4 ms·

I prefer that people go home and spend more time on their hobbies or families. I spent a few months in Austria and in a couple of weeks I was used to everything

I prefer that people go home and spend more time on their hobbies or families. I spent a few months in Austria and in a couple of weeks I was used to everything bar restaurants closing at 5.

AlexTWithBeard 8y ago
Where did you buy groceries?
- mmsimanga 8y ago
  I bought my groceries before 5pm. Sometimes during lunch. It really wasn't a big deal getting used to it. Humans adapt and in no time at all I was way more organised with my groceries because I knew shops closed at about 5.
beatgammit 8y ago
I don't really understand this, why not have everything people want to go to be open after typical office jobs close? If you are only open for 8 hours, why not open later (11am or so) or have a couple hours that the shop is closed for family time (e.g. 3-5pm or something)? Closing at 5 isn't convenient for anyone but the business owner, and even then it's not necessarily better than opening later.
- mmsimanga 8y ago
  It isn't just the business owner who benefits, the cashiers too. In South Africa most of the cashiers are women with children. I like the convenience of getting my bread at 8pm but would rather these cashiers where home with their children. Certain parts of the country are not so safe when traveling at night. These tend to be the areas cashiers can afford to live in. So its a double whammy for them. Look it is a balance that needs to be struck. I appreciate the challenges in South Africa and different to the rest of the world. There is a price for everything, I question the price we pay as a society to have all these shops open late?
llampx 8y ago
In Austria and Switzerland bars and restaurants definitely don't close at 5PM unless they don't serve dinner. Even the staunchest German doesn't eat dinner at 4PM. In Swiss villages though, its not common for many smaller stores to be closed by 4-6PM. I don't understand it, however most do open quite early so you can get food before work, or a fresh croissant in the morning. If I were opening a store today though I'd rather have the essentials in a vending machine out front for the morning rush and open the store later and keep it open until later. If you travel Switzerland you can see many Alpkäsereien (Fromageries) have vending machines for their cheese. Appropriately made out of wood and looking like a tiny little chalet.
- mmsimanga 8y ago
  I didn't say bars and restaurants close at 5pm. I said everything except restaurants (bars by extension). I like the idea of vending machines for essentials. Look its a personal preference thing. In South Africa most of the cashiers are female and most have children. I just feel children should have mothers read bed time stories to them. I love the convenience of buying bread at 8pm but I wonder what the cost to society is for this convenience. We have a problem in Africa where young kids have to assume the role of the adult all because mommy is away working late into the night. I guess the situation is different elsewhere.

I prefer that people go home and spend more time on their hobbies or families. I spent a few months in Austria and in a couple of weeks I was used to everything bar restaurants closing at 5.

AlexTWithBeard 8y ago

Where did you buy groceries?

mmsimanga 8y ago
I bought my groceries before 5pm. Sometimes during lunch. It really wasn't a big deal getting used to it. Humans adapt and in no time at all I was way more organised with my groceries because I knew shops closed at about 5.

beatgammit 8y ago

I don't really understand this, why not have everything people want to go to be open after typical office jobs close? If you are only open for 8 hours, why not open later (11am or so) or have a couple hours that the shop is closed for family time (e.g. 3-5pm or something)? Closing at 5 isn't convenient for anyone but the business owner, and even then it's not necessarily better than opening later.

mmsimanga 8y ago
It isn't just the business owner who benefits, the cashiers too. In South Africa most of the cashiers are women with children. I like the convenience of getting my bread at 8pm but would rather these cashiers where home with their children. Certain parts of the country are not so safe when traveling at night. These tend to be the areas cashiers can afford to live in. So its a double whammy for them. Look it is a balance that needs to be struck. I appreciate the challenges in South Africa and different to the rest of the world. There is a price for everything, I question the price we pay as a society to have all these shops open late?

llampx 8y ago

In Austria and Switzerland bars and restaurants definitely don't close at 5PM unless they don't serve dinner. Even the staunchest German doesn't eat dinner at 4PM. In Swiss villages though, its not common for many smaller stores to be closed by 4-6PM. I don't understand it, however most do open quite early so you can get food before work, or a fresh croissant in the morning. If I were opening a store today though I'd rather have the essentials in a vending machine out front for the morning rush and open the store later and keep it open until later. If you travel Switzerland you can see many Alpkäsereien (Fromageries) have vending machines for their cheese. Appropriately made out of wood and looking like a tiny little chalet.

mmsimanga 8y ago
I didn't say bars and restaurants close at 5pm. I said everything except restaurants (bars by extension). I like the idea of vending machines for essentials. Look its a personal preference thing. In South Africa most of the cashiers are female and most have children. I just feel children should have mothers read bed time stories to them. I love the convenience of buying bread at 8pm but I wonder what the cost to society is for this convenience. We have a problem in Africa where young kids have to assume the role of the adult all because mommy is away working late into the night. I guess the situation is different elsewhere.