What Time Does Empire Close? A Detailed Look

If you’ve ever found yourself craving a slice of pizza late at night in New York City, you may have wondered – what time does Empire close? As one of the most popular spots for a late night bite, it’s important to know their hours if you want to grab a table.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Empire’s closing time can vary by location, but most locations close by midnight or 1 AM latest. Their opening hours also vary by day and location, but are usually between 9 AM and 11 AM.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll provide a detailed breakdown of Empire’s opening and closing times across all their locations in New York City. We’ll cover key information like…

– Exact opening and closing times for each Empire location

– Differences in hours across days of the week

– Seasonal variations in hours

– Special late night hours on weekends

Whether you’re a native New Yorker or just visiting, knowing when those last orders go in is key for any true NYC pizza lover. So read on to become an Empire hours expert!

Empire’s Standard Opening & Closing Times

Monday-Thursday Hours

Empire amusement parks are open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Monday through Thursday. This gives guests a full 12 hours to enjoy all the rides, shows, games, and attractions the parks have to offer on weekdays.

According to the official Empire website, the parks do sometimes extend their closing times to 11:00 PM during peak seasons like summer. However, 10:00 PM is the standard closing time.

Friday-Sunday Hours

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Empire parks stay open an hour later than during the week. The official weekend hours are 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

This extra hour gives guests a bit more time to fit everything in over the busier weekend days. As on weekdays, closing times may be extended to midnight depending on the time of year.

Location-Specific Empire Hours

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building’s observatory is open daily from 8AM to 2AM. The last elevators go up at 1:15AM. This allows visitors ample time to experience the 360-degree views of New York City from the 86th and 102nd floor observatories, even late into the evening.

Times Square

Times Square is the city that never sleeps, with bright lights, billboards, and activity 24/7. However, specific attractions like museums and theaters do have set hours. For example, the Times Square Visitor Center is open daily from 8AM to 8PM.

Popular Broadway shows generally have evening performances. Restaurant and bar hours vary widely, with many staying open until 2 or 3AM, especially on weekends.

Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village has a vibrant day and nightlife. Many restaurants are open late into the evening, some until 1 or 2AM. Jazz clubs and comedy venues have shows starting as late as 10 or 11PM. However, most shops close earlier, around 8 or 9PM on weekdays.

On weekends, hours may extend slightly later for restaurants, bars, and nightlife in the Village.

Lower East Side

The Lower East Side is known for its trendy bars, late-night dining, and entertainment. Many popular spots don’t even open until 6PM or later. Bars and music venues stay busy until 2, 3, or even 4AM on weekends. However, boutiques and some eateries close earlier, around 8 to 10PM.

So Lower East Side nightlife runs late, while shopping wraps up earlier in the evening.

Upper West Side

As more of a residential neighborhood, the Upper West Side tends to have earlier closing times than those late-night hot spots downtown. Many restaurants and bars will close around midnight on weekdays and 2AM on weekends. Some may stay open later.

Shops will close around 8PM while cultural attractions like museums may be open until 10PM a few days a week. So while not as all-night as Lower Manhattan, Upper West Side businesses still accommodate night owls fairly well.

Seasonal Variations in Empire Hours

Like many retail chains, Empire’s hours tend to vary depending on the time of year. Here’s an overview of how their hours typically fluctuate:

Winter Hours

During the winter months (November-February), Empire locations tend to have shorter hours:

• Weekday hours may be reduced to 9am-9pm (instead of opening at 7 or 8am)
• Weekend hours remain the same (9am-9pm on Saturdays, 11am-6pm on Sundays)

The reason for the shortened hours is the decreased customer traffic during the cold winter months. Consumer spending also tends to drop after the holiday shopping season.

Summer Hours

In the warmer months (May-August), Empire stores will extend hours to accommodate increased demand:

• Weekday hours may start as early as 7am and run as late as 10pm
• Weekend hours remain unchanged year-round

The expanded hours allow Empire to serve all the seasonal shoppers hitting the malls during summer vacation season.

Holiday Hours

During major holiday periods, Empire locations will operate on special schedules:

The adjusted hours allow the chain’s employees to enjoy the holidays while still taking advantage of peak shopping days like Black Friday.

Late Night Hours for After-Parties

After a long day of filming, the cast and crew of Empire often like to let loose and have some fun at organized after-parties. These lively get-togethers typically go late into the night, usually wrapping up between 2-4am.

Venues that Stay Open Late

The Empire cast has their pick of hip LA venues and nightclubs that stay open until the wee hours to host their parties. Hot spots like Warwick, Avalon Hollywood, and Create often keep their doors open until 4am to accommodate the late night crowd.

These spots have plenty of space for dancing, fully stocked bars, and some even have games like pool, darts, and ping pong to keep the fun going. The vibrant party atmosphere lets the cast and crew relax and bond over drinks and music after a long week on set.

Winding Down and Heading Home

As the night winds down and venues start closing up around 4am, the Empire cast and their guests will slowly start peeling off to head home or back to their hotels. Some may hang around chatting and grabbing a bite from late night food trucks brought in to cater the event.

To make sure everyone gets home safely, the studio or party organizers often provide transportation like limos or shuttle buses which wait nearby. Responsible partying is a top priority so people typically don’t leave on their own if they’ve been drinking.

So the Empire cast parties tend to break up sometime between 3-5am after a lively night of decompressing, dancing, and enjoying each other’s company off the set. The late hours encourage everyone to cut loose and have some fun together before the hard work starts again the next day.

Conclusion

So whether you’re craving a late night snack or a weekend brunch slice, knowing Empire’s detailed opening and closing times by location will ensure you never show up to locked doors. With their extensive hours across New York City, there’s almost always time for one more pint of Cookie Dough ice cream or extra helping of Cheesy Garlic Bread.