(Updated, 10/18) Bob and Edith’s Diner, known for being open 24 hours a day, has cut its hours at the Langston Blvd location.
Late last week the diner announced on social media that the hours at its 5050 Langston Blvd location were being reduced “temporarily” to 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
When the restaurant first opened in 2020, it was initially 24 hours but has since gradually reduced hours due to a “lack of staff” a Bob and Edith’s spokesperson told ARLnow, and getting cooks and servers to work overnights have “proven to be a challenge.”
The evening shift “wasn’t doing much business” another employee shared with ARLnow, and keeping it open those hours was wasting “money and energy.” The diner will be open for breakfast and lunch, though the whole menu will continue to be available.
This change is considered temporary for the moment, but it could become permanent.
The Bob and Edith’s on Langston Blvd opened just over two years ago. It was a bit of a long road to the opening from when the restaurant announced it had purchased the building that was formerly Linda’s Cafe back in the spring of 2018. When the two-decade-old restaurant finally closed in July, Linda’s had earned a reputation for “excellent burgers” and a spicy Twitter account.
The building was knocked down in late 2019 to make way for a gleaming, modern glass and steel Bob and Edith’s. Construction took a bit longer than expected due to the pandemic, but it finally opened in August 2020.
There are six Bob and Edith’s locations in total in Northern Virginia, but the burgeoning, homegrown chain hopes to keep expanding.
Most of the other Bob and Edith’s — including the flagship on Columbia Pike — remain open 24 hours. The Crystal City location is open 24 hours Wednesday through Sunday, 6 a.m to 10 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesday