Both pre- and post-Covid, Friday and Saturday nights have remained among the best times to drive in Chicago, obviously. But there has been a very pronounced and consistent change to the general demand pattern which I believe is independent of anything Uber and Lyft have been up to in the past 4 years.
Here's what's still the same generally speaking:
Pre-Covid it used to be that that 3rd phase was the highest paying phase of the night. Now the 1st phase is highest. Another thing making it feel not worth it to wait for phase 3 is that that's when you're most likely to pick up drunks.
Why this change? I think it can only be because the weekend late night bar and club business isn't what it used to be. Drinks are too expensive now and people are less likely to indulge in this activity. They still go out to dinner and go to events just as much, but just staying out until 2am and 3am running up $200 bar tabs? I think not nearly as many people are doing that as much any more.
I haven't been to a bar or club in probably 10 years or more, so I haven't seen it with my own eyes. But this is what I expect has been happening.
Here's what's still the same generally speaking:
- busy from 9pm-12am (dinner crowd goes home while bar crowd goes out)
- slow from 12am-1am (everyone's where they want to be)
- increasing busyness 1am-2am/3am (bar crowd starts moving to other bars and going home)
Pre-Covid it used to be that that 3rd phase was the highest paying phase of the night. Now the 1st phase is highest. Another thing making it feel not worth it to wait for phase 3 is that that's when you're most likely to pick up drunks.
Why this change? I think it can only be because the weekend late night bar and club business isn't what it used to be. Drinks are too expensive now and people are less likely to indulge in this activity. They still go out to dinner and go to events just as much, but just staying out until 2am and 3am running up $200 bar tabs? I think not nearly as many people are doing that as much any more.
I haven't been to a bar or club in probably 10 years or more, so I haven't seen it with my own eyes. But this is what I expect has been happening.