"This is our 6th Thanksgiving at LaQuinta in 8 years. Where to start.....each year the experience has declined exponentially. The check in process was cumbersome—from waiting in an unorganized line, payment being required upfront, to being told there was an hour wait if we didn’t want to sit in the sun (we had made reservations a month in advance . It was almost 90 degrees on Thanksgiving. The outdoor seating, with umbrellas, made for a nice setting, once the sun was no longer overhead. However, to access the buffet, you had to walk a considerable distance across an uneven surface, through a line of waiting diners and basically into a side door to the buffet. We commented that you could burn more calories than you consume just by getting your food. The food was very good, but definitely not up to the selection and quality in years past. In the past there had been a crab cake station, prime rib and lamb. None of these dishes were available this year. The carving station staff was less than generous when serving the meats—it felt as if they were instructed to ration it. The kids area in past years had fun activities and a much better selection of food items (chicken tenders, mac cheese for $45 a plate really? ; kids table was so low (about a foot high that the 11 year old in our party had to practically crawl to get her food. The same child asked for chocolate milk and was told there was none—but there was...in a carton at the kids table. And now to the price. It was $82 for adults, $45 for children. This did not include beverages. There were 7 in our party. We certainly do not mind paying this amount for an exceptional experience. This was not. UPDATE: My son in law called LaQuinta management to relay our experience since it differed from past Thanksgiving dinners. The manager was both gracious and generous in responding and for that we say “Thank you, LaQuinta!”"
