I spend a lot of money on eating out. And I don’t mind at all when the pleasure is equal to the payment but it seems like many resort towns just consider that they have a captive audience willing to spend more money than they would in their normal lives because they are on holiday and take the piss. Because lets face it; they can. Most of us are there today, gone tomorrow and unlikely to make a fuss if our meals aren’t up to scratch because we want to preserve that holiday spirit.

But I’m finding it’s souring my spirit a little to go out and pay extortionate amounts for very ordinary food served often by disinterested staff. I do understand the staffing problem, particularly in resort areas where people come and go, but surely there’s a certain standard that restaurants should impose -don’t answer the customer while yawning for example- and (too bad if this sounds snooty) please don’t sit at my table while you’re taking my order.  Plate ‘auctioning’ ie when the waitperson who took your order half an hour comes back to your table with the plates and goes ‘who’s having the fish?/ I’ve got two steaks?’ seems to be more common than everywhere else in resorts too.

But it’s the cost that gets me when they serve up perfectly ordinary food of the sort I’d cook at home at stupid prices. Because they can. Because we expect it. But holiday resorts in QLD are often the first face of the country people see and I reckon many of them leave and go off to eat at McDonalds or somewhere where at least they don’t pretend to be something they’re not. The tourist dollar is not spread; no cultural exchange can happen. It’s sad and it’s wrong and a great missed opportunity. Is this the same in other states?

I would love to know if you have any real gems in tourist resorts from Cape York to Coolangatta, both for personal and professional reasons, so please give me your recommendations so I can believe again.