Describe the worst dining experince in Orlando..

[disneyangel]

Offsite - Ci-Ci's Pizza
Terrible food, terrible atmosphere and left feeling in need of shower. Most of the tables around us were full of really big (and I'm not exactly small myself ) people, and I mean entire families of them, that had a lookout for when they brought new pizzas out. It was then a race between them and tghe family next to them as to who would get there first. Most of the time one of them went up and just took everything that was there and brought it back for the rest of the family.
In the end we decided that the food really wasn't worth fighting for so just sat back and enjoyed the show

Mine too !! . I couldn't wait to get out and wouldn't return !! It had a terrible aroma of BO and everybody we saw had been on the supersize me specials I think -eek !

Onsite -we found the food at the garden grill to be overpriced and a bit lacklustre

 

[2Tiggies]

On the subject of tipping, I believe poor service is often a result of the very poor reputation we Brits have as low or often no tippers among restaurant staff (they even have a special name for us did you know?) who rely on tips to make up a liveable wage.

I have posted this before, but we were told by a good friend over there that a lot of servers do not like serving Brits because many do not tip.

This is understandable, if your tips supplement your income and you spend hours of your day serving Brits who leave not a penny, who ever good the service, is it a surprise when eventually you become demoralised?

You have two tables - one Brits, one Americans - you know that if you do a good job looking after them, you will be tipped, who would you look after?

I know in an ideal world you would treat both tables equally, but lets not be naive.

I completely understand this attitude from personal experience. It is grossly unfair on those who are informed and do right, but by proportionate representation, we are in the minority. In my student days (many many years ago ), I also waitressed to pay my rent, college fees and living expenses and lived almost solely on my tips and yes, I too used to engage in the arguments about who did NOT want to serve the British guests because sometimes I just couldn't afford to. However I will add that there are several other nations notorious for not tipping and it is just because we have larger numbers of travellers than some of those other countries that we are singled out.

I manage to escape being prejudiced from the outset because when they ask where we are from DD pipes up "We're Scottish" and you would be amazed how many people have no idea that Scotland is actually part of Britain Seriously! (Even had a minor "discussion" with a DVC rep once who insisted I had to sign up there as I did not live in the UK. Production of my passport generated the response "Well it's not recognised" .... whatever!)

 

[scottishgirl87]

I manage to escape being prejudiced from the outset because when they ask where we are from DD pipes up "We're Scottish" and you would be amazed how many people have no idea that Scotland is actually part of Britain Seriously! (Even had a minor "discussion" with a DVC rep once who insisted I had to sign up there as I did not live in the UK. Production of my passport generated the response "Well it's not recognised" .... whatever!)

I second that! A few times we've had the where are you from "Scotland" "Ohhh you're English!" followed by "No I bloody well am not!" lol. The others just don't have a clue!

 

[Tony Toon]

Wots the special name?

Sorry - I feel as though I would be betraying a confidence if I said but it is true low tipping Brits have a special name among restaurant staff.

Americans have a culture of tipping 15-20% and don't see it as we do but as the normal cost of a night out. Interestingly enough in discussion with a well travelled cousin recently he was horrified and very embarrassed when he discovered this fact having been happily paying what we consider the normal British 10% on several trips.

 

[Rohais]

As far as tips, I try to work out the cost of the meal we're likely going to be eating, and then work out a tip at 18%...it all goes in my planning book. I factor it into the cost, and then alter it, dependant on the service we receive

I have different 'pots' of money when we go to WDW. Wheelchair, transport (i.e. taxi, mears shuttles), food, tipping and then finally spending

 

[katiec]

Our worst experience was Ponderosa on IDrive by WnW. Oh my was it just the worse experience - horrible food and horrible people - uk customers mainly.

I had been so desperate to return there after several good nights out there on a previous visit (with previous DH!) 10 years ago.

Such a big let down and proved to myself that I have grown into a snob

But have to say it was our first night and for the rest of the hols I dont think we had any bad food experiences. In fact most of our $$$ went on food.

 

[2Tiggies]

Oh my was it just the worse experience - horrible food and horrible people - uk customers mainly.

Gee, thanks for that!

 

[Kath2003]

We've never really had a bad experience; Hard Rock Café were a bit slow with the bill this time (I hate it when it takes a long time to get the bill!) but no big deal. We tip 15-20%, typically nearer the 20% end.

Even the worst service we received out there is comparable to the very best service we receive here in the UK The UK could benefit from a tipping culture.

 

[kevin harrison]

Gee, thanks for that!

We were in PE with Virgin once, it was full of people from a certain UK city and they were behaving terribly, when we got off, we were so glad to see the back of them.

The next day we went to Ponderosa and there they were again, again acting like the stereotypical English abroad. Was the last time I set foot in Ponderosa.

 

[EPCOTFANROD]

The last meal I had in Orlando(Aug 2008)was the worst experience. Got back from a full day at Magic Kingdom and ordered a takeaway pizza from the Pizza Hut at Old Town. Got back to CBR and found that the base wasn't cooked, just dough. Ended up picking a few pieces of chicken off the top.

I'll still go back as I have had great meals there several times and realise it was just an off night.

...in fact i'll probably go back next week.

 

[2Tiggies]

Hard Rock Café were a bit slow with the bill this time (I hate it when it takes a long time to get the bill!) but no big deal. We tip 15-20%, typically nearer the 20% end.

You should try Chef Mickeys then. We got our bill before we got our hot food.

We were in PE with Virgin once, it was full of people from a certain UK city and they were behaving terribly, when we got off, we were so glad to see the back of them.

The next day we went to Ponderosa and there they were again, again acting like the stereotypical English abroad. Was the last time I set foot in Ponderosa.

So embarassing when that happens because you know that you are going to be branded with them. That is usually a cue for me to keep very quiet. More difficult with young children who blurt out and say it like it is. "Mum, is that what you meant when you were explaining unacceptable behaviour .....?"

 

[thestevied]

We were in PE with Virgin once, it was full of people from a certain UK city and they were behaving terribly, when we got off, we were so glad to see the back of them.

The next day we went to Ponderosa and there they were again, again acting like the stereotypical English abroad. Was the last time I set foot in Ponderosa.

Which city!!!!! PLEASE!!!

 

[kevin harrison]

Which city!!!!! PLEASE!!!

I am not posting that here. Can of worms comes to mind..

Check your messages.

 

[katiec]

We were in PE with Virgin once, it was full of people from a certain UK city and they were behaving terribly, when we got off, we were so glad to see the back of them.

The next day we went to Ponderosa and there they were again, again acting like the stereotypical English abroad. Was the last time I set foot in Ponderosa.

As I have already said, i;ve decided i'm a holiday snob but we were on a last minute holiday to a FC holiday village in Mexico last year when a man walked past us, with wife and 2 small kids in tow (usual conversational swearing going on).
Nothing particular unusual about that but his back was covered with a tattoo of St Georges Flag (in black and white) accompanied by the words - Proud to be English!!!!

It made me feel I'm all for being patriotic, but really

I know it is steroetypical and he may well have been a lovely bloke, but these are the type of people I try to avoid on my holidays.



PS - sorry to hijack the thread!

 

[2Tiggies]

I am not posting that here. Can of worms comes to mind..

Check your messages.

So subtle Kevin!

 

[luke]

So subtle Kevin!

Although personally I'm not sure of how them being from 'a certain city' even needs to be mentioned...

 

[kevin harrison]

Although personally I'm not sure of how them being from 'a certain city' even needs to be mentioned...

Now why would you say that Luke?

 

[2Tiggies]

Now why would you say that Luke?

Sorry. This is soooo funny!

 

[luke]

Guess I know what city you mean then from your snidey comments eh

 

[2Tiggies]

Guess I know what city you mean then from your snidey comments eh

Right, I don't want to start anything here if you guys are being serious, but how in the world did you come to a conclusion about what city? I don't see anything to suggest anywhere in particular - even between the lines.