Scoring a reservation at a buzzy new spot or one of your favorite restaurants may seem like a major Valentine’s Day coup, but proceed with caution. Here’s a piece of insider knowledge that those in the restaurant industry might hesitate to tell you: Valentine’s Day is the worst possible night of the year to dine out. Having dined out on this holiday, I’ve firsthand witnessed these pitfalls.

The fundamental reason: you won’t get a true taste for what the restaurant has to offer. With a high demand for reservations, many restaurants choose to serve a prix-fixe menu in lieu of the establishment’s greatest hits. Not because it makes for a better meal, but because a prix-fixe menu reduces cost and complication. The problem: it can be unfamiliar to both the cooks and wait staff, inviting more opportunity for mistakes both in the kitchen and in terms of wine pairings and menu choices.

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