Hopefully this too shall pass and everyone will be welcome again. Believe me, this is not what my vote went for 
Someday it will be different. Or as I like to say to our friend group - one day I will be president of the new nation state of California (5th largest economy in the world and it is what WE want) and this will be different 
I appreciate that. I like to customize though. I wouldn’t want to leave wine for folks that don’t drink it. I wouldn’t leave flowers for folks that have allergies. I just don’t believe in one size fits all anymore.
Nor do I want that. Diversity, within reason, is awesome. Which is why I picked this restaurant. Something for everyone, but all prepared beautifully and with such care. THAT is the LA I want to introduce sitters to.
I just think as part of the exchange - why not introduce sitters to the real way we live? (PS we never go to Hollywood - except for shows or the Hollywood Bowl - and even though we are a half hour from the beach - we don’t surf and are only there occasionally! And that’s the real LA!)
I’m with @ziggy , a meal there for all of you before leave is a delightful thing. Shows the appreciation right at the start and is a lovely opportunity to get to know each other. I too am a social media pariah so will be waiting till you run your own country @Felinelover 
@Felinelover As a HO, a “couple hundred" sounds high. But we don’t live in LA. Your idea of a meal together might be OK for the sitters, but you might want to be sure they’re ok with it ahead of time. I’ve read on the Forum of sitters not wanting to spend much time with the HOs before the sit starts. Could be outside their comfort zone due to being introverted, etc.
As a sitter, I don’t think we’d be comfy with that amount, either. It would make us feel obligated beyond what we typically do as sitters.
This is just our opinions. 
Thank you, for the perspective. I want to give a gift but I don’t want it to be uncomfortable or over the top or setting some weird expectation.
Thanks for all the honest opinions. I’m now leaning towards just hosting a group dinner there and we’ll pick up the tab. It’s the kind of place where the prices are only on one menu so it should be fine that way, I think? Plus it is easier, no cooking or cleanup for us before our departure…
Thanks. These guys are pretty social and just fyi we posted a sit from Sunday but on the the video chat stated we are ok with earlier if needed. They are coming the the Thursday before (so 3 days prior to fill in gaps between sits) and we are fine hosting them in our guest room for prior days. They can also use our car for the the prior period. We are around and love caring for our dog so basically they have a free weekend with no responsibilitirs.
Given that it would be weird for them to say no thanks to dinner with us the night before we leave, after we’ve hosted them 3 days prior. That would be super awkward, no? 
Thank you, when ready I will reach out and ask (beg?) for votes
I think it’s all extremely thoughtful of you. As a sitter, I’d be extremely grateful but also a touch overwhelmed, especially if I never managed to make it to the restaurant (this has happened a couple times…the pup had anxiety being left alone with its people away that I couldn’t bear to leave him just for my own gratification.)
What I can tell you is that I don’t expect anything, but am exceedingly touched & grateful for anything given, as it’s truly the thought that counts. It just tells me the host appreciates me & wants my stay to be lovely.
Other ideas off the top of my head:
Thanks for being such a kind & thoughtful host. You guys are the reasons I tell everyone I know that I’m living a charmed life in my retirement. 
Thanks and while I love the idea of a gift card to stream movies - as far as I know with our services it requires a password confirmation and that I’m not willing to do.
But we were actually thinking of bringing them to the movies because there is one coming out - Project Hail Mary - where I loved loved loved the book. And want to see the movie version, it’s getting great buzz and I think it’s something they would enjoy! So, thinking we all go to the movies one night (they are here 3 nights prior to our departure so we have time).
Also - I struggle with the basket of goodies because everyone is so particular about what they will / won’t eat
I leave a basket but mine contains things I think sitters either won’t have room to pack or may forget: Disposable slippers (I ask them to leave them behind when done, I wash and leave to a homeless shelter), eye masks and ear plugs, cotton swabs , Q tips, toothpicks (I can’t stand it when it get that piece of whatever stuck in your teeth!!). That’s my welcome basket LOL. And guest robes too 
I’m not sure you do; shouldn’t they be able to use it logged in as themselves? (I carry a ROKU stick so I’m not sure.)
RE: the Project Hail Mary, I didn’t know that was a book…thanks for the tip!
Even if logged in, if you’re ‘purchasing’ an extra - it requires a password confirmation. At least on our TV it does, don’t know about all of them.
Obviously they can use our streaming services, we have a guest profile set up. Just purchasing an extra requires a password/code confirmation.
Ah. I always log in as myself on my hosts’ services, since I have premium subscriptions on most of them.
Well I ‘read’ it as an audiobook on a long road trip - it was awesome. Can’t wait to see the movie!
We always say we don’t mind that at all, log out of ours and into your own, or use ours (we have a Guest profile set up on ours)
Nice!!! It’ll happen one day…sooner rather than later, I hope!
We tailor to sitters by explicitly asking what they want/need when we reestablish communications ahead of a sit. Some sitters want nothing and clearly are uncomfortable with the notion. Others respond with a stout grocery list. Neither response fazes us and budget considerations are no factor. We simply attempt to be welcoming while avoiding being smothering.
A gift certificate to an upscale restaurant might be a great compromise. Left without fanfare but clearly indicating the monetary value leaves the choice of “that’s too much” or “thank you very much” up to the sitters but leaves them to chose knowing a ballpark estimate of their portion of the cost. Whether they redeem the gift or not, the thought counts.
Well, of course we’ll touch base more specifically in a couple of weeks but I don’t want to bother them as they are on a sit currently. It’s still a month away and I don’t want to be a pest.
But I have to have to say personally I am comfortable with gifts that are voluntary and heartfelt from my side (where I have a choice in what I give) but any sitter that left me with a ‘stout’ grocery list - that feels like a demand. It’s not about the money but I dislike that attitude so they would be met with ‘sorry no time to shop, here is your one and only gift - a (very small, almost insultingly small - I’m sure $5 will buy the stout grocery list) gift card to the grocery store so you can shop for yourself’
Annoying. Not your personal shopper, sheez.
I get that and even share a bit of the same reaction but quickly put it aside. We want sitters to feel welcome on their terms rather than ours. A 60 minute grocery run is NBD if we achieve that goal.
It strikes me as funny that you’d be inclined to leave a VERY stout gift certificate but balk at a stout grocery list.
Yeah it’s weird but it’s my thing. Its not the money it’s more something I want to give vs being told I want this so go get it for me. I guess the latter makes me feel like a servant. So, not for me. And a 60 minute grocery run? Holy Not Going To Happen Batman. Our store is 10 minutes away. Enjoy your $5 gift card and shop for yourself 