Do 24 hour grocery stores not exist in New England? (Boston: casinos, restaurant)

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I dont see why grocery stores should be open 24/7. Pharmacies yes...but no need for a grocery store. They already are open until 10 at night. Who really would go grocery shopping at 3 am? Even people working a night shift dont have a need because they're working...

I could see maybe someone who works 3-11 might want to go shopping after work...but oh well. They can go in the morning/afternoon.

It makes the places less crowded during the day too.
When I was a graduate student I often went shopping after midnight.
No traffic, no lines. Saved a lot of time and stress.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by Bettafish

It makes the places less crowded during the day too.
When I was a graduate student I often went shopping after midnight.
No traffic, no lines. Saved a lot of time and stress.

LA and NYC are both great cities for the up all night crowd. Boston doesn’t even really have that many late night restaurants. Happy I live here now, but glad I went to college in LA.

[MrDee12345]

I've often wondered why most of New England has few 24 hour restaurants and supermarkets.

Even when I went to Southern CT for college years ago, I was pleased with the late night access to diners and super markets (Although I checked their hours now and it seems many of the close at midnight).

But as much as I would love to see more of a 24 hour diner culture, similar to what I've experienced in the tri-state area, come to Massachusetts, I have to wonder if we'd be sacrificing quality for quantity. Sure drunk eggs at 3am are great, but those 24 hour diners couldn't hold a candle to Mass' morning diners (usually open 5 or 6am til 2pm) when it comes to food quality.

As for super markets and other late night chain restaurants, I think it might have to do with location. For example, go to route 1 i Saugus or Squire Road in Revere and you'll see lots of late or even 24 hour services. They're all fine and dandy, but those types of areas are few and far between in Mass, and I think that's what makes our region so unique. We frown upon national chains, and it's really only national chains with big, ugly parking lots off of ugly 6 lane roads with ugly signs sticking out like you see throughout much of the country.

I also think its our New England frugality that keeps these businesses closed overnight. Midnight to 5am isn't exactly prime shopping time, so our cheap New England overlords would rather keep the place closed or use that time to clean.

Still, I would like to see more late night options, but I'm not willing to sacrifice too much New England culture to get it.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by MrDee12345

I've often wondered why most of New England has few 24 hour restaurants and supermarkets.

Even when I went to Southern CT for college years ago, I was pleased with the late night access to diners and super markets (Although I checked their hours now and it seems many of the close at midnight).

But as much as I would love to see more of a 24 hour diner culture, similar to what I've experienced in the tri-state area, come to Massachusetts, I have to wonder if we'd be sacrificing quality for quantity. Sure drunk eggs at 3am are great, but those 24 hour diners couldn't hold a candle to Mass' morning diners (usually open 5 or 6am til 2pm) when it comes to food quality.

As for super markets and other late night chain restaurants, I think it might have to do with location. For example, go to route 1 i Saugus or Squire Road in Revere and you'll see lots of late or even 24 hour services. They're all fine and dandy, but those types of areas are few and far between in Mass, and I think that's what makes our region so unique. We frown upon national chains, and it's really only national chains with big, ugly parking lots off of ugly 6 lane roads with ugly signs sticking out like you see throughout much of the country.

I also think its our New England frugality that keeps these businesses closed overnight. Midnight to 5am isn't exactly prime shopping time, so our cheap New England overlords would rather keep the place closed or use that time to clean.

Still, I would like to see more late night options, but I'm not willing to sacrifice too much New England culture to get it.

A few years ago when we had 24 hour Stop & Shops and Walmarts, I certainly didn't feel like we were sacrificing our "New England culture" or that there was an less of it then than there is today.

[bostongymjunkie]

Boston had a plethora of late night options not too long back. Grocery stores, drug stores, diners and other late night eateries in various parts of the city including many in Chinatown. Boston also had a bunch of Chinese take out in nearly every neighborhood that were open til the wee hours. Southie Chinese, Charlie Chans, Nan Ling, and others come to mind and most are gone. Even the burbs had 24 hour and/or late night Purity Supreme's, Denny's, Ihops etc but not like Boston. I think the reductions in the city are definitely in large part the result in changing demographics as are many other changes here. It no longer has that city feel.

[timberline742]

Is that 24 diner near the south station bus terminal still 24 hrs? It wasn't good, but it was there.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by MrDee12345

I've often wondered why most of New England has few 24 hour restaurants and supermarkets.

Even when I went to Southern CT for college years ago, I was pleased with the late night access to diners and super markets (Although I checked their hours now and it seems many of the close at midnight).

But as much as I would love to see more of a 24 hour diner culture, similar to what I've experienced in the tri-state area, come to Massachusetts, I have to wonder if we'd be sacrificing quality for quantity. Sure drunk eggs at 3am are great, but those 24 hour diners couldn't hold a candle to Mass' morning diners (usually open 5 or 6am til 2pm) when it comes to food quality.

As for super markets and other late night chain restaurants, I think it might have to do with location. For example, go to route 1 i Saugus or Squire Road in Revere and you'll see lots of late or even 24 hour services. They're all fine and dandy, but those types of areas are few and far between in Mass, and I think that's what makes our region so unique. We frown upon national chains, and it's really only national chains with big, ugly parking lots off of ugly 6 lane roads with ugly signs sticking out like you see throughout much of the country.

I also think its our New England frugality that keeps these businesses closed overnight. Midnight to 5am isn't exactly prime shopping time, so our cheap New England overlords would rather keep the place closed or use that time to clean.

Still, I would like to see more late night options, but I'm not willing to sacrifice too much New England culture to get it.

Up around Newburyport, most places close at 9 or 10pm... the 7/11 and CVS are 24 hours - I've occasionally made use of that, but it's been rare, and during insomnia as often as for a late night need and the shop is just empty late at night... what is it really that can't wait until the morning? Not much in my experience. Maybe the ER, but that's not shopping!

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Is that 24 diner near the south station bus terminal still 24 hrs? It wasn't good, but it was there.

It looks like it's open. The South Street Diner, open since 1947, and if you believe their claim, they are the only restaurant in Boston open 24/7. That is pretty amazing, both in that it has been open since 1947, and that it is the only 24 hour restaurant in Boston.

South Street is famous for being the only dining destination open all night in Boston. Stop into South Street when the bars and clubs close, and while the rest of the city sleeps, you'll join the night owls still hard at play. South Street's all night hours attract everyone from rock bands, to businesspeople, to movie stars and late shift workers from all over town. With breakfast and dinner served all night, no matter what you crave, you'll find it late night at South Street.

South Street Diner - Boston, MA

[msRB311]

IHOP is also 24 hours. As is this pizza place:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/oath-pizza-...our+restaurant

[brk330]

Yes this was a little bit of a culture shock coming to Massachusetts. I used to do my grocery shopping at 9 pm, they were open til 11pm.
Another thing is the libraries keeping bankers hours or even shorter.