last call

American  

[last kawl] / ˈlæst ˈkɔl /

noun

1. an announcement made in a bar shortly before service of alcoholic beverages ends (sometimes used attributively): I’m getting too old for last call hookups.

   We do last call 30 minutes before we close the doors, and we stop serving drinks 10 minutes after last call.

   I’m getting too old for last call hookups.

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Etymology

Origin of last call

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Example Sentences

I show up 45 minutes before my flight and hope to get there right as they’re doing the last call for boarding so I can walk onto the plane without stopping to make any purchases.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

“She’s my first call, last call, all the time,” “Andor” creator Tony Gilroy said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Jazz trios will accompany show exits; audience members will be encouraged to relax around the horseshoe bar until last call.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2024

It was a prolonged goodbye that didn’t end at last call, as unamplified singers continued to serenade the lingering crowd on Ballard Avenue until almost 4 a.m.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 2, 2024

At 4:59 an electric bulb in front of me lights up, the last call of my shift.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse