The return of Monday dining

Finding a bite to eat on a Monday can be difficult — especially if it's your one night off.

Why it matters: Restaurants are open for fewer hours than they were before the pandemic, due to changing dining habits and a workforce shortage, CNBC reported last fall.

Driving the news: But that could be changing. Mothers & Sons in Durham is one establishment adding Monday dining back to its schedule.

• It's no small task compared to opening only five days a week, chef and owner Josh DeCarolis said.
• "You need a significantly larger staff when you have just the one extra day," DeCarolis told Axios. "You basically need a whole extra person" for each role.

Yes, but: DeCarolis said he believes now is the right to bring back Monday dining — at least for his restaurant.

• Diners have returned in more consistent numbers and it has become easier to fill staffing in recent months, he said.

What they're saying: "As somebody who's worked in the restaurant industry my whole life, looking for a place to eat on Monday is very difficult," he said. "Pre-pandemic, we were a mainstay for those who work in the industry to be able to go out, and I wanted to get back to that."