Christmas day meal at the pub/restaurant. Anyone go?.

[Dave7]

I am always amazed at the prices people are willing to pay for xmas day meals at the pub etc.
£65/75 upwards for a pub meal
I really understand some people have real reasons** but the pubs are full on the day.
** I know a lady that lost her husband, could not face cooking, so took 8 of the family to the pub @ £65 plus drinks.
Anyone else willing to pay it ?

 

[numbnuts]

A few years back we went here, my neice's husband paid for the whole family (15 in all) it was well over £150 for said meal, it was all very nice, but way to much money.
https://www.exclusive.co.uk/lainston-house/

 

[I like Skol]

Cooking Christmas dinner is really enjoyable for me, I always try really hard to make it an OMG hit, but also enjoy the time spent preparing and cooking as much as the eating.
It just feels right having all day free to listen to the music on the radio, enjoy a few drinks and cook great food.

Can't think of anything worse than going to a pub to be served what is normally mediocre fayre by people that often really don't want to be working that day anymore than we do. And being charged top dollar for it!

 

[Kingfisher101]

We don't celebrate Xmas or have a traditional Xmas meal. I can see the appeal of not wanting to spend half the day in the kitchen cooking that same meal year in year out totally.A lot of people find it tedious and don't even enjoy the meal. The reason pub Xmas meals are so expensive is because you are paying for the staffs time as well. A lot will be on double or treble time etc. If you can afford it and enjoy it in a pub then why not?

 

[gavroche]

You can only eat so much and to be honest, Christmas meal is nothing special really. Turkey , what is so special about it ? Personally, I don't eat it as it is too dry for me.
Some local hotel in Llandudno was advertising Christmas meal for £70 my wife said last night !!! Crazy money and I would certainly never pay so much for a bit of dry turkey and veg.
Christmas meal is grossly over rated in my opinion. I can have much better meal any time of the year.
The only nice thing about it is the getting together with the family.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

We normally go round to my wife's son's house for Christmas - spend most of the day with them and the grandkids - then stay in a nearby hotel overnight so I can have a drink (or several!!)

so they cook it all

personally I would rather they came here and I would cook it all but they reckon the kids are happier in their own home

last year Covid scuppered all that so we stayed at home and I cooked Xmas dinner just for the 2 of us

I loved it - did everything
even mushy peas and mint sauce for SWMBO (Yes - I know - something to do with ST Helens I reckon)

anyway - $deity knows what is happening this year - if we can;t do the normal I think there might be pressure to go to a local pub
dunno why!

 

[MontyVeda]

Last time i tried to go the pub on Xmas day i discovered them all to be shut. I only wanted a pint or two but... it seems they all took the day off

 

[Rusty Nails]

I detest the TV adverts of tables groaning with food that those present will never eat and the exhortations to have "The best Christmas ever".
The best Christmas is very little to do with the food, but everything to do with those present and their attitudes.

I am not a good cook, in fact I detest cooking, but I have always done my best to take some of the pressure off my wife on cooking for the extended family that have always descended on us and which we have always loved. In recent years, as siblings and older generations have died, and with my daughter living in London, we have gone from having ten or more people for the Christmas meal to just three. Not a lot more effort than any other day of year. I would be quite happy to go down the pub for a meal which is in reality a waste of money but not a patch on what I waste the rest of the year.

Tbh I much prefer Boxing Day when my daughter, her partner and my granddaughter come to stay for a few days, and where we go down our traditional route of cold meats, chips/fry-up and pickles



P.S. I wouldn't trust going for a pub/restaurant meal this year because I reckon there will be quality problems with staff and food delivery shortages.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Nah - Mrs 26's Xmas nosh is far far better than the overpriced stuff down the pub. And it includes my home grown veggies too.

 

[Sharky]

ST Helens

Been to a couple of pubs near St Helens.
Like the Stanley Arms. Was my dad's favourite. My Uncle had his 90th there and it was a nice spread. Bit of a story though, my uncle was treating all the family, but he was taken ill in the morning and ended up in Whiston. But as relatives were traveling from Kent and Edinburgh, he made us celebrate without him! He recovered and lasted another 5 years before he left the building.

Another favourite is the Bottle and Glass. If this was a London pub, I'm sure it would be rhyming slang for something. But pretty sure it is an association with "Pilks".

My local was the "Wellie". Wouldn't recommend a Christmas meal there, but it is cheap and cheerful and I used to live 2 doors from it, a long long time ago.

 

[dan_bo]

I'm with Skolly. Not saying it'll never happen but day drinking/cooking defo has it's merits.

 

[Drago]

Ill have dinner at the club. Very nice.

 

[craigwend]

 

[classic33]

View attachment 620005

Not one of them wearing gloves.

 

[Dirk]

I have, in the past, had Christmas dinner at a pub.
MrsD says it's worth every penny not to have to prepare, cook and clear up.
I'd go up to £100 a head if it was a decent meal.