5 Etiquette Rules for Brunching It Up on a Holiday

Brunches with santa

No one wants to wake up early on Sunday morning to meet their loved ones for breakfast; especially if they’ve been out late the night before. This is why humans developed the incredible concept of Sunday brunch. Having a nice meal with people you love at a time that is too late to be called breakfast but too early to be called lunch, is the perfect way to spend a relaxing weekend morning.

Brunch was invented in England during World War 2, but it did not make its way across the pond to America for 30 more years. Once the idea of brunch reached the American border, it took off like a wild fire. Now, every millennial can be found Googling “brunch restaurants for the holidays” to make a mad dash for a reservation at the fancy restaurants on golf courses and other nice venues before they overbook the days prior to every holiday. With spring, Easter, and Mother’s Day right at our feet, there are probably several brunch outings in your near future. If you are planning to visit a brunch restaurant for the holidays, we’ve put together a list of etiquette tips, so you look like you belong.

Etiquette Tips for Visiting a Brunch Restaurant for the Holidays

  1. It is not fashionable to be fashionably late. If you are lucky enough to get a reservation at a brunch restaurant for the holidays, your table will only be held for about 15 minutes beyond your reservation time anyways.


    Let’s say though, that most of your party arrives on time to get a table, but you’re busy getting dolled up for the holiday event. Nobody wins in the scenario. The friends or family who you are meeting may be courteous enough to wait until you arrive before they place their order; this is annoying for everyone. To make matters worse, your server gets paid based on the number of tables they serve. While your party waits around for you, your table is burning daylight and your server is missing out on tips they could be making.

  2. Have mercy on the service. As we mentioned, the waiter or waitress who participates in your brunch experience probably has friends and family that they would’ve liked to have brunched with on this holiday. Instead, they are at work, refilling your mimosa and bringing your eggs Benedict to you. Not to mention, it’s likely a busy day for them and the kitchen is probably a circus. If your food takes a little longer than normal, or your server doesn’t get your drink refilled promptly, cut them some slack and don’t dock it from their tip. After all, unless you yourself are a server (in which you can skip right over this point because I’m preaching to the choir, aren’t I?), your paycheck doesn’t get docked just because you have a stressful day.
  3. Be considerate. While we’re on the subject, if you’re having a grand time and your brunch experience last three hours, you should tip double. By all means, make the most of your fancy holiday brunch, but now you’ve held a table that your server could’ve made another meal’s worth of tips off of for twice as long as needed. It is courteous to your server to pay for the time that they lost through your extended brunch.

  4. Dress appropriately. Having the occasion to visit a brunch restaurant for the holidays is a great chance to show off your good looks. Even if the atmosphere is somewhat casual, you will enjoy your experience more if you know you look great. After all, we can all agree that your pretty brunch face will be end up all over Instagram anyways. Take some time to dress nice for your holiday brunch.
  5. Eat, drink, and be merry my friend. In any other situation, you should be worried if you have the urge to start drinking at 10:00 AM. However, no one judges a morning drinker who has some champagne mixed with their orange juice at brunch. We suggest no less than three drinks to really make the most of your brunch experience!

Do you have any brunch tips to add? Please share them in the comment section below!

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