Given the state of our economy and the fact that people here are lying low and not going out as much, you'd think that restaurants who aren't doing a lot of business would be drumming up special menus at decent prices to encourage business - but a lot of them that we've been too lately don't seem to realize there is recession on right now.
For example about a week ago a friend and I visited a local restaurant - got there around 7pm and we were the only two in this normally busy place. It's one of the more expensive places in town and it was a Thursday so we were really surprised it was empty but put it down to the fact that it was still early. We left just after 9.30pm and still no one had come/gone during our entire time there! No one. Waiter was nice but bill was over 90E for one starter, two mains, one dessert and one bottle of wine. We weren't offered an after-dinner drink. Personally, after having been away recently and seeing offers in tourist locations vying for diners, you would think that this would have trickled down to towns throughout this country. This place did nothing to encourage us to go back. Yes, the food was good, but I would definitely go someplace next time that was offering better value for money - ie, a cheaper dinner.
Having said all of the above, I know many top-notch restaurants in Dublin are actioning the climate now and doing 20E lunches for gourmet food prepared by chefs from around the world. Why can't this be the case for some local places - do they think they are above the recession? I just find that things in the country went from a scale of no restaurants (except for pub food) to having a good selection at high prices. Restaurants need to be offering 'sales' (ie, dinner for two with wine for 50e) or some will be going out of business shortly. A few takeaways in town have had coupons circulated in our letterboxes offering deals; why can't restaurants offer the same to their customers? What are your thoughts? Do you agree that the mark-up on wine/alcohol is excessive, menu prices too high? Would you go out more if you could get a dinner for two with a bottle of wine for 50e or under, better yet 40e or under? I, for one, would definitely dine out each weekend if I could get that - but when you factor in the cost of a babysitter, taxi, drink or two after dinner a night into our local town (not Dublin city) could cost over 150e - which IMO is way too much.
For example about a week ago a friend and I visited a local restaurant - got there around 7pm and we were the only two in this normally busy place. It's one of the more expensive places in town and it was a Thursday so we were really surprised it was empty but put it down to the fact that it was still early. We left just after 9.30pm and still no one had come/gone during our entire time there! No one. Waiter was nice but bill was over 90E for one starter, two mains, one dessert and one bottle of wine. We weren't offered an after-dinner drink. Personally, after having been away recently and seeing offers in tourist locations vying for diners, you would think that this would have trickled down to towns throughout this country. This place did nothing to encourage us to go back. Yes, the food was good, but I would definitely go someplace next time that was offering better value for money - ie, a cheaper dinner.
Having said all of the above, I know many top-notch restaurants in Dublin are actioning the climate now and doing 20E lunches for gourmet food prepared by chefs from around the world. Why can't this be the case for some local places - do they think they are above the recession? I just find that things in the country went from a scale of no restaurants (except for pub food) to having a good selection at high prices. Restaurants need to be offering 'sales' (ie, dinner for two with wine for 50e) or some will be going out of business shortly. A few takeaways in town have had coupons circulated in our letterboxes offering deals; why can't restaurants offer the same to their customers? What are your thoughts? Do you agree that the mark-up on wine/alcohol is excessive, menu prices too high? Would you go out more if you could get a dinner for two with a bottle of wine for 50e or under, better yet 40e or under? I, for one, would definitely dine out each weekend if I could get that - but when you factor in the cost of a babysitter, taxi, drink or two after dinner a night into our local town (not Dublin city) could cost over 150e - which IMO is way too much.