How long would you expect a meal out to take?

[MyChristmasUsername]

4 of us. Will probably just have drinks and main course, maybe sides with. How long would you expect it to take? Worried we are cutting it fine with the time we have booked as we have a show after.

2 hours max, Depends though. Type of restaurant, type of food etc. Have you made the restaurant aware and asked their advice?

Hour and half is probably just enough. Two hours if you want to feel relaxed, longer for more courses etc

Yeah. Were hoping to be in and out within 1hr 30 but I’m now worrying it’s not enough

Is it just mains? Some restaurants can take ages to bring the food!

I'd suggest having a look at the menu and preordering

Is it pre-theatre menu? If you let them know when you arrive that you need to be away by X they can help you pick dishes that won't take ages. You need to make it work by ordering promptly, though.

2-3 hours. One and a half sounds a bit rushed to me. You could be waiting half of that for food and then you would have to eat and be out without relaxing afterwards.

1.5 hours is absolutely fine for a single course. I'd leave longer if I was having 3 courses.

For one course 90 minutes should be plenty. Maybe worth looking at the menu in advance so you can order as soon as you're seated, just in case the food takes a while.

usually about 90 minutes is plenty of time if its a pre theatre menu.

Tell them when you arrive you have to leave at a certain time,I'm sure they'll accommodate you. Have fun!

1.5 hours is fine for one course. But get everyone to check out the menu in advance online so there's no faffing when you arrive.

1.5 hrs is more than enough for one course.

90mins should be fine for 1 course. You can ask for the bill when the food arrives.

Up to two hours - depends on how quick the service is.

One course - 45mins-hour unless a very slow restaurant. We've got through 3 courses in an hour when the kitchen was fast

Just let the restaurant know and order your food at the same time as ordering your drinks on arrival.

Definitely download the menu beforehand if you can and decide what you want so you can order as you get seated, and make them aware you need to be out by x time for the theatre

Were hoping to be in and out within 1hr 30 but I’m now worrying it’s not enough

Tell the staff;

don’t faff about ordering -do it quickly, and just have a main course. Skip too many drinks. You can have drinks or coffee at the theatre. Be ready to pay straight away and no gagging about who pays what on the bill.

Im used to eating just an hour before curtain up in New York but we tell the staff and eat in a restaurant right near the theatre. In the UK 90 minutes is doable as long as you don’t faff.

Sit down look at menus and order 15min
Food wait up to 30min
Eating 30min
Bill 10min

It's tight but doable hopefully not too busy.

Cote restaurant allow bookings of 1 1/2 hours. They are pretty good at getting food out quickly though.

1 1/2 hours if no starters or desserts just mains, sides and coffee afterwards. Maybe a little over 2 hours with starters/desserts and coffees. A lot depends on the service and how busy the restaurant is.

It totally depends on the restaurant but 1.5hrs should be fine for one course. Some places take ages for each stage if it’s very busy. Like others say make sure you’re ready to order and make staff aware.

Depends on: type of restaurant something like a Spoons is going to be much quicker than a 5* eatery.
Number of patrons, and number of staff.
A place that buys in meals and zaps them in a microwave is going to be quicker than a place that has a fleet of chefs cheffing.