Seattle is a city known for its coffee, rain, and... restaurants that close early? While there are a few exceptions, most restaurants in Seattle close their doors by midnight, and many close even earlier. This may come as a surprise to the rising number of people who are moving to Seattle from other major cities where restaurants can sometimes stay open through the entire night.

There are a few reasons for Seattle's reputation as a city that doesn't keep the dining room lights on all night, including the high cost of labor, the lack of demand for late-night dining, and strict liquor laws.
Labor Costs Seattle has a high cost of living, and labor costs are a major part of that. Restaurants have to pay their employees a living wage, and that can be a challenge when the cost of rent and other expenses are also high. Closing early can help restaurants to save on labor costs.
Customer Demand There is less demand for late-night dining in Seattle than in some other cities. Seattleites tend to go out to eat earlier in the evening, and they may not be interested in eating after midnight. This means that restaurants may not be able to generate enough sales to justify staying open late.
Liquor Laws Seattle has strict liquor laws, which make it difficult for restaurants to stay open late. Restaurants that serve alcohol have to close by 2am, and they can't serve alcohol after 1am. This means that restaurants that want to stay open late have to find ways to generate revenue without serving alcohol, which can be a restaurant's most profitable item to sell.
Other Factors In addition to these reasons, some restaurants in Seattle may close early because they are located in areas that are not very busy at night. Seattle is notoriously a city of neighborhoods, and restaurants in residential neighborhoods may not have enough customers to justify staying open late.
While it can be frustrating for people who want to eat out late, it is understandable why restaurants make the decision not to stay open all night. The high cost of labor, the lack of demand for late-night dining, and strict liquor laws all contribute to the early closing hours of many Seattle restaurants.

Is There Any Hope for Late-Night Dining in Seattle?
There is in fact some hope for late-night dining in Seattle. As Seattle grows there could be a growing demand for restaurants that offer late-night dining. In addition, some restaurants are starting to experiment with new ways to stay open late, such as offering food delivery or take-out only. While delivery and take-out aren't direct substitutes for dining in at a restaurant, this may point toward a future change along the same lines.
It is still too early to say whether late-night dining will become more common in Seattle. However, the city is changing, and there is a growing demand for restaurants that offer late-night dining. It is possible that we will see more restaurants staying open late in the future, but for now, heed the last call (which often lands before midnight, for now).