Meals on RS Tours

Allowing people to choose something else would lead to everybody changing things. I can't see that working.
I occasionally skip a group dinner, and I think that's preferable.

Yeah, to be fair to everyone, you'd need to decide in advance so as to let the kitchen know not to include you in their 'headcount'. So I wonder if 'option 2' (opt out and go elsewhere) could be adapted to option 1; tell the tour guide you are opting out of the meal, so as not to waste a meal, but then make your own reservation at the same restaurant ... and sit with the group!

Sometimes "opting out" really isn't a possibility. If the group is eating at a farm in the middle of nowhere, you are going to be eating at that farm in the middle of nowhere. Honestly, the farm meals have never been bad, but there have been some restaurant ones that have. The hardest ones for me are the ones with no choice. There is a set menu and you either eat it or you don't. Not even a choice of mains.

Overall, I would have to say that the meals have been fine with a few exceptions. Probably the biggest challenge for me is that they tend to be later at night than I can usually eat or seem to drag on forever. It is a tricky balance between enjoying group dynamics and really wishing I could eat when I wanted to.

I was disappointed in the fondue meal in Switzerland. I had been looking forward to it - never having had fondue before - but cheese-covered bread and potatoes and pickled vegetables, though tasty, was not very filling after a day of hiking in the mountains.

I highly doubt the company is going to start offering multiple options for people to opt out or choose different menu items for group meals, out of fairness to the restaurant which would have the added burden of timing the kitchen to get all the meals to the table at the same time. Plus, the company has to consider affordability of their tours so you're never, ever going to dine in a Michelin starred restaurant. But you do you - opt out of group meals if you want. If the food aspect of your travels is more important to you, a My Way tour might be a better option and you'd have full control of your choices, or consider a different tour company.

And FWIW, I don't think it's fair to lump every single group meal on 1500 RS tours each year into the category of "not good" overall. I love food and have been on 5 RS tours and while not every group meal has been memorable, I can think of only a couple that were below average on my personal scale and several that were outstanding to the point of being memorable 20 years later. Yes there have been recent concerns about tour meals on a specific tour, but that can happen on any tour from any company.

I am not a tour type person and I am surprised to learn you don't get to choose what to eat at some RS tours.
I understand if you are in a remote area like the farm mentioned above, then you are stuck in eating at the designated place. But they should have some options whin what it's offered. Or at least offer the tour with only a few meals included, and give a suggestion of restaurants for the non-paid days.

I joined a small Portuguese tour group last year to travel throughout Morocco (because it was the safest way for me to travel solo). The tour included 9 nights and 3 of those had dinner included, all were at hotels or restaurants next to a hotel with buffet style meal so there were options for vegetarians, for example. Some people in the group organized to meet and eat together. A couple skipped it and went to a different restaurant when in Fes. At the Sahara we were all stuck with what was offered but it included a varied of family style meals that were brought to the table.

I was disappointed in the fondue meal in Switzerland. I had been looking forward to it - never having had fondue before - but cheese-covered bread and potatoes and pickled vegetables, though tasty, was not very filling after a day of hiking in the mountains.

We've eaten just about every cuisine across the globe, and love just about everything (Thai, Japanese, German, Italian, Filipino ...) but we'd never had Fondue and like you, we looked forward to it. I couldn't believe how 'lacking' it was! It wasn't 'bad' because 'bad' implies a bad taste; it was just 'nothing'! I mean, the cheese was ok ... I like cheese as a snack, or an appetizer, but an entire meal of melted cheese, with nothing other than bread and potatoes, just left us wanting for more! Thank God there were pickles involved! I think the bread was part of the problem too; I suspect they cut up dozens of loaves of bread ahead of time, so by the time they were served, they were dried out. A crusty, fresh piece of bread just might have made all the difference.

And then of course there was the double-dipping. I'm not a hygiene freak, but people were dipping their forks into the cheese, then putting the fork in their mouth ...

I honestly thought it was an appetizer; I was waiting for the main course to arrive and then they served dessert!

We did, however, enjoy the 'Best Of Switzerland' tour the most, and would do it again in a heartbeat. We did, in fact, book another RS visit to Switzerland 3 months later - Germany, Austria, Switzerland - and it too was great (with Switzerland again being by far the best part - Murren!).

I think what you're describing borders on "Why even bother going on a group tour if you're THAT concerned about your meals or making conversation?"

The RS company has never promised--as far as I recall--any gourmet experiences. If it happens great. If not, as long as it's decent, okay. And, yeah, it's a group dinner. One night in your life you have to sit next to that couple from (insert state, province, country of choice) and make conversation. Not a huge ask.

Guess I grew up eating PB&J for lunch in the late 70s and early '80s, and my expectations are low. I had one meal where the restaurant phoned it in (final dinner VFR tour a few years ago), but it wasn't bad just boring. I had the fondue on the GAS tour two decades ago. I recall the experience as fun even if not the most filling meal.

And, yes, you can skip a meal, just let the guide know. I've pretty much always had a choice for RS meals except for the make-your-own demonstrations, and of those, the Florence cooking class lunch was one of the best on any of my tours!

@CL:

And FWIW, I don't think it's fair to lump every single group meal on 1500 RS tours each year into the category of "not good" overall.

I did say "This isn't a universal observation, of course - some meals are great!"

For us, the majority of meals have been 'OK'. Some 'great'. Some 'not good'. I'm suggesting ways they might be able to address the 'not good' aspect.

To expand a little, most breakfasts are 'great' - good selection, good quality, and usually possible to get an espresso-based coffee, which is important to me. Most lunches are 'pretty good' also - typical options. It's only the dinners that are an issue, and only some of the time. I just wish there were ways to address the dinners.

@Joy

I am not a tour type person and I am surprised to learn you don't get to choose what to eat at some RS tours.
I understand if you are in a remote area like the farm mentioned above, then you are stuck in eating at the designated place. But they should have some options whin what it's offered. Or at least offer the tour with only a few meals included, and give a suggestion of restaurants for the non-paid days.

There is almost always a choice - often it is 'chicken or fish', with a third alternative for vegetarians. I don't recall ever being presented with a single option (other than the Fondue). And often it is 'not bad', sometimes 'quite good'. But having a wider choice is what I'm really looking for. For example, we were in Munich on an RS tour, in one of the really famous, amazing 'beer halls'. The choice was 'chicken or fish'. The chicken was as good as chicken gets - nicely done - but ... this was Munich, and the restaurant was serving 'pigs knuckle', and all manner of tasty-sounding sausages. How can you eat chicken when Pigs knuckle and sausages are on offer!

RS typically arranges for 50% of the evening meals to be 'group outings' - roughly every other night. And on the 'free' night, you are free to choose, and of course the guide will make good recommendations. We've always thoroughly enjoyed our 'free nights' (and that's why we've opted out of some of the 'group meals').

I've been on 9 Rick tours. I am not a foodie, but I am a vegetarian who will occasionally eat fish. Meals have never been a problem for me. I remember a couple of them in France that were fantastic. My favorite tour for the food we had was the Republic of Ireland where eating establishments are required to offer a vegetarian option. I loved not having to be 'odd (wo)man out' and have something just for me on the menu. I also love the picnics which sometimes occur on Rick tours, but I do then have to ask to be sure what things are made of.

RS typically arranges for 50% of the evening meals to be 'group outings' - roughly every other night. And on the 'free' night, you are free to choose, and of course the guide will make good recommendations

Chris: thanks for explaining. As you can see, I have never joined a RS tour 😅. I also would appreciate options.