# Why are there locks on a store that opens 24 hours a day 7 days a week? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2000, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165 "2000-11-01T00:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/21 "2000-11-01T14:59:34Z")
I have a friend who said that Denny’s (which is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week) decided one year that they were going to close for Christmas. Denny’s spent tons of money putting locks on the stores so that they could give their employees that one day off. That story may just be an UL but it would answer your question. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/22 "2000-11-01T16:01:17Z")
So they can secure the store when they want to use the bathroom. duh. This is a question in one of David Feldman’s books BTW. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/23 "2000-11-01T17:05:31Z")
Can you buy a door (one for the entrance to a store) without locks on it? It wouldn’t make sense to sell an external door with no lock on it, and to have one made without a lock would probably cost more. ---
**Author:** ![Anachronism](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Anachronism](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anachronism)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/24 "2000-11-01T17:56:46Z")
Stores are required to have locks by code some places. Is there any guaranty that a single clerk working a small store will not have to leave in an emergency? A store might have to be closed for an emergency (Gas leak in area, power out, natural disaster, etc.) They might decide to change their hours. And of course the single employee using the restroom. Sorry to spoil the fun, How does Teflon stick to the pan is already taken also. I heard the same Denny’s story as mongrel\_8, USA Today maybe. Many stores did have locks but nobody had seen the keys for years. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/25 "2000-11-01T18:53:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*Plus, incriminating evidence that Bill Clinton is the illegitimate son of Mother Theresa and Lemmy Kilmister. \*\* Damn you Coldy how am I gonna get **that** image out of my head. Keith ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2000, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/26 "2000-11-01T22:26:13Z")
Attilathenun, how come the doors have height measurements on the inside of the door? ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/27 "2000-11-02T00:09:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Attilathenun, how come the doors have height measurements on the inside of the door? \*\* How else would you be able to tell at a glance how tall the door is? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/28 "2000-11-02T02:29:19Z")
I should point out that these stores, even if they’re open 24/7/365, at one time they had to build the store. Someone had to lock the doors to keep people from stealing the workman’s tools. Anyway, this question reminds me of my favorite movie sight gag. Rodney Dangerfield and his buddy are driving around trying to find a place to eat. It’s late night and every place is closed. Rodney exclaims “I’m so hungry I could eat a whore!” Finally they see an open restaurant with the sign lit up. They rush to the restaurant, and just as they reach the door, all the lights go out and the doors are locked. They look up at the darkened sign which reads, “Open 23 Hours.” ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/29 "2000-11-02T05:07:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Attilathenun, how come the doors have height measurements on the inside of the door? \*\* So the clerk can tell the cops how tall the robber was, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/30 "2000-11-02T06:18:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gunslinger \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > > \*\*Attilathenun, how come the doors have height measurements on the inside of the door? \*\* > > So the clerk can tell the cops how tall the robber was, of course. \*\* Come on, Gunslinger. You expect us to believe that? We’re fighting ignornance here, like the rest of the posters on this thread, not spreading it as you seem intent on doing. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/31 "2000-11-02T23:34:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Feynn \* > \*\*Many of our 24 hour stores have gone to a system where the front door can be locked / unlocked remotely from the till… this is due to the high number of robberies that have occurred. \*\* This is a brilliant idea. Lock the armed criminal who just robbed you, in the store. Of course the brilliance wears off when he shoots you and lets himself out. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2000, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165/32 "2000-11-02T23:38:18Z")
**adam** , if that happens, you can console yourself that him, or someone of his race, will go down in a hail of gunfire. That, or get locked up while RATM wails for his release. I should stop now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-locks-on-a-store-that-opens-24-hours-a-day-7-days-a-week/39165.md?page=1)