How does eating a meal up in the air sound? Imagine yourself sitting on a suspended dining table, strapped to seats, while being served 5-star meals all the while hovering 40 to 50 meters in the air. Does it make you excited? If yes, then the Dinner in the Sky experience is definitely for you!
UPDATE: Dinner in the Sky will be available again during Qatar International Food Festival 2023 (QIFF) at Lusail Boulevard which will be happening from March 11 – 21, 2023.
Dinner in the Sky concept
Originating in Belgium, this one-of-a-kind dining experience has already been operating for more than 10 years in more than 45 countries around the world. It first came to Doha, Qatar in QIFF 2013 and then returned in QIFF 2017.
How many countries have Dinner in the Sky?
Other Dinner in the Sky locations include Australia, Japan, South Africa, Brazil, United States, China, Mexico, Canada, India, Austria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Caribbean, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dubai, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Turkey, Netherlands, Taiwan, Thailand, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Spain, Slovenia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Philippines, Peru, Panama, and Pakistan.
Dinner in the Sky experience
Upon arriving at the location, we were greeted cordially by the staff. Refreshments soon followed while we wait for the pre-flight checks at the departure lounge.
As soon as everything was ready, we were all called for the pre-flight safety orientation. After this, we chose our seats and were strapped in by the staff. The seats can rotate at a 180-degree angle and are secured by a four-point strap system.
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There are two chefs along with two service staff in the middle of the deck. All the food to be served is already cooked. Only the garnishing and plating are left to be done during the course of the meals.
Going up gave me that same feeling when I tried hot air ballooning in Cappadocia. You can hardly feel the table rising with only the views giving you an indication of how far up it already is.
As the flight went on, the wind got stronger so I got a bit nervous from that. But apart from that, once you’re already strapped in, you don’t need to worry about anything but enjoy.
You don’t have to worry about choosing the wrong seat because the table will spin 360 degrees from time to time so that everyone can enjoy the views.
Where is Dinner in the Sky located?
In 2019, Dinner in the Sky was hosted by InterContinental Doha and was located on the grounds of Doha Golf Club.
The location granted guests a view of Doha and the surrounding Lusail City as well.
How high up is Dinner in the Sky?
The ‘flying dining table’ is hoisted up by a crane around 40 to 50 meters in the sky. The table also gets rotated 360 degrees during the meals so that everyone will be able to enjoy the panoramic views.
When it got windy, we can feel the table swaying a bit but nothing to be scared about.
Dinner in the Sky Doha Menu 2019
Dinner Menu:
- Beetroot carpaccio salad with wild Rocca leaves with beans and artichoke
- Braised lamb shanks, potato dauphinoise, sautéed green asparagus, thyme jus
- Chocolate truffle cake infused Passion fruit
Vegetarian Dinner Menu:
- Beetroot carpaccio salad with wild Rocca leaves with beans and artichoke
- Homemade spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli, parmesan cheese
- Chocolate truffle cake infused Passion fruit
Lunch menu
- Burrata salad with Kalamata tapenade, Pine Seeds, cherry tomato confit, truffle pomegranate dressing
- Slow-cooked beef ribs, Mediterranean grilled vegetable gallete
Vegetarian Lunch menu
- Burrata salad with Kalamata tapenade, Pine seeds cherry tomato confit, truffle pomegranate dressing
- Homemade spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli, parmesan cheese
High tea menu
Sandwiches
- Smoked Salmon bagel, horseradish mayonnaise
- Mini tomato caprese on focaccia bread
Mini Dessert
- Mini financier
- Lemon meringue tart
- Fruit tart
- Macaroon
- Forrest berry cheesecake
- Scones & clotted cream
Vegetarian High tea menu
Sandwiches
- Stuffed bagel with feta cheese and grilled vegetables
- Mini tomato Caprese on focaccia bread
Mini dessert
- Mini financier
- Lemon meringue tart
- Fruit tart
- Macaroon
- Forrest berry cheesecake
- Scones & clotted cream
Pricing: How much does Dinner in the Sky cost?
Lunch: QAR 460 (soft beverages)
High Tea: QAR 275 (soft beverages)
Dinner: QAR 680 (soft beverages)
Flight Schedule
There will be one lunch flight, one high tea flight, and two dinner flights.
The dinner session can last up to an hour while the high tea session can last up to half an hour.
How to book tickets
You can purchase through any Virgin Megastore or through Virgin tickets online.
What do you need to know
- Is it safe? The staff is trained well, there is a safety supervisor on the flight, and the structure and equipment passed certification standards.
- Can I smoke while eating? It is a non-smoking flight.
- There will be a short safety orientation before the flight so better make sure you come early.
- Personal belongings as much as possible should be kept in front of you while eating to prevent mishaps.
- How many people can sit around the table per flight? There are 22 seats on every flight (maximum).
- If you are feeling more adventurous, sit in the corners.
- You can swivel the chair and even recline it. If you want to be able to recline it fully during the flight, let the staff know when they strap you in so your seatbelt will be adjusted accordingly.
- Make sure to not wear loose shoes if you don’t want to accidentally lose a shoe mid-flight. There is only a small steel square for the feet to rest on.
- What if you have to go to the bathroom during Dinner in the Sky? The organizers recommend that you use the toilet before the flight starts. There are no bathroom breaks.
- What if you have foods you don’t eat? Kindly let them know your dietary restrictions or allergy upon your reservation.
- The ascent and descent each take up to a minute.
- For more information or to contact the organizers directly, please feel free to click here: dinnerinthesky.qa
Is it worth it?
It may be expensive, but for me, the price is worth the whole experience. From the moment I arrived at the venue until I disembarked, I only experienced good customer service. The Sky Table staff especially made us feel like everything will be okay.
You will not just be paying for the price but for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If this is part of your bucket list and has money to spare, then why not sign up for it, right?
Featured image credit: Dinnerinthesky.qa / Glown Photography
Have you tried Dinner in the Sky? Will you try it?
*Disclosure: I was invited by InterContinental Doha to try this experience but as always, all opinions and comments are my own. Photos are my own unless otherwise stated.
