ST. LOUIS — Before the Covid-19 pandemic began, Mission Taco Joint was known for its late-night happy hour, as the local, West Coast-style taco restaurant chain after 10 p.m. drew hordes for its cheap tacos, Tecate and tequila.
“Once we started coming out of the pandemic, we tried getting it going again, but it felt like the pandemic changed people’s dining patterns a bit, and it didn’t get the traction we were hoping for,” said Adam Tilford, who co-owns MTJ with his brother, Jason Tilford.
Restaurants across St. Louis and nationwide in the wake of the pandemic have cut operating hours or full days from their schedules either for staffing concerns, to mitigate increased costs, or just because consumer demand wasn't there. So far, restaurants have struggled — or declined — to return to pre-pandemic hours, resulting in a dearth of late-night food options.
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