Mother's Day Luncheon Vent

OK. For those who complain how pricey TS and character meals are, here's one for you.

The cast: Me, DH, DS4, DS1, SIL, BIL and MIL.

My BIL picked the restaurant, which was at the track (Monmouth Park Racetrack). When he's up visiting from Texas, he's at the track every day it's open, so it's no surprise that's what he's pick. Anyway, we eat there normally once a summer, and the food is decent and reasonably priced given the location. BIL said that there was a new owner of the track and they brought in a new restaurant vendor.

We'll, after traveling 2+ hours to get there (and packing for two kids for a day trip), since we now live in MD, we sit down and look at the menu. You could choose from about four different appetizers (like shrimp cocktail) and maybe six entrees (including French Toast). While perusing the menu, I finally saw at the bottom in tiny letters a price of $45, excluding tax and tip. Also, only until after the bill came did I find out that beverages were not included and cost $3 each. So if you had a soda and coffee, that's an extra $6 on top of the $45, so that's $51 for lunch BEFORE tax and tip. I actually said out loud a couple of times, "Forty-five dollars? For this? Forty-five dollars?"

They - MIL, BIL and SIL - had already eaten before we got there, or else I would have left as soon as I saw the prices. It's normal at the track that you get the table for while, that's why they ate before us. I was about to ask my SIL to take my son to get a hot dog (which is what he'd asked for anyway), but DH asked if there was a children's menu, which there was and they could get chicken fingers, or scrambled eggs, or something else. Of course, it wasn't until later that I found out that they cost $14. So my four-year old got chicken fingers and milk (an extra $3 - so now we're up to $17) and we paid $14 (plus tax and tip) for scrambled eggs for my 1 year-old. I had a chicken sandwich and DH had the salmon over salad greens.

So normal convention is that BIL shouldn't pay because mother's day was also his birthday, so my (now) poor husband picked up the tab at a final cost of $355 (including a mandatory 20% tip for parties of 6 or more, which wound up to be a $60 tip) for five adults and two children for lunch. I will never eat there again.

We went to two character breakfasts ('Ohana and CP) in November, so I'll pay for something when I think that it's worth it. But this was ridiculous. This meal would have paid for both 'Ohana and CP combined when we were there (four adults and one child over 3 for our last WDW visit). I'm still angry and I probably will be for quite a while.

I actually dislike going out for Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. I'd rather wait a week and have a better meal that's not overpriced and not crowded. So instead, I'm in a car for 4-5 hours and we paid for a ridiculously overpriced meal that was good, but not worth the price. Happy friggin' Mother's Day. They most enjoyment that I got out of the day was spending time with my boys and I could have done that at home. My mother and father actually visited us on Saturday and we had hot dogs and burgers on the grill at home. Both Mom and I were cool with that.

I'm not being unreasonable, am I?

All I can say is WOW!! I would be upset too.

I'm with you on the Mother's Day letdown. Sorry yours went so badly, and overpriced. It doesn't sound like the day was about you at all, which is also usually my problem with Mother's Day. I'm a daughter, daughter-in-law, and a sister, too, and Mother's Day inevitably is about my mom, my mom-in-law, and my younger sister (she was born on a Mother's Day). And I love celebrating my mother, so that's fine.

But, in my case, our tradition has been to do Mother's Day Brunch at the campus restaurant of my alma mater (Willits Hallowell at Mount Holyoke College) and it's always lovely and very affordable. This year, my older sister wanted to host a barbecue at her vacation house and my mother-in-law also wanted us to come to dinner at her house. I'm still covered in rashes from the stress of leaving one to see the other and the inevitable family drama. I get stress rashes. I just wish we could go back to our brunch instead of visiting at people's houses. It's still not how I would choose to celebrate me if it was all about me, but it's pleasant and stress-free unlike this Mother's Day for me.

Ugh! My family asked if I wanted to go out yesterday and I opted to stay home and order sandwiches for lunch. LOL. I told them I appreciated the thought but we can go out another night. I told my own mom that as well, who was in complete agreement. I think Mother's Day, NYE, Christmas, Valentine's etc are all over priced when it comes to eating out. Especially the all you can eat brunches. I really don't want to pay upwards of $45 for eggs and waffles, but that's just me. Some places downtown Chicago are even more. Also, we're not big eaters so I know we never get our money's worth either.

Sorry your day was not that great! :(

Oh my gosh, I can't even imagine. I would have been really upset, too.

WOW...I don't mind paying for something as long as it's what I would like and worth the money. Sorry you had such a horrible experience.

My family asked what I wanted and we ate at my favorite hot dog place. 40.00 for 4 of us and it was just what I wanted...made me very happy.

I think you should get a do over...your way!

:mickey:

I agree mother's day brunches (and valentines dinners) are outlandishly priced. Around here we are lucky to find mothers day brunch for $45 per person. :(

I'm sorry that you had to spend your Mothers' Day that way. I hope that next year you are able to get the nice quiet day that you want. We usually have an "un-Mother's Day" with my mom and MIL on an alternate weekend in May- perhaps you can do that next year?

Yes character meals are a little pricey, but from what I can tell, there aren't any "hidden" charges to them. I don't mind paying for something if I know about it beforehand. I think that is the part that bugs me most about your story. Most people will drink more than one cup of coffee out. And $14 for eggs for a one year old?! :confused:

Oof. We do the Freehold track quite often in the summer (originally from coastal NJ). But we stick to the picnic areas and bring our own in.

That was ridiculous.

1. We don't eat out on holidays, ever. Overpriced and too crowded to be enjoyable.

2. Mother's Day is a time I spend with my DH and kids. I appreciate my mom and all other mother's in my life, but now that I'm a mom I should get to enjoy my mother's day without catering to everyone else.

Wow, you do have a right to be upset, I would be too. My DH asked me if I wanted to go out for brunch on Mother's Day. I told him no. I, like youself, would rather stay home and enjoy the day with my DD. I don't like paying for overpriced food all for the sake of it being a holiday. We never go out for Valentine's Day or New Years for the same reason.

You should have a 'do-over' for Mother's Day! You didn't get to spend it the way you really wanted to.

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Originally Posted by Princess'Mom

You should have a 'do-over' for Mother's Day! You didn't get to spend it the way you really wanted to.

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That sounds like a good idea.

The main thing was that the cost was unexpected and I would have rather eaten elsewhere for that price. To paraphrase a fellow Intercottee, it really steamed my cheese.

Nope, you aren't over reacting. And who's decision was it that your BIL shouldn't have to pay? Shouldn't that have been discussed beforehand? I really hate when other people make decisions about how I should spend my money, especially if I didn't have that much to play with! And since you are a mother as well, it should have been about you too! Next year spend it how you want to, and invite others to do it with you but make it clear to whomever where you are going and how the payment will be handled.

And I agree, you should get a do over. Unfortunately it will probably have to be a low budget do over since others spent your money for you.

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Originally Posted by PAYROLL PRINCESS

Nope, you aren't over reacting. And who's decision was it that your BIL shouldn't have to pay? Shouldn't that have been discussed beforehand? I really hate when other people make decisions about how I should spend my money, especially if I didn't have that much to play with! And since you are a mother as well, it should have been about you too! Next year spend it how you want to, and invite others to do it with you but make it clear to whomever where you are going and how the payment will be handled.

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I learned this the hard way. Years ago we went out to eat with my husband's family and some extended relatives (as in 12 of us, including two sets of aunts and uncles) for my in-laws anniversary. As the meal ended, my husband said to his parents that he wanted to pay for their meal since it was their anniversary. Immediately all the other members of our party chimed in with "Thank you so much, that is so nice of you!" Yes, they all jumped on the bandwagon to get us to pay for their meals too, including an aunt and uncle that are millionaires (and obviously also cheapskates). There was no graceful way for my husband to get out of it so we paid the humongous bill, but I was livid. Ever since when we go out with his family members, we make it clear ahead of time that we are all going dutch (unless we say otherwise).

I agree that it is much more relaxing on Mother's Day to dine at home. My husband usually makes something special on the grill, which suits me just fine.

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Originally Posted by PAYROLL PRINCESS

And who's decision was it that your BIL shouldn't have to pay?

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It was more of a propriety issue, you know. You don't ask someone to pay when it's their birthday.

And the thing is that this was the second mother's day in a row that stunk. Last year we had just moved not even a week earlier to a new state and I was just miserable. It was the second mother's day with my 16 month old and both mother's days to date since he was born have stunk, and that in itself stinks.

Next year I'll put my demands in early (which will probably involve people - except my kids - leaving me alone) and if someone has a problem with it, that's their problem.

I grew tired of paying way too much for lame food on Mother's day too. This year, we did a KFC picnic with dishes to pass. My loved it more than any restaurant and all the kids had fun running around.