Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RESTAURANTS
RESERVATIONS
Except for self-service eateries, informal cafes,
and some popular seafood spots, most restaurants encourage reser-
vations. The more expensive restaurants absolutely require reserva-
tions because there is little turnover—once a table is booked, it is
yours for the whole lunch period or for the evening until closing. In
the most popular eateries, seatings for Friday and Saturday nights
(and Sun lunch) are often booked a week or more in advance, so
have a few options in mind if you're booking at the last minute and
want to try out the hot spots in town.
Here's a tip for those who don't mind dining early: If you stop
into or phone a restaurant and find that it is booked from 8 or
8:30pm onward, ask if you can dine early (at 6:30 or 7pm), with a
promise to leave by 8pm. You will sometimes get a table. Quite a
few restaurants are experimenting with lower-priced early-bird and
pretheater menus to attract people for early evening seating.
TABLE D'HOTE OR A LA CARTE
It's a growing trend for
restaurants to offer two menus: table d'hôte, a fixed-price three- or
four-course lunch or dinner with a variety of choices; and a la carte,
a menu offering a wide choice of individually priced appetizers
(starters), soups, main courses, salads or vegetables, and desserts
(sweets).
With the former, you pay the set price whether you take each
course or not. If you do take each course, the total price offers very
good value. With the latter, you choose what you want and pay
accordingly. If you are a salad-and-entree person, then a la carte will
probably work out to be less expensive; if you want all the courses
and the trimmings, stick with the table d'hôte.
PRICES
Meal prices at restaurants include a 13.5% VAT in the
Republic of Ireland, but the service charge is extra. In perhaps half
of all restaurants, a set service charge is added automatically; it can
range from 10% to 15%. In the remaining restaurants, it is now the
custom not to add any service charge, leaving the tip to your dis-
cretion. This can be confusing for a visitor, but each restaurant nor-
mally prints its policy on the menu. If it is not clear, ask.
When no service charge is added, tip up to 15% depending on
the quality of the service. If 10% to 12.5% has already been added
to your bill, leave an appropriate amount that will total 15% if serv-
ice has been satisfactory.
