To think eating out on Christmas Day is selfish

[Grapefruitmelon]

I know that there will be people who say they appreciate the extra money and tips and not everyone celebrates Christmas and not everyone has a family to spend it with and I hear all that.

But just the same, it does force some people to come to work who’d rather not.

Used to work in a call centre in London and Christmas Day shifts were fought over (triple time, taxis provided and nice food laid on). Callers were always friendly (no complaints that day) and it was very quiet.

There were always folks who appreciated an excuse to spend the day away from difficult family situations.

You're just looking for a bunfight lmao

There are plenty of things people have to do when they'd rather not.
It's not a valid argument for things not being done

It's weird how many people lack the imagination to understand that not everyone thinks like them.

Working at Christmas is normal in our family - medicine, care, emergency services and hospitality. The people in hospitality love it and volunteer for it for all of the reasons already given.

If a restaurant is open, of course customers are not selfish to book a table. At the moment, pubs and restaurants welcome the support particularly.

It’s one of those chicken and egg things though. If customers didn’t book the tables, restaurants wouldn’t open. And that’s why I do think it’s a bit selfish, tbh.

The times I have been out for Christmas Dinner I make sure the staff are well tipped directly and make a point of personally thanking them

The hospitality sector needs all the help it can get at present

I have worked far too many Christmas Days in a previous day but it went with the job

I worked nights, DH worked days and got called out in the middle of the night too.
Between us the hours we worked on Christmas paid for Christmas, including a lunch out for 4, food for the festive season, all the presents and booze.
In general I think people that don't work shifts feel sorry for people that do and think it must be horrendous. That's totally wrong, lots of us love shifts and can't imagine working monday - Friday 9-5. I hated it when o did it, I LOVE shifts.
As a young, single woman I loved working Christmas because I was with all my friends working in a great atmosphere. The alternative was a boring day with my parents on my own.

I doubt very much that I spoilt anyone's Christmas day by going for a meal at the local curry restaurant.

And I certainly couldn't have cooked what I had at home.

My dh used to work at see...3weeks on and 3 weeks off, if his Rota fell over Christmas then that was it. No negotiations,no such thing as requesting it off! And they actually worked on Christmas Day...there was no day off. Things need to be done, Is it also selfish of people to want shops to be stocked during and after Christmas because if shopping stopped for a few days to have "a day or two off" the repercussions would be disastrous (remember the fuel problems a few months ago), the evergreen ship getting stuck and the repercussions of that!?

Sea not see 🤣

The OP mentioned eating out on Christmas day. I assume she means 'to think eating out at a restaurant on Christmas day is selfish' so why are people mentioning working in care/hospitals/airlines etc. That's a completely different thing.

I agree though OP. I don't even celebrate Christmas and I wouldn't even go to a restaurant on Christmas. I didn't even know some restaurants were open until I joined MN😂 I think it's so unfair on the workers who don't have a choice and have to work (people are saying they have a choice but some bosses/companies are so horrible you literally don't have a choice).

It would make me uncomfortable going out to eat on Christmas Day and not knowing if everyone working was happy to be doing so (so I never would).

Looks like there are plenty of people who don’t care though.

What a saint. You must spend hours polishing that halo of yours…

How many hospitality staff have you canvassed for their opinion by the way OP ?
Or are you just making assumptions based on what you would prefer ?

I volunteered to work Xmas pre children days, I loved it, I worked in the office get paid double and watched tele the whole shift! My family gather many times a year so I didn't feel I missed out at all.

You also presumably don't want any music if you are going to church on Christmas? I think my personal record is 7 services over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day...for years, I'd catch the first train I could after the main service (also operated by someone, obviously), to get to my parents' house by the evening. We'd celebrate properly on Boxing Day. Or what about all those people who are working to ensure that all those Christmas Specials air when they're supposed to...? Even if you don't patronise a restaurant for Christmas dinner, I guarantee there are other ways that you rely on people working over Christmas to keep things ticking along. It's just more in the background!

You can’t know that @ilovesooty.

You may be right or wrong but you can’t know. Either way, would you honestly have changed your plans if you had?

If customers didn’t book the tables, restaurants wouldn’t open.

Surely it's the other way around, if restaurants weren't open customers couldn't book the tables. It is the restaurant's choice to be open, no-one forces them to be!

Supply and demand, I suppose … if no one booked, they wouldn’t open.

But they do.

I worked Christmas lunch as a 16 year old waitress, worked 11-3 was paid £250 plus tips for the privilege, it was at a local pub walking distance from my parents'. I was also invited to stay for Christmas lunch with the landlady, her family and everyone else on shift, some of us went home to our families after a glass of fizz, those who didn't have anywhere else to be, widowed, single, no local family, DC at NRP for the day, all stayed had a lovely roast and some drinks together. Wasn't too shabby at all!

Been in hospitality for over 15 years. I always volunteer to work xmas day, NYE etc. Love it! Always have a good day.

It’s the bosses that choose to open that day, not the patrons that “force” staff to work

If no patrons booked to go, though, I think you'd find that the bosses suddenly weren't so keen to open on that day.

I agree re the shops: I read on here that Next staff were expected to be at work by 5am on Boxing Day, thus guaranteeing a rather underwhelming Christmas Day and very early night.

I really cannot understand people apparently not appreciating the difference between people working in hospitals, fire service, police, electricity companies and those working in restaurants or shops selling clothes and other non-urgent items). I can only assume they're being deliberately facetious.

I also don't get the reasoning that, just because many people have now lost the chance for one day off every week on Sundays (and I'm aware that not everybody is unhappy about that), they should therefore also lose the one big day that most people consider the most special.

If you could guarantee that everybody working then had freely chosen to do so - don't celebrate Christmas, would be alone at home so appreciate being around people, grateful for the extra money (although the latter might not necessarily be a completely 'free' choice for the very poor) - then fine.

However, working in hospitality is hardly known for its great freedom as to when you get to pick and choose the times you want to work....

I've always thought this!

What an odd argument. But others already pointed out why it’s odd.

Worked in hospitality years ago when I was 18. Worked Christmas eve one year and Christmas day the next. The atmosphere was brilliant. People were happy and relaxed and left HUGE tips. I worked weekends normally whilst doing A levels and I remember being astonished at how much money I took home in one night.

When I was a teen I frequently worked on christmas day, sometimes boxing day too. Of course I'd rather have been at home tucking into turkey and the alike but I needed to earn money and so that was the sacrifice I was prepared to make. It's really a no-brainer. Really don't see it as a problem and quite frankly after the challenging time that the hospitality industry has had over the past 18 months I think you are being a bit ridiculous to suggest otherwise. In addition, plenty of other folk having to work on christmas day and no-one bats an eyelid. Unless you are suggesting that we shut hospitals, prisons, police stations, railways, motorways down as well as its christmas day?

@Nosnowthisyear

Maybe they want to work?

Exactly. It’s usually made worth their while with double or triple time.