The iconic 99-year-old Ahwahnee Hotel is stirring up its dinner scene, and longtime guests are not exactly raising a toast to the changes.
The grand dining room inside Yosemite National Park — a spot that’s hosted the likes of John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama, and Queen Elizabeth II — is ditching its à la carte dinner service and going prix fixe-only, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
By April 23, guests must choose between a five-course feast at $95 or a seven-course culinary journey at $125. Add wine pairings, and the tab climbs to $135 or $165.
A vegan menu will be available, and children can still order on their own, but for most, dinner now means the full multi-course experience.
Dinner will also require a reservation, and seats are limited, so those spontaneous post-hike meals may be a thing of the past.
The change comes under concessionaire Aramark — which operates the hotel — following a roughly $35 million renovation that included kitchen upgrades and seismic work, per the outlet.
The dining room has faced criticism in recent years over whether the food lived up to the price, and the hotel itself lost its AAA four-star rating in 2019.
Now, this Yosemite Valley treasure, once known for its flexibility, is transforming into a pricier, set-menu affair with fewer choices at one of its most famous restaurants.
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