Rich to fork out 3 times the national minimum wage on festive feasts

SA's elite are set to fork out about three times more than the national minimum wage for the privilege of a meal for four at one of the country's most swish restaurants this Christmas.

Prices per person at some of SA's top eateries range from R695 to R2,500, and the national monthly minimum wage rate is R3,500.

A snap survey by the Sunday Times this week found that a group of four diners would pay R10,000 for Christmas lunch at the five-star Oyster Box's Grill Room in Umhlanga.

General manager Wayne Coetzer said the 60-seater restaurant would feature a gueridon trolley service - a meal served by a waiter from a trolley or side table.

The nine-course meal will include oysters in a box, caviar, organic grass-fed sirloin and the hotel's take on the classic French Christmas log, a rich chocolate genoise cake.

Cape Town celebrity chef Reuben Riffel will be rolling out a buffet at R1,450 a head at his restaurant, Reuben's, in the One&Only hotel on the V&A Waterfront.

The festive fare includes a fresh-shucked oyster station, Asian-style west coast mussels, Singaporean fish curry, roast leg of Karoo lamb and candy cane macaroons.

Isola, another restaurant at the One&Only, has planned a poolside seafood braai at R1,750 a person, with Mauritian prawn and miso skewers and crayfish.

Christmas lunch at the luxurious Twelve Apostles, also in Cape Town, has a price tag of R1,450 a person, with the menu comprising a three-course buffet and a welcome drink on arrival.

Johannesburg's Four Seasons Hotel the Westcliff has a six-course Christmas dinner at its View restaurant for R1,795 a person.

Christmas Eve dinner at the hotel's Flames restaurant includes fennel- and apple-cured salmon; braised pork cheeks and a cheese table with a selection of local cheeses for R1,200 a person.

The Michelangelo Hotel's L'Incontro Ballroom will be transformed into Christmas central when it hosts a buffet lunch at R695 a person.