snowrooster

After my second bad dining experience out on New Year's Eve, I'm wondering if I've just been unlucky or if this is the norm? Obviously this is a very busy night for most restaurants, but shouldn't they be up to the task if they take the reservations?

One year, when I was 8+ months pregnant, we were seated (at a Morton's) in smoking - and there were lots of people smoking right next to us. The food wasn't very good (fatty filet, small portions on the sides) and I had heard Morton's was supposed to be fabulous (haven't returned).

This year we went to a mid-level suburban restaurant (locally owned)we've been to often w/our kids (we went early and it is a place that is fine for kids - has a kids menu - and we told them we were bringing two children). The waitress decided on her own to put our kids' food order in early - we didn't want her to do this as we ordered appetizers to share (ended up w/kids finishing before we had our soup - got them ice cream to compensate). They ran out of martini glasses so my cosmo was divided into two glasses (made me feel silly having two drink in front of me). Service was very slow - we sat FOREVER before we got our drink or placed our order.

Anyway, I'm wondering if others have had similar experiences eating out on New Year's Eve. Do you think it is to be expected? Personally, I don't think a restaurant should book more people than it can service well on any given night.

MikeT

NYE is a guarantee of a bad experience. Too many people, too few staff, and limited menus. I avoid it all costs.

padams421

We don't go out to restaurants on New Years Eve or Valentine's Day because of the poor service and lower food quality that often occurs on those busy, crowded nights. We can go out any night of the year so why spend money on a sub-par experience?

snowrooster

Interesting - we always go out a couple of days before Valentines Day to celebrate (it somehow seems to work better that way schedule/babysitter wise), but I hadn't considered it may actually be a good decision overall and not just logistically!

nytraveler

Yes! IMHO dining out on any holiday almost guarantees poor food, bad service and a sub-par experience - and at an inflated price.

HowardR

Interestingly, our experience has been just the opposite the few times we've gone to a restaurant on New Year's Eve. We've had excellent, attentive service from fun-loving service personnel every time. And, for the prices we were paying, we expected nothing less than that!

GoTravel

We consider Valentines Day and NYE amateur night and don't go out to dinner or dine late afternoon.

It also depends on where you go.

Lexma90

We had a sub-standard experience at a favorite local restaurant in the resort area where we have a condo - and it wasn't even NYE, just that busy week in between Christmas and New Year's Eve. I blame ourselves (though our waiter could have handled the situation better); we should have known better than to go out to dinner during that week, when all the restaurants in town are packed. If we waited a week, we would have gotten the usual good service and food. And we've also learned not to go out to eat on Valentine's Day, after one bad experience on that holiday (we go a day before or after).

Yes, theoretically, the restaurants should be up to the task, but they probably have the maximum number of patrons that holiday night, with the same amount of space in the kitchen, same kitchen equipment, and probably about the same amount of staff as usual. Rather than get angry or annoyed, I've just go out to eat on a night when I know the service/food will be better!

Steph

Same here! We have found that on many holidays (NYE, New Years Day, Mothers Day to name a few) restaurant was over crowded, understaffed, and had a limited menu.

Ryan

I've always viewed New Year's Eve as amatuer night - the night out for the people who don't often go out. It's usually over-hyped and restaurants aren't usually at their best, though their prices are.

A few years ago we went to a well regarded Italian restaurant with two other couples. Our 8:00 p.m. reservation turned into a 10:15 seating; for which they comped us their best bottle of Macedonian wine! Ordered at 11:00 - appetizers put on our table at 11:58! The best part was the waitress explaining how she had agoraphobia - a fear of crowds - and this was her first night working again after 10 years. In hindsight, we crack-up everytime we think about how ridiculous the evening was.

wliwl

I agree - both NYE and Valentine's Day are a total waste of time and money. Bad service, often limited menu, obnoxious people. Next time - invite another family over, make a great meal, and have lots of champagne on hand.

sls15

I agree, I expect the worst on NYE and Valentine's Day. Even my most reliable places have let me down in the hubub of those holidays.

cassidy2002

I am in total agreement w/ other posters! I always plan a "special" meal at home, nice & romantic w/ the dh. I can guarantee a great meal w/ a perfect wine at a much better price!!!

Main reason is to avoid all the crazies on the road. Last year my cousin got married on NYE (note to brides, don't do this) it was a wonderful reception (better be if you're taking up someone's NYE, sorry to offend anyone that got married on NYE), we left at 10pm to get home in time to pop a bottle of champagne & settle in for the ball drop. Well, we got rear ended by a drunk driver who proceeded to swerve away from the accident. Eventually they caught her & she was so blitzed she couldn't even stand up. Was over two times the legal limit. Made the decision that night that we'd never be on the road NYE again!!

jor

Special occation buffets are the WORST. We took mom to a Mother's Day buffet at very nice hotel. The food was crap and it cost $18 per person (expensive for my area). The hunk of blubber that the meat carver tossed on Mom's plate was disgusting. I demanded a full refund and got it, then we left! No more Mother's Day buffets.

snowrooster

We actally go to an Easter Buffet at the Omni Netherlands that is to DIE for each year - I think dh has dreams about it. It is $35/person, so you do pay, but it is quite a spread!!

HowardR

Whew, from reading the other posts, my previous positive comments were really the exception. I guess we've just been lucky on New Year's Eve....but honestly, we've never had anything like the experiences cited on this thread.

LoriNY

NYE, Mothers Day, Valentines Day to name a few I expect sub par service, high prices, not so great food, and a fixed menue. That is why we try to avoid eating out on those days at all costs. With one exception, there is a local Italian place that does not change their menu (selection, prices, etc) on NYE, the food is consistently excellent, but they do not take reservations. Average wait on a Saturday night is 1 - 1 1/2 hours, NYE usually longer.

Suzie

I've been to nice restaurants that celebrate 2 New Years. One ends at 9:00 to coincide with the NY clebration and then they have a later one that ends with the CA celebration. Because of the way guests are seated for this affair the service and food was outstanding. I actually think V day is the worst for service as is Mother's Day brunches and dinners.

elizabeth_reed

Had an excellent NYE meal this time, but we ate really early, at a great little family-op Mexican place. Haven't been out for Valentine's Day in years -- just too crowded. I usually make something special at home (like fajitas). Last year I gave my husband some choices, including, "We could have leftover jambalaya and then go to Dairy Queen." That was all he needed to hear!

jor

Suzie, sounds like central and mountain time zones don't count in NYC. Typical! Why CA time but not OR or WA time? Nothing against you Suzie but this whole east coast west coast thing gets really irritating for the rest of us. I remember when the media was in Waco Texas when that compound started burning. The nation wide network which I was watching had a reporter live at the scene who said the fire started at 1:00. The fire started at 12 noon. She looked really foolish to people in the central time zone watching it live at 12 noon.