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Original poster

How much would you pay for Christmas dinner out on Christmas Day ?

28 replies

starsparkle08 · 02/09/2022 22:01

Considering going out with my son on Christmas Day for lunch . He has autism so likely won’t eat much . Wondering how much people spend going out and if they have found it value for money

OP posts:
saveforthat · 02/09/2022 22:06

The meal won't be any more special. You are paying for the restaurant to open up on Xmas day and they will charge upwards of £100 plus per head. Could be loads more depending on which part of the country you are in. The poor hospitality staff often get no extra at all as Bank Holidays are often paid at normal rate but the business owner rakes it in. Do you have somewhere in mind and is it a chain or an independent?

PushingAnElephantUpTheStairs · 02/09/2022 22:12

I expect there will be fewer places offering this than usual this year. I'm sure there will still be some though.

Staff hate working it and are in such short supply that a business being closed over Christmas is advertised as a perk of the job. Everything is costing so much more now that in order to make profit, the prices places will have to charge will probably put off most customers.

Cost wise it will definitely be more expensive than recreating the same thing at home. But the point is that someone else does it all for you and that's what you're paying for. If you feel it's worth it (and I can see why you would) then it's value for money.

TooMuchToDoTooLittleInclination · 02/09/2022 22:13

I wouldn't. We did it one Christmas & I hated it.

Will it even be enjoyable with your son who has Autism?

I know it wouldn't with any of my family that have Autism because they are ALL very regimented eaters. One will not eat anything out that isn't pizza, which most places will hsppily do, but not on CD. 2of the others will not eat anything that touches another food, another not anything 'wet'. The list goes on.

however, I do have friends with Autism who are much more able to eat a wide variety of food and in that situation it's usually ME, that's altering the menu.

I'd rather have CD at home.

However, the question you asked was 'how much' I'd expect to oay £75 per head absolute minimum & no (autism aside) I don't think it's value for money, at all, especially if you pay under £150 per head, at that point it might be, but personally not paying £300 for 2 for CD.

MrsPnut · 02/09/2022 22:16

I really wouldn’t, just have his favourite food at home on Christmas Day. You can buy an awful lot of nice treats for the same money as Christmas dinner out of the home.

Hotandbothereds · 02/09/2022 22:18

We’ve done it a few times, we’ve paid around £65-£85 a head so it’s not cheap but we’ve enjoyed it.

When we’ve been it’s been to independent places where we know we like the food, and we leave a decent tip for staff.

Years ago when I did bar work I often worked Christmas Day, I got overtime, loads of tips and just had dinner when I got home, it was always a busy fun shift and everyone was in good spirits!

Crazymadchickenlady · 02/09/2022 22:19

We ate out once on Christmas Day a d it was awful and really expensive. Never done it again.

TimeAtTheBar · 02/09/2022 22:20

saveforthat · 02/09/2022 22:06

The meal won't be any more special. You are paying for the restaurant to open up on Xmas day and they will charge upwards of £100 plus per head. Could be loads more depending on which part of the country you are in. The poor hospitality staff often get no extra at all as Bank Holidays are often paid at normal rate but the business owner rakes it in. Do you have somewhere in mind and is it a chain or an independent?

Nah.

We get double time, it’s only a five hour shift, we have a magnum of champagne to sip behind the bar, it’s great fun.

4 courses this year for £60.

Small chain.

loudbatperson · 02/09/2022 22:21

We tend to alternate staying home and going out. Normally around 80/85 a head, but that doesn't include drinks.

LoveHamble · 02/09/2022 22:25

£65 per head incl a glass of prosecco. It was nice enough, but we previously enjoyed going to London Chinatown and eating street noodles more 💁

MondayMoan · 02/09/2022 22:28

I loved eating out on Christmas Day. I have my mum and Nan every other year if my DP is on duty when it's my turn I plan to do it again. So less hassle. We used to pay about £65 per head but I expect that's gone up a lot now.

DoodlePug · 02/09/2022 22:35

We go to the village pub every year. DH has asd, he's fine with it and it's much easier than me and DP trying to cook then clear up whilst also trying to look after him on a less than normal day.

£65 per head here, foods fine, not great but excellent that everyone can have whatever they fancy, only the GPs eat the full traditional menu.

DoodlePug · 02/09/2022 22:36

My DS has asd, I don't have both a DP and DH for Xmas!

saveforthat · 02/09/2022 22:37

TimeAtTheBar · 02/09/2022 22:20

Nah.

We get double time, it’s only a five hour shift, we have a magnum of champagne to sip behind the bar, it’s great fun.

4 courses this year for £60.

Small chain.

Show quote history

I'm pleased that some chain restaurants look after their team. Unfortunately that's not been my experience. I have friends and family who worked in hospitality and if Xmas fell on their normal shift, that was tough, no extra. As hospitality is struggling to recruit now I hope things will be different this year.

Original poster
starsparkle08 · 03/09/2022 00:22

I think I will leave it as my son is very regimented with his eating. The place I was looking at was as budget as you can get at Christmas £45 for adults and £22 for children

OP posts:
Christmasiscominghohoho · 03/09/2022 07:21

starsparkle08 · 03/09/2022 00:22

I think I will leave it as my son is very regimented with his eating. The place I was looking at was as budget as you can get at Christmas £45 for adults and £22 for children

I’m guessing for that price is more of a chain pub?

Do whatever makes you happy.

Iv been out 3-4 times at Xmas and my parents have been going out for years although the last meal they paid £89 each and said it wasn’t very good.

Devo1818 · 03/09/2022 07:29

Not the point of the thread but people saying hospitality staff hate working Christmas day are incorrect. I spent my late teens working as a waitress in a gastropub as part of a team of other girls in their late teens/early twenties. There was a sign up sheet for Christmas day and we used to race to get our names down. Between the extra pay (time and a half) and incredible tips you would walk away with 3 shifts worth of cash for 5 hours work. And none of us cared about Christmas at that age- having drinks with our friends while earning cash in a nice festive atmosphere was awesome.

Ragwort · 03/09/2022 08:14

Devo I think there's a difference between choosing to work on Christmas Day and being bullied or assumed that you are working Christmas Day. I worked Christmas as a teenager and loved it, my teenage DS did as well & really enjoyed ... came home with loads of cash and presents ... but it was a choice not an expectation.

CanThisBe · 03/09/2022 08:18

I wouldn't. Honestly I've rather have a TV dinner and have 2 or 3 nice meals out for the money another time.

Restaurants over charge and over book on Christmas Day IMO and you'll get much the same meal as if you'd gone for a Christmas Dinner the week before, only you'll pay a lot more.

KitKat1985 · 03/09/2022 08:23

A word of warning - we ate out once on Christmas day with our autistic daughter. She was completely overwhelmed and terrified by the sound of all of the Christmas crackers / general noise and me and DH basically ate our dinner in 'shifts' with one of us taking it in turns to stand outside with DD. Oh and DD ate nothing. Never again.

BCBird · 03/09/2022 08:23

If your son is your son is regimented with his food, why don't you have what you both want at home in Christmas Day but organise for you to have a pre- Christmas dinner meal without him? It will be cheaper , less crowded and also your son will not be subjected to an experience that he doesn't enjoy? Win win.
I have heard many horror stories about lengthy waits and very poor quality food on Christmas Day in restaurants

BCBird · 03/09/2022 08:25

Oops sausage fingers. Sorry🤣

dmask · 03/09/2022 08:28

I used to love working Christmas Day as a teen in a restaurant. We only had a lunch session, double pay, and so many tips!! Still home in time for for Christmas dinner with my family (we always have Christmas dinner in the evening). I have been out a few times myself and it’s been around £100 for the set menu without drinks.

StellaGibson2022 · 03/09/2022 08:33

If this is the home of the carvery I highly recommend and that is a good price!

I love going out for Christmas lunch; so much more enjoyable.

NighghtmareNeighbour · 03/09/2022 08:44

If you have a big enough freezer then I can highly recommend the Cook frozen Christmas dinners. They aren’t listed on their website yet, but essentially everything goes in the oven at the same temperature and is minimal effort, but great tasting. They do different ones for different numbers of people, or you can buy the items individually.

Weve only eaten out on Christmas Day once, and it was pretty grim. Too busy (they squeezed in extra tables), food was not as good as their usual food. It was a real disappointment.

PushingAnElephantUpTheStairs · 03/09/2022 09:40

Working Christmas Day behind a bar as a teen and waltzing off after a few hours is very different to the reality of working in the kitchen. Or being the management in charge, or being there to clean up after everyone else...

I've done it myself when younger and it was fine. But there are those who have to miss out on Christmas with their own kids, or other friends and family and have no choice over it. You can't staff a restaurant solely with teenagers, however competent they may be.