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[quote=Anonymous]The one thing that makes fine dining worth it to me is the service IF it's truly top notch. I think that's really what you're paying for -- a very high end restaurant should make you feel cared for in a way that feels special. I think the vast majority of restaurants fail on the service side (because it's actually way harder than the food) and that's what kills the experience.

Since Covid I think restaurants have generally become more hostile towards customers and I think it's killing the industry. Now when I get really good service it really stands out and is memorable. The most recent great customer service experience I had was at a bagel place in Bronxville just outside NYC. Dude running the counter was an absolute gem. Knew how to talk to customers and make people feel good but also knew how the move the line and keep things going. Bagels were also phenomenal but also I walked out of there just feeling good about the world because the people working there seemed to really like and appreciate their customers and treat them really well. Gave them like a 40% tip simply because I wanted to with absolutely no pressure on their end.

Whereas the last 10 fine dining experiences I've had have been totally unmemorable from a customer service standpoint. I get warmer and more attentive service from our favorite waiter at the mid-priced mexican place that is our go to for family dinner with kids when we don't feel like cooking or takeout. That guy always looks happy to see us and treats our kids well. We've had special occasion meals recently at Pastis and Daru and Rose's Luxury and the service has been... fine. Sure the food is better than the mexican joint but it also costs way more and I have to put a lot more effort into getting reservations and I can't take my kids to the fancy places because even though they have decent table manners I feel like neither the restaurant nor other customers really want them there (plus I don't want to spend $30 on an entree for a kid who will take 5 bites and then ask if we are getting dessert).

I kind of feel like I've outgrown fine dining.[/quote]

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