Menu Help!! - is fish on the menu weird?

Ok any input is welcome here, but I can't change venues or caterers because it's a package deal, so if that is your suggestiom please don't post that. Also, Mexico is different, and this is central Mexico (DF, queretaro, Guanajuato area) not a beach resort. After going to multiple other weddings there I have only ever seen 1 main dish be served and guests don't get a choice, which no one complained about. I I am trying to accommodate everyone the best of my ability. They offer a ton of amazing gourmet options, I'm partial to the fish but understand steak may be more welcome to everyone. Whatever we pick will be delicious!

I guess if there is nothing you can do I would select steak and make sure the veggie option is hearty and filling.

Mexico is not different. Stop.

Oh god, I hate fish. My dad hates fish. My FH hates fish. If we were all going to your wedding, at least one of us would get fish and not eat.

What if no one wants to switch my fish with me?

I think go with a beef or chicken option if you have no choices for quests.

What about vegetarian selections or special dietary needs?

@Aly - I would ask your caterer about whether you can take orders ahead of time, even if you have to pay extra.

If not, I agree that the steak will probably be more popular, given that there is also a vegetarian option.

However, I'm also a fan of delicious food. I don't think it's outrageous to tell guests they have a choice of fish or vegetarian. What is the vegetarian dish?

@A.L. I think she meant that different regions of Mexico are different than popular tourist sites/resort areas.

I've been to a wedding before where they did every other person got a different plate thing and I thought it was kind of weird. I wanted the dish the people next to me got...but they also wanted it too so there was no switching lol. Thankfully my husband (then bf) shared a little of his with me and I got over it lol. I would definitely try and keep pushing back with the venue and see what you can do to avoid this. However if you're only options are truly all one dish or the every other 50/50 thing. Do 50/50 chicken and steak. The fish may be really good and a lot of people would love it but I feel like chicken and steak are just such a safer option.

The numbnuts at that venue that came up with this 50/50 concept needs to find a new job.

You need to either ask if it's possible to pay extra for a duet plate (if you haven't already) or go with all chicken or all steak. Otherwise, you're going to end up paying for a TON of wasted food. People are going to be swapping plates across the table and it's just going to be a cluster.

Also, what are you planning on doing if you take orders from your guests in advance and the venue still refuses to accommodate them? You're going to have some highly irritated guests and they won't be irritated with just the venue...

I don't like fish. Chicken or steak seems like a much safer/more popular choice.

Such a weird policy!

Can you request a duet plate like La Grosera suggested? That would really helpful!

Otherwise I'd just keep it easy and pick steak - but also let your guests know so that if they don't eat red meat they can request the vegetarian option.

We had a plated meal and our entree choices looked like this:

Prime Rib - 50%

Salmon - 30%

Chicken - 17%

Vegetarian - 3%

ETA: While we did have a lot of guests choose the Salmon, and I love all fish - I don't think it's a safe bet as your only entree choice!

@Bookcase that's what I was thinking. I will eat a veggie option over fish, no problems.

But I know like my dad would be a big baby about not having a meat if he didn't want fish.

@KittyPrawn - I think it's a know-your-crowd situation. The idea of an adult man pouting because he didn't get red meat and had to choose between fish and vegetarian makes me want to punch someone.

@Bookcase - he pouts all the time about things. I have to tell him to stop all the time when he gets all huffy over something.

He is a big baby!

But, I think as long as there is some sort of known option besides fish, people can make do.

@MiniMe - it's not an unwillingness to eat something other than steak/chicken/pasta for me. I've eaten fish, and I haven't liked fish. Why should I keep trying fish?

This just seems odd to me. What's the point in having two different entrées if people don't get a choice anyway? Honestly maybe its because I am from the Midwest but most people I know would much prefer steak to fish. I would be so pissed if half the people got steak and I got stuck with fish (which I do not eat). FH and I would end up splitting the steak and we would both be hungry. I would see about doing a duet plate or just offer one option plus vegetarian.

MiniMe, I mean, I would never, ever eat lamb. It's not really mainstream in American restaurants to order that. (Although you can in most fancy and many Indian ones) For a wedding, you want to try and appease the most amount of people, when you have limited choices. Most Americans don't eat lamb.

A.L. What does "most americans don't eat lamb" mean lol? Do you mean they don't ever? Or they don't on a regular basis? That's just a really strange statement.

OP, I agree with others. This is a really strange service style. I would definitely NOT try to take orders from your guests, because if you have a contract with the caterer, they ultimately DO NOT have to hold up to a possible 70/30 (or whatever) order.

Personally, I would try to throw extra money at them to see if they will allow you to take orders.

@MiniMe I totally agree. I have to say I've never seen such spoiled pickiness lol. I think it's a weddingwire thing because no one in my circle acts like that. I remember on a vegan thread people were freaking out and saying they'd leave early and go to taco bell. WTF.

@MiniMe -I've had lamb, veal, bison, and venison, as well as gator and frog. I jus don't usually eat at places that have other options but I'm not opposed to trying them.

If OP said they could have fish or duck, I would have said serve the duck.

I think it's not a matter of not having other options, but that chicken and beef are well known by most people. They are familiar and so I expect that guests can have something they would at least like to eat. Most people will eat either chicken or steak.

@MiniMe, I totally agree. FH's family is Midwestern as it gets, and his dad and brothers don't even really eat vegetables. They do eat fish, but no other seafood. Just a meat and potatoes kind of family.

The first time I took FH out for at a Cajun restaurant (which is STILL American!!), he flipped shit when he saw crawfish boil with with head on. The eyes grossed him out so much we had to stop our meal.

I think it's much better along the West coast and East coasts, especially in diverse metropolises like NY or San Francisco. Even in certain areas of the the south, they seem to be a little more adventurous. Minneapolis has great restaurants too, but man once you get into the burbs', it's like Chinese food is Panda Express or PF Chiangs if we're getting fancy

Uh, I eat lamb every other week, and I love veal. FYI I had duck served as an entree at my wedding and so did some other brides/grooms on here. Try not to lump all of us Americans in a group. *eye roll*