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Original poster

What is the etiquette for a la carte?

34 replies

Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 10:10

My DH and I are on holiday in a fabulous 5* hotel in Greece. We usually go Eurocamp or rent an AirBnB, so I am not sure what the done thing is.
We have all inclusive which is fine for breakfast, lunch and normal dinner but tonight we have an an all inclusive a la carte meal booked in the hotel restaurant.
So my question is what do we order? Can we have soup followed by a cold starter and then a hot starter? (The food is amazing and I would like to have/try everything) Or will they think cheeky and judge us forever more!!!!!
Other than this slight anxiety I am a big fan of all inclusive!!!!

OP posts:
Technophobic · 13/08/2022 10:14

You’ve paid for all inclusive. Have a breadstick and gaze enviously at everyone else, wishing you could just go for what you’ve paid for.

Original poster
Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 10:18

Grin you are right I have paid for all inclusive!!!! but having never done this in the past I haven't got a clue! They even dress up for dinner - I've never dressed up for dinner in my life.

OP posts:
AtLeastPretendToCare · 13/08/2022 10:20

Inclusive holiday mean a la crate would normally, in my experience, mean one of each course. But you can ask at the restaurant.

Floralnomad · 13/08/2022 10:30

How is it different to any other dinner surely you have choice every night not just a set meal ? Is it just table service as opposed to a buffet .

choosername1234 · 13/08/2022 10:36

Surly it would be starter, main and desert type thing? Not sure you could order everything on the menu? Unless I'm misunderstanding?

FindingANewLifePlan · 13/08/2022 10:38

Yeah I would think it's a starter/main/dessert (that's how it worked at the last AI I was at.)

No harm in asking though Smile

Augustwine · 13/08/2022 10:39

It’d probably be wasteful and you wouldn’t enjoy all the food as much if you ordered one of everything/multiple starters even if they let you. Can you go back another night and order a different meal then?

DrDetriment · 13/08/2022 10:39

Sometimes at an all inclusive the a la carte is in addition, so has to be paid for. Just ask them before you go what is included at the a la carte.

Maireas · 13/08/2022 10:39

Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 10:18

Grin you are right I have paid for all inclusive!!!! but having never done this in the past I haven't got a clue! They even dress up for dinner - I've never dressed up for dinner in my life.

Oh come on - you must have gone out for a meal?
It just means that they don't want you in beach wear in the dining room. Take a couple of cotton or linen dresses, or skirts or loose trousers. It's not full evening wear.

Original poster
Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 10:40

The breakfast, lunch and normal dinner are buffet, help yourself situation while tonight is a proper waiter, table service. The package holiday offers one a la carte meal per stay and if you are all inclusive then you don't pay. So I would be inclined to say bugger it I will have everything but for the fact it is a proper restaurant.
However I will have to be an adult an actually ask! It just the awkwardness - not from the waiters, they are brilliant but from me!!! Hmm

OP posts:
SteveHarringtonsChestHair · 13/08/2022 10:43

I would suggest you and your DH order the best looking 2 starters mains and desserts and share, that way you can try two of everything.

I don’t think a La carte means ‘eat as much as you like but off the menu instead of the buffet’, sorry!

SteveHarringtonsChestHair · 13/08/2022 10:44

FWIW though, when I took my DCs all inclusive and had an a la carte meal they didn’t enjoy, we were allowed into the buffet afterwards to get some desserts, so that may be an option!

LightDrizzle · 13/08/2022 10:46

At Sandals a la carte from distant memory you get a starter, a main and a pudding. I very much doubt you can order more than one item for each course. Some items may have a supplement against them too eg. chateaubriand, lobster, prawns.

Check the drinks situation carefully. Wine may or may not be included and if it is, it’s likely that if you choose other than the house wine you may be paying for the bottles.

You can ask! I don’t think I would though, unless I wanted two starters instead a starter and a main.

Original poster
Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 10:47

Maireas I have just done as you said and worn what I would normally wear on holiday. Smartish but comfortable clothes and to be honest most people are the same but there are some who have really dressed up and I certainly don't judge them for it, they look amazing! Why not it might be a holiday of a lifetime!

OP posts:
Christmasiscominghohoho · 13/08/2022 10:47

It’s just one of each course…

you can’t have 3 starters followed by as many mains as you want.

wimbler · 13/08/2022 10:50

A la carte you will usually be given a menu and get to chose one dish from each of starter, main and dessert. The dishes will be cooked to order. There might be more courses or it might be a set menu. It's unlikely to be an all you can eat situation but in any case, it will be proper portion sizes unlike a buffet where you can have small bits of everything. Like someone else suggested, make sure you each order something different for each course so you can share and get the most of the menu!

Original poster
Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 10:51

LightDrizzle · 13/08/2022 10:46

At Sandals a la carte from distant memory you get a starter, a main and a pudding. I very much doubt you can order more than one item for each course. Some items may have a supplement against them too eg. chateaubriand, lobster, prawns.

Check the drinks situation carefully. Wine may or may not be included and if it is, it’s likely that if you choose other than the house wine you may be paying for the bottles.

You can ask! I don’t think I would though, unless I wanted two starters instead a starter and a main.

I am really impressed with the hotel. They have an app which you download and that has the menu and drinks for the 3 different restaurants and drinks menu for the bars. On the menu it states if it is all inclusive, 50% off inclusive or full price.
Bloody brilliant and you don't get a surprise bill at the end of the holiday.
I am going to stick with the notion it is a proper restaurant with Starter, main and dessert.

OP posts:
Maireas · 13/08/2022 10:52

Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 10:47

Maireas I have just done as you said and worn what I would normally wear on holiday. Smartish but comfortable clothes and to be honest most people are the same but there are some who have really dressed up and I certainly don't judge them for it, they look amazing! Why not it might be a holiday of a lifetime!

True, my point was not to be worried about being too overdressed. I used to take silk t-shirts, very light and easy to pack and very smart. I agree, it's nice to dress up!

knittingaddict · 13/08/2022 10:53

SteveHarringtonsChestHair · 13/08/2022 10:43

I would suggest you and your DH order the best looking 2 starters mains and desserts and share, that way you can try two of everything.

I don’t think a La carte means ‘eat as much as you like but off the menu instead of the buffet’, sorry!

It definitely doesn't.

It's the same as eating out in a restaurant where you pay. You choose one thing from each course and only order what you can eat. Skip a course if you like. Order a starter as a main if you wish. You have eaten out before?

Lds1 · 13/08/2022 10:54

It's usually 1 dish per course, but the cost is covered y you being all inclusive. Order the 2 things you would like between you and then share.

Some items may have an extra charge but it's usually made clear on the menu.

TeddyBeans · 13/08/2022 10:57

We had an a la carte dinner included in our holiday package and there was no choosing. They brought out whatever it was they were serving (everyone got the same, we saw the table next to us being given the exact same things as us) and there were 5 courses. I've never done a la carte before and it was weird.

Not sure if this is the norm though, looks like lots of other people were able to choose going by this thread

Original poster
Bedofwool · 13/08/2022 11:00

Right ladies I am off to the lunch buffet now 🙂
Thank you all for your help and suggestions. We are going with the general consensus and treating it as the proper restaurant it is and ordering two starters to share then mains and desserts.
I think I was thrown by the all inclusive 😅
If I was back home and going to a restaurant I wouldn't even bat an eyelid at this but this all inclusive has thrown me 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️
Anyway thanks again ladies. I shall post again if you want to let you know how I got on!!!!

OP posts:
3girlsunder3 · 13/08/2022 11:05

Hi Bedofwool would you mind telling me the name of the hotel please ? We are looking to book such a place in Greece at the moment and yours sounds ideal! Have a brilliant holiday and hope you enjoy your meal

Pluvia · 13/08/2022 11:28

A la carte just means that they give you a menu with a number of choices for each course. Usually anywhere between 3 and 5 courses and you order one course each. Those courses are brought to the table and served to you in the correct order. You take your time. It's just what you do in a standard restaurant.

You asked about etiquette: it's one choice per person for each course. I suppose if you want to look like barbarians you could ask for one of everything on the menu, but it would be bad manners. If that's what you refer why not just stick to the all-you-can-eat buffet and let someone else have the a la carte experience?

If you order everything on the menu you wouldn't be able to eat it all and the food waste would be shameful. Worth bearing in mind that life in Greece is still hard for a great many people after the 2008 crash and Covid, and that tourists deliberately wasting good food could seem pretty obscene.

treesandweeds · 13/08/2022 11:37

Have you never been to a restaurant before? You are asking quite odd questions. A la carte doesn't mean order everything on the menu and eat as much as you like! That's what you've been getting in the all inclusive buffet! It mean it is cooked to order for you. Why would you think you can have more than a usual starter, main and pudding?!