Don’t Dine Out at Restaurants on These Dates (And When To Go Instead)

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Worst Dates To Dine at a Restaurant When To Go Instead

Restaurant prices increased at a slightly higher rate in June 2025 than consumer prices in general, according to the National Restaurant Association. So it goes without saying that dining out can still cost a lot of money — especially if you go on premium dates, when you’re less likely to find good values in terms of price and the overall experience.

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GOBankingRates talked to restaurant experts to find out what dates you should usually avoid dining out and the best times to go instead.

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Worst Dates To Dine at a Restaurant

The experts agreed that these are the worst dates to dine out:

Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day
Second Sunday in May: Mother’s Day
Third Sunday in June: Father’s Day
Nov. 26: Day before Thanksgiving
Dec. 24: Christmas Eve
Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve

Those dates center around national celebrations, but local events can also be bad dates for dining out. Milos Eric, co-founder and general manager of OysterLink, a restaurant and hospitality job platform, recommended also avoiding graduation weekends, especially in college towns, as well as music festivals and conventions that might create unpredictable surges in demand.

“A city like Miami during Art Basel or Las Vegas during CES sees service drop as staff struggles to keep up,” Eric said.

For restaurants, high sales days are an essential opportunity, said Katie Fairchild, chief marketing officer for Restaurant365, a software platform for restaurant management. “They are significant revenue contributors and a chance to create relationships with new guests and cement existing regulars,” she said.

But they also challenge diners’ patience with long wait times and the potential for chaotic service and limited menus. Although the pared-down offerings help restaurants ensure quality while controlling costs, they might disappoint diners hoping to order their favorite dishes or dine on a budget.

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When To Go Instead

Eric recommended holding off until after the big date to dine out. “Many restaurants overstaff on the main day and may have extra inventory the next day, leading to better service and sometimes even discounts,” he said.

Joshua Wood, founder and CEO of CJ Digital, a hospitality marketing agency, had a different take. “I would recommend going before. If you go after, the staff may be tired and the food quality may be lacking with less care being put in. It also means that you can celebrate twice because you can celebrate the actual date at home the next day,” he said.

Of course, there’s no rule that says you have to have your celebratory restaurant meal within a day of the actual event. You can time your dinner out to take advantage of the normal fluctuations in business that restaurants experience throughout the week.