New To Tauck - Question on Meals
We have travelled extensively in Europe but not used Tauck. Major question is about meals. I see that the various Fairmont Hotels have several places where one may eat. May we choose the restaurant we think we’d like? Also, is there a $ limit on meals? Just trying to get a feel for how Tauck operates. Thanks.
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I’m just answering part of your questions here because there are several tours which have Canadian Rockies in their title. I have taken the one which included Glacier Nat. park, but it was years ago. Generally, Tauck tours have some meals where you all eat together. Some where you have a choice of restaurant and choose the time to eat, only very occasionally is there a cash limit, for instance if there is a super expensive item on the menu. And some where you are free to eat where and whenever you want at your own expense. In that case, the tour director will have a list of restaurants nearby to recommend. Alcohol is only included at some of the communal group meals and it is made clear which those are. Included meals are often large potatoes especially at lunch. I recommend saving your loosest clothes towards the end of the tour! I also recommend Poutine and oysters, oh, and Tim Horton coffee 😂
We've only taken Tauck's European land tours. Dinner options are: group dinner with a very limited/already selected menu, dinner at a preselected restaurant (normally at the hotel), and dinner on your own where ever you like. The group dinners typically are the welcome, farewell and possibly a special location like a castle or historic site.
At hotels where there was more than one dinner restaurant, we've never been given a choice when Tauck foots the bill. It's typically the nicest restaurant available at the hotel. The restaurant staff knows you are with Tauck and will either hand you the same menu any diner would be given or a slightly smaller one specific to Tauck guests. Most of the time you can choose whatever you want - a starter, main, and dessert - or less. I research all the hotels on each tour including their restaurants and menus. When we've been given an edited menu it typically didn't have very expensive items. If you really want to eat at a less fancy hotel restaurant you could try talking to the TD about it and see if they can work it out.
Breakfast is typically only offered in one location and is a buffet with possibly other hot items cooked to order like omelets, eggs benedict.
Slitch - Although not your tour, I have taken the Grand Canadian Rockies tour twice and stayed in all Fairmont properties. Yes, you can choose any of the restaurants for dinner and I do not recall ever being told about a dollar limit.
Our last Rockies tour was quite some time ago--over a decade ago--so some changes may have occurred and my memory may not serve me well. Nonetheless, I do not recall ever being given a pre-set menu when we had a choice of restaurants. Perhaps someone with more recent and direct experience will comment.
Have a wonderful journey. The Fairmont properties are gorgeous and are our favorite brand when traveling.
Thanks so very much. Very helpful!
I just realized I had my ‘Portions’ auto corrected to ‘potatoes” 😂😂😂
Eye turned auf ottokorrect a lawn time ago...
British, I wondered how we'd missed out on the baked potato bars you'd had. Sounds like a good meal.
Of course you can always go back and fix it, but that would mean we would miss all the head-scratching and comments!
That would spoil the fun😀
Well, that's good news for any low-carb Tauckers out there. Me, I love potatoes of any size.
We were part of the Best of Canadian Rockies tour in July. There are usually 3 restaurant choices at each hotel. Our tour director had a list of the restaurants and reservation times available. We took turns at selecting restaurants and dinner times. For the most, we always had the restaurant we wanted. You are served a 3 course dinner each day. An appetizer, entree and dessert. There was not a dollar limit on the meal.