Restaurant meal on Christmas Day - yay or nay?

[ACatsNoHelpWithThat]

DH and I will be by ourselves this Christmas Day. Neither of us have ever been out for Christmas dinner but were thinking of giving it a go this year. Obviously it will depend on the pub/restaurant itself but in general is going out for Christmas dinner worth the (understandably) inflated prices or is it likely to be a massive disappointment?

Basically we'd both like a day off cooking (we'll be doing the full works for DH's kids on Boxing Day) but don't want a takeaway etc.

why dont you have a special meal on christmas eve and something easier for christmas day

do you use your local pub ordinarily?

We've been out twice for Xmas dinner at 2 different local restaurants.

The food was ok, a roast with trimmings. Nothing special.
It was ridiculously overpriced even taking into account it was xmas day.
The atmosphere was crap.
But the worst thing was that I felt so bad that the staff were working rather than being at home with their families.

So I wouldn't do it again.

I’ve worked in restaurants on Christmas Day (quite enjoyed it actually, makes a refreshing change some years ) but honestly unless you are very lucky it will be a very, very expensive experience & in my opinion not worth the money. If you are very wealthy and know somewhere that will be really nice then go for it but if it was my choice I would stock up on M & S Christmas Food & stay home.

Nope. The only time we did that DD was in hospital. I'd buy one of those Xmas meals for two from M&S or Co-Op and use paper plates.

I think it’s a lovely idea but the cost puts me off. I have gone out for lunch on Christmas Eve instead and it is half the price and deserted.

I have friends who cook on Christmas Eve instead for the evening- then Christmas Day est left overs and chill. He works Boxing Day so it works well for them

I’m going out and it’s £50 for 3 courses, it’s worth every penny and we know the food is excellent anyway as often eat there. It’s not a fancy restaurant though

I've been out for dinner on xmas day a couple of times, to be honest the food is nowhere as good as home cooked christmas dinner but I would go if i were you. You're making dinner on boxing day anyway and if it's just going to be you and DH it will be nice to get dressed up and go out for a nice meal rather than just being home all day the 2 of you

I would stay in and fling a really good steak on tne griddle to eat with leftovers or low-trouble accompnients and follow with mince pies in front of the TV.

Will you have the kids first thing in the morning?

If not, get up late, have a brunch of pigs in blankets (make them day before, bung in oven).

Have a good steak later, even goose fat roasties for two isn’t a faff to go with it: peel 4 spuds, chop, bing in oven... bag of salad...

I would rather make the day my own, with my favourite things, in ways I couldn’t do with the whole family, than go out and pay for someone else’s version of what a Christmas dinner should be.

You can buy a ready to go turkey joint that just goes in the oven

You could do that and pigs in blankets easily with some veg and gravy

I've never eaten out and I feel sorry for the staff

Oh sorry, for some reason I translated Boxing Day into Christmas Eve in my head, so you won’t have veggie leftovers.

Still, makes no difference overall.

We’re going to the local Indian as i’m just not up for cooking. I’ll have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve for me and DH. Every year we pay for it all and cook and it’s not really appreciated. We can’t go to my mums because DH won’t eat there and lately neither would I. She’s always been messy but her house is actually dirty, my brother lives with her and couldn’t care less. Mil has to gone as she’s a widow and DH is an only child, she can’t cook and get kitchen is tiny and ancient....so it’s all down to us. I work 40 hours a week and actuallyjusy want to Lounge about in my jammies. The choice i’m giving people is Indian or stay in your own house and cook.

Don't always feel sorry for staff - my teenage DS worked last Cristmas Day, loved it, over £80 for barely three hours work, plus presents & a slap up meal. He was still home to enjoy most of the late afternoon and evening with parents and grandparents and another Christmas meal .

Thanks all. We didn't want Indian or a takeaway etc as it's DSS's birthday on the 27th so we'll be having that then. I find even cooking a ready prepped meat joint with pre-done roasties and trimmings stressful as my oven and kitchen workspace are so tiny - obviously I'll just have to suck it up for Boxing Day! I did some ringing round and our first choice places are all booked up on the 25th so I think we'll go out for a turkey dinner on either the 23rd or 24th, then graze on chocolate nibbly stuff/cheese & crackers/trifle/mince pies etc on Christmas Day.

Last year it was just the two of us. We had steak and chips then vegged out on the sofa with loads of munchies watching TV and drinking cider. It was bliss.

That sounds lovely I won't be cooking steak though until it's warm enough to have the back door open as steak sets off our very sensitive smoke alarm without fail! need a new house already

I have been out a few times but to be quite honest, nowhere beats my roasts! The potatoes are never quite right at restaurants. Plus I enjoy the prep on Christmas morning, it's all part of the excitement of the day for me.

Have you thought about ordering it in from M&S or Cook? It comes in foil trays & you just bung it in the oven and then serve it straight from the oven. It'll save you a fortune and you'll get your meat roast with a few leftovers.

christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/?intid=FTO_LP_Campaign_Tile_3

Thanks for the link Maccy but me and DH just want a day off from it all as it's quite stressful cooking in our kitchen, the previous owners clearly didn't cook much. As well as tiny oven and the most impractical work surface ever I literally have four kitchen cupboards, no overhead cupboards at all! DSCs like pasta so it's easy catering for them when they visit but doing anything more than one tray of something in the oven is a real juggling act. It takes a full 25 minutes just to come up to temperature!

saving very hard for a new kitchen

I’d never ever do this, rather eat a sandwich at home than want other people working on Christmas Day to serve me.
Only people doing necessary jobs, like medical staff, should have to work on public holidays.

We've been out twice, and both times it was just OK, not to mention expensive. Our local hotel does Sunday lunch for £15 and it's lovely. We went one Christmas and it was £80 each and not much different.

I did think about the people working aspect but then most people will happily watch TV on Christmas Day which is equally unnecessary really.

Almondsareforevermore
Where we are going for Christmas Day, the staff don’t celebrate on Christmas Day and shut Christmas Eve for their celebration.