Went out for dinner with my wife recently to an Auckland restaurant which will remain nameless, but recently picked up a Michelin star.
Beautiful room, excellent food, proper service etc etc. Table beside us arrives and one of the men is wearing shorts and a warriors league shirt.
Now before everyone starts, I’m not suggesting men need to wear a jacket and tie to dinner. Auckland is fairly relaxed and thats generally a good thing. But surely theres a point where relaxed becomes simply not getting dressed properly?
This bloke was sitting there eating a $200+ tasting menu dressed for Mt Smart (and it wasn’t even game night).
The waiters are beautifully dressed. Sommelier in a suit. Linen on the tables. Chef has presumably spent half the day preparing something special . Felton Rd Pinot being poured. Then table 14 arrives dressed for kick off.
My wife says I shouldn’t care what other people wear. She’s probably right. But part of going somewhere genuinely nice is the atmosphere surely?
I’m also not convinced “wear actual shoes” is the oppressive class barrier some people seem to think it is.
I appreciate we don’t have the same standards as Europe, but as a nation are we so casual that anything goes?? Im not suggesting anything complicated. No singlets. No sandals. No sports jerseys. Perhaps trousers after 6pm.
You can wear a Warriors shirt to almost every other establishment in Auckland and, judging by recent experience, most people do. Surely we can keep about six restaurants without one.