We tell them we’re closed (with warnings) then we guard the door and stop taking orders

idk i don’t think the customers get it, i tell them we close in 5 and they still proceed to order 13 drinks like ok i guess

Turning the music off
Closing off the bathrooms for cleaning
10 minute heads up with lobby slide

my manager told us to put chairs on top of tables 30 mins before close 1. so people can’t sit down and 2. so others get the hint

I'm not subtle! I start clanging around, lock one door, mess adjust all the blinds etc, etc.

I turn off the music and half the lights about ten minutes to close, after telling them we close in 10.

I used to play Safety Dance on repeat. Another shift used to play Closing Time. We would also turn off the Wi-Fi.

Sweep and mop their feet

I usually give them a 30 minute warning and then ten minutes before close I go around to each table and tell them its last call.

I turn the lights off on the Christmas tree. And all the decorations. Then lower the music.

When I close I usually go uo to each table and inform them that we are closing in 10 minutes, and that I'm just letting them know now, in case they want to order any refills before we close our tills.

Turn off the hanging lights, bring in a trash can.

Put on the soundtracks and singalongs playlist and slowly increase the volume every five minutes 😂

We turn off the lights. But remember that not everybody will catch on to indirect hints so some people you will have to go over to and tell directly that they have to leave. That’s what we do — turn off the lights and then talk to whoever’s left.

Being "subtle" always made me feel like I was being passive-aggressive, so I don't even bother.

I just go straight up to them and politely let them know we close soon. For people who have been sitting in the lobby for a hot minute and I don't recognize (we have a few regulars who stay right up until close), I try to let them know about 30 minutes in advance so they have time to finish their work.

And if someone comes into the cafe an hour before close with a laptop and/or notebook, etc, I let them know when I take their order. "Hey, just in case you're planning on staying with us, we close in an hour. You're totally welcome to stay until then, but I wanted to let you know now."

just tell them. I do a 10 minute warning and like a three minute warning. We have multiple entrances too so I lock the less commonly used one about 3-5 minutes before closing too and they usually get it

I go up to a coworker and say "wait we close at _ today???" like im confused

I’ll wipe tables, sweep, mop, open the bathroom and prop the door open. Also letting people know in the last twenty minutes. I go table to table and tell people. If it’s busy I’ll usually stop serving cafe at 5 minutes too and I tell people when the order for the last fifteen mins that we’re closing right away. Just be firm about the time

our store likes to turn the music off it works surprisingly well

Yell at the top of your lungs “10 minutes to closing time!!!”

Then a minute later “9 minutes to closing time!!!”


Etc.

At 2 minutes to closing time, come and offer to let them sit on the Patio, and tell them you have to pick up their chairs to clean. Lol

Jk-not even slightly subtle.

I go up to each group of people and tell them "hi! just letting you guys know we are closing here in about ___ minutes." I make sure they all acknowledge what I've said and make eye contact until they do. sometimes if I have loiterers after I tell them we're closed, I'll play closing time and we'll start locking the side door and propping open the bathroom doors/getting the mop out.

Where i work i usually turn upp the music like 30/20 min before and when it's 10min left I turn it of, it makes it more obvious, and make a lot of noice while cleaning like banging around and start cleaning the floors with big obvious movements

U can do the gidzilla thing then when u get fired you'd regret it.
I usually shout out 30 min warning
15 min warning
10 min warning
5 mins I shut off the music and they usually pack up their stuff

I turn the music off around 30 minutes before close. Also having someone put out wet floor signs and start mopping the lobby around the same time gives people the hint.