I believe it was. You would think that they all would want a day off, including Mel.

I believe it was. You would think that they all would want a day off, including Mel.


I actually think it was closed for the weekend...but I could be wrong.

A lot of things were closed on Sundays in those days, though restaurants, theaters and bars generally tended to be open. Which made sense, considering weekends is when they did their most business.

Growing up in Massachusetts, retail stores were closed Sundays and holidays. You couldn't shop on memorial day, fourth of July, labor day, etc. You could go to a convienience store if you desperately needed a grocery item, but most people made sure to shop by Saturday.

I think they should go back to Sunday and holiday store closings.

A lot of things were closed on Sundays in those days, though restaurants, theaters and bars generally tended to be open. Which made sense, considering weekends is when they did their most business.

Growing up in Massachusetts, retail stores were closed Sundays and holidays. You couldn't shop on memorial day, fourth of July, labor day, etc. You could go to a convienience store if you desperately needed a grocery item, but most people made sure to shop by Saturday.

I think they should go back to Sunday and holiday store closings.


I think they still do that in New Jersey.

It was open on Saturdays and closed on Sundays.

It was open on Saturdays and closed on Sundays.

That's right. There was one episode where Tommy was blaring his stereo loud and Alice yelled at him: "Tommy, why are you playing that damned phonograph? You know Sunday is the only day I get to sleep!"

On another episode where they are all trapped in the storeroom ("Don't Lock Now", 1978) Mel states that it's no use yelling for help. "This neighborhood is TOTALLY deserted on Sundays. Why do you think I close the Diner?" They stayed pretty consistent with that detail, at least for the first couple of seasons. Not sure about the '80s.

I believe it was. You would think that they all would want a day off, including Mel.

Mel once said if there were more customers he'd have it open.

I cannot see how Mel kept from going bankrupt if her closed on the week-ends, that is when they do most of their business!

I've heard restaurant owners say, if you're going to maintain a restaurant you got to be there ALL THE TIME, almost literally!

Although we do have a few restaurants around here that close on Monday.

I cannot see how Mel kept from going bankrupt if her closed on the week-ends, that is when they do most of their business!

I've heard restaurant owners say, if you're going to maintain a restaurant you got to be there ALL THE TIME, almost literally!

Although we do have a few restaurants around here that close on Monday.

Yep. There's an ice cream stand across the street from me that used to be closed on Sundays, which perplexed me. I found out that the reason was that the owners were religious and closed it because of that.

I get that they were religious, but Sunday is one of the biggest days of business for an ice cream stand, particularly because it was a seasonal business. I wonder how many people drove by on Sundays and, disappointed, never went back.

The owners eventually sold it to someone who opened it up on Sundays. The original owners ended up opening a breakfast place later on, but opened it up on Sundays, not repeating their mistake with the ice cream place. Someone must have told them that it would be suicide to have a breakfast place not open on Sundays. Here in New England, breakfast places are packed on Sundays.

I cannot see how Mel kept from going bankrupt if her closed on the week-ends, that is when they do most of their business!

I've heard restaurant owners say, if you're going to maintain a restaurant you got to be there ALL THE TIME, almost literally!

Although we do have a few restaurants around here that close on Monday.
A lot of restaurants around here are closed on Mondays too.

I think Mondays are a good choice day to close since it's kinda a break from the busy week-end.

It was the law back then for certain types of businesses to be closed on Sunday's. It's called the Blue Law.

Back on the day Sundays were for going to church, visiting relatives for a nice meal or Mom making a big dinner! Taking a drive in the country. :)Stores and most restaurants were closed!;)

Mel's was a trucker and factory diner. If the factories are closed on Sunday, there would be no business, so might as well close too.

Mel's was a trucker and factory diner. If the factories are closed on Sunday, there would be no business, so might as well close too.


Exactly!! Totally , mainly a working man's breakfast and lunch place! ;)Come to think of it there were never any families eating there. They never showed kids in the diner that I can remember?, except for the orphans on Thanksgiving !! ;)

Back on the day Sundays were for going to church, visiting relatives for a nice meal or Mom making a big dinner! Taking a drive in the country. :)Stores and most restaurants were closed!;)

I was born in 1980 and in my generation it was more common to eat OUT after church.... That was always the thing in my childhood anyway, we'd go to church, then afterwords we have a certain "after-church" restaurant we'd go to.

There is a dinner in the small town next to mine that opens half a day on Sun. b/c they do well with the church crowd that likes to eat there after church. I thought Mels might could be such an after-church type dinner.

The restaurant from childhood is still in business and going there today as an adult really makes me feel connected to childhood.

I was born in 1980 and in my generation it was more common to eat OUT after church.
... That was always the thing in my childhood anyway, we'd go to church, then afterwords we have a certain "after-church" restaurant we'd go to.

We weren't really churchgoing people, only very occasionally did we go. But I remember once time going with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins and it was a Catholic Mass, which meant it went on forever, and I can remember just wanting t it to be over because we were going out for breakfast afterwards.
;)

That's right. There was one episode where Tommy was blaring his stereo loud and Alice yelled at him: "Tommy, why are you playing that damned phonograph? You know Sunday is the only day I get to sleep!"

On another episode where they are all trapped in the storeroom ("Don't Lock Now", 1978) Mel states that it's no use yelling for help. "This neighborhood is TOTALLY deserted on Sundays. Why do you think I close the Diner?" They stayed pretty consistent with that detail, at least for the first couple of seasons. Not sure about the '80s.

There was a later season ep on last night where the girls are on some game show similar to Name That Tune. They mentioned the diner being closed on Sunday.

There was a later season ep on last night where the girls are on some game show similar to Name That Tune. They mentioned the diner being closed on Sunday.

That was odd since most diners have people from church come in for brunch


But the vision I have of the surroundings outside Mel's diner was just a lot open space:lol: Seemed like the diner was in the middle of the desert

That was odd since most diners have people from church come in for brunch


But the vision I have of the surroundings outside Mel's diner was just a lot open space:lol: Seemed like the diner was in the middle of the desert

I wish they'd shown more of the outside of the diner, b/c it always looked different, sometimes it looked like you could see other buildings and maybe a street in front of it, then other times it looked like there was a big wall in front of it.

I wish they'd shown more of the outside of the diner, b/c it always looked different, sometimes it looked like you could see other buildings and maybe a street in front of it, then other times it looked like there was a big wall in front of it.

Was the characters ever outside in front of the diner?

That was odd since most diners have people from church come in for brunch


But the vision I have of the surroundings outside Mel's diner was just a lot open space:lol: Seemed like the diner was in the middle of the desert

Maybe the desert traffic wasn't that great on Sundays, hence why it was closed.

I'm sure if Mel thought he could make money, he would have opened up on Sundays!

:D

Maybe the desert traffic wasn't that great on Sundays, hence why it was closed.

I'm sure if Mel thought he could make money, he would have opened up on Sundays!

:D

Maybe they was open very late on saturday night:lol:

Maybe they was open very late on saturday night:lol:

For the stoners.

:D

FWIW, I worked at a couple of diners washing dishes when I was in high school. Both of them were closed on Sundays and Monday's only. The reasoning I was given was that those were the slowest days and they didn't make any money those days. Obviously, the location is a big factor on which days are best for business.

FWIW, I worked at a couple of diners washing dishes when I was in high school. Both of them were closed on Sundays and Monday's only. The reasoning I was given was that those were the slowest days and they didn't make any money those days. Obviously, the location is a big factor on which days are best for business.

Based on the area outside Mel's Diner, I was surprised they had business on a Monday morning:lol:

Mel once said if there were more customers he'd have it open.

There were hardly ever any customers. It was a wonder he was open at all, let alone have three waitresses on the payroll. :lol:

There were hardly ever any customers. It was a wonder he was open at all, let alone have three waitresses on the payroll. :lol:

Yup just crazy Henry and maybe one other person:lol:

There were hardly ever any customers. It was a wonder he was open at all, let alone have three waitresses on the payroll. :lol:

It seemed the only time the Diner was busy was when they were short staffed with Mel or one of the waitresses out.

Yup just crazy Henry and maybe one other person:lol:

Yeah. And Henry and the couple other regular customers complained about the food but kept coming back anyway.:lol:

Alot of stuff IS closed on sundays.....

Yeah. And Henry and the couple other regular customers complained about the food but kept coming back anyway.:lol:

must have been only diner in town lol

Yeah. And Henry and the couple other regular customers complained about the food but kept coming back anyway.:lol:

That was the gag. But I have a feeling Mel's was located on a lonely stretch of road and was the only game around.

It's location, location, location!!

The Diner was closed on weekends. There are a few episodes that mention this. The most famous was when Mel wanted to keep the diner open late on Friday night and asked for volunteers and Alice worked. Mel fell asleep and a bus came in and wanted a bunch of hamburgers but Alice could not wake Mel and the bus left and then a robber came in. Strange because most restaurants do the most business on weekends.

I've heard of places only opening for dinner, but not opening for weekends is not common.

I've heard of places only opening for dinner, but not opening for weekends is not common.

But Mel's was more a blue collar working man and trucker's diner. Not a family type diner . Even if they were opened on Sunday, probably wouldn't do too much business. For reference Chloe, Henry the telephone man's wife probably made a big breakfast and dinner on Sundays at home. :D

^That's true. I forgot about that.

I can't imagine a diner not being open on a Saturday. That's usually a big day, as families are out and about and people are running errands, etc. I can understand being closed on a Sunday, especially if business is slow or Mel just wanted a day off.

Alot of stuff IS closed on sundays.....

Your brain is closed everyday. Why the fk do u respond to old threads everyday

I almost don't see how a restaurant could afford to be closed on Sunday. It seems Mel could get a pretty good church crowd on Sundays. Many ppl hit restaurant after church.

Around here MANY of the restaurants close on Monday or another weekday and honestly that seems the smartest way to do it. Weekends are when most ppl like to eat out.

But Mel's was more a blue collar working man and trucker's diner. Not a family type diner . Even if they were opened on Sunday, probably wouldn't do too much business. For reference Chloe, Henry the telephone man's wife probably made a big breakfast and dinner on Sundays at home. :D

Honestly I think Mel's Diner would have been a HUGE after-church place where ppl would eat just getting out of church! Around here, the church crowds always hit places like that after services.

Many restaurants around here close on a certain week day which I think is the most sensible.

The Diner was closed on weekends. There are a few episodes that mention this. The most famous was when Mel wanted to keep the diner open late on Friday night and asked for volunteers and Alice worked. Mel fell asleep and a bus came in and wanted a bunch of hamburgers but Alice could not wake Mel and the bus left and then a robber came in. Strange because most restaurants do the most business on weekends.


Yes, I can't see a restaurant not going bankrupt closing on the weenends, because that's when most ppl tend to eat out.