Food How do you feel about set menus on holidays?

glamgirl84

glamgirl84

Member
Sep 10, 2007
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#1
I was wondering... how does everyone feel about the (new?) trend for restaurants to jack up their prices and offer set menus on holidays? This seems to happen especially on New Years eve, Valentines day, mothers/fathers day, etc. I personally hate it. For example, DSO and I wanted to go to the melting pot for valentines day this year. I called to make reservations and was told that there was a set menu and price- $150 a couple and you HAD to get a certain type of cheese app, a specific meat tray, etc. For things you did have a choice on it was a very limited choice. Not to mention the fact that $150 a couple was a jacked up price for what you were getting. I hate being constrained like that (Were paying the bill so why cant we pick what we want??) so I opted to instead go there the next day which fortunately is a Fri night. So what do you think? Do you like this or hate it? :confused1:
 
#2
personally im not a fan of set menus for holidays, and id actually rather stay in on them...but a local restaurant by me had a special holiday menu that every item was off their normal menu, but it was still 2 pages long, so there was a lot of variety. i loved that idea because its the same atmosphere i love, the same fabulous chef, but the food was different!
 
#4
I don't like the idea at all. I understand that it maybe easier for the restaurant, b/c of being busy, but it bothers me, esp. the higher prices just b/c of the day it falls on. But, there is clearly a market for it and demand, or else the practice would stop. I don't like to go out on holidays, probably b/c I worked in the hotel/food industry all through high school and college and always worked Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, ect. I feel bad for the employees, even though they are some that would rather take big tips in place of having the day off.
 
#5
I can COMPLETELY understand why they do it, but I never go out on V-Day. Around here you can never get reservations for somewhere good unless you call months in advance (and I've yet to date someone with the foresight to do this). And if you go to a chain-type place, they're overrun with 17 year olds who have been dating for like 2 months and they're either fighting or making out in the middle of the restaurant. It's not my cup of tea :hrmm:...
 
#6
That they jack prices - I get it. it's a way to make money (since they don't make a lot of extra) and it's the suppy and demand thing. Also, less choice, understandable because they are busy and it is a lot of work to have EVERYTHING at the ready...

HOWEVER, I am such a picky eater, I would be very unhappy with a set menu. At the same time, we NEVER go out on major holidays. We do it a week or two before or later and it's just as enjoyable, if not MORE so.
 
#7
On the holidays, for the most part, I don't mind a set menu, as long as I am aware that is how it will be ahead of time. But seriosly, that sounds ridiculous for the Melting Pot. Is that the only fondue option for you? What irks me about holiday dining is that I often feel rushed, it is pretty obvious when restaurants have lots of reservations and don't want you to linger. We've experienced that at many nicer restaurants, so we generally avoid the exact holiday for the weekends before or after.
 
#8
Blue824 said:
On the holidays, for the most part, I don't mind a set menu, as long as I am aware that is how it will be ahead of time. But seriosly, that sounds ridiculous for the Melting Pot. Is that the only fondue option for you? What irks me about holiday dining is that I often feel rushed, it is pretty obvious when restaurants have lots of reservations and don't want you to linger. We've experienced that at many nicer restaurants, so we generally avoid the exact holiday for the weekends before or after.
Click to expand...

They give you 2 cheese fondue recipes to choose from, but it just so happens that Im allergic to the cheese in each one (they both had cheddar or something like that). I was like, will they make an exception? And the girl was like ummm they might, youll have to ask when you get here. So I just said forget it thats ridic! Im not going to pay $150 for cheese I cant eat, lobster I dont want, etc., especially when the prices are jacked up. Its sad b/c I do like the idea of going out on New Years, mothers day, etc. but unless youre going to Applebees or TGIFridays or something there always seems to be some catch.
 
#9
I like a set price menu when it's something extrordinary that isn't on their regular menu. I also like it when there are some choices on the set menu -- i.e. like 4-5 appetizer choices, 3-4 entree choices, and a few dessert choices.
I enjoy "restaurant week" (they even have it here in tiny little Rhode Island) -- it's $29.95 and there are tons of restaurants that participate. Usually the set price is way cheaper than what 3 courses would normally cost, too.
 
#10
^ They do that in Philadelphia too. It gets a little crowded, but it's a great way to inexpensively dine at very expensive restaurants. Set menus at gourmet restaurants are fine with me; I just hate it when mediocre places do it and jack up the prices!
 
#11
At my restaurant we do it for certain holidays. It is more expensive than usual, but we also bring in high end ingredients such as kobe beef to make the menu special.
My advice- dont go out to eat on a holiday like Valentines Day! It sort of looked at as amateur night within the industry. Restaurants are packed so service may not be as good as usual. I always celebrate on the 13th or 15th- we get to have an enjoyable meal without the mayhem.
 
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