If you’re one of the many who still need to find a place to eat before Prom, don’t worry. There is still time. But before you just go to the first restaurant in the phone book, take a few minutes to think about how you can make the night special.
Hey, man! You open?
First, call to make sure the place is open and you can get a reservation. You don’t want to be like a 16-year-old I knew really, really, really well about 15 years ago. She took her friend’s date’s word that he knew the perfect place. It may have been on any day except Saturday when the cafe was closed. (Why was it closed on a weekend night? I…er, she couldn’t tell you. There was no one there to ask.) The foursome ended up having a great time chowing down on a couple pies at the local Pizza Hut.
Roll like a VIP
Many restaurants have private rooms you can rent rather inexpensively or even free on big nights like Prom. Ask to be seated in one of them when you make your reservation. There are often great views and the privacy allows everyone at the table to have a bit more fun without worrying about disturbing other diners nearby. At Hereford House we have two special venues. The VIP room seats 12 and is set up like a dining room with classic-style, leather-seated, high-back chairs. The Sterling Room can seat up to 64 and has a beautiful view of the golf course.
About 20 Derby High School students dined in our Sterling Room before the dance
Beautiful backdrops for beautiful people
So you’ve got a place that’s open and accommodating, what more do you need? How about photo ops? Everyone has a camera and just about everyone wants to share pictures immediately on Facebook. Why not impress your online friends with the beautiful surroundings of your restaurant? I couldn’t tell you how many pictures there are out there of teens in front of our castle-like building, along the cascading staircase or on the golf course. Just be sure to ask permission from the hostess before you go anywhere—like a golf course—that you might not normally find diners.