WDW restaurant food quality

[Harambe]

I am still one of the food-is-a-theme-park people! I love to try different things, and sure, we've had some bad meals (worse yet was LeCellier). But we've had good meals in fun places, too. Like sitting at the metal tables at the beautiful Yak & Yeti QS! Or strolling around Epcot and eating snacks in all the countries! I'm not a Disney Defender, but I do go into my vacation with both eyes open as far as budget goes. We love staying at the Disney resorts and going to all the different restaurants, too! But if others don't want to do that, and prefer to eat/stay off sight, or bring their own lunches, that's wonderful! We will ALL scream the same way on Splash mountain!!!

 

[Sparkly]

Still better then UK theme parks where you'll get a nasty greasy burger and chips for £10. Disney food looks like a gourmet restaurant compared to that!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Disney coffee has always been horrible. Last trip, it didn't seem as bad, but that's because I didn't drink it. We stayed at the Swan and I drank the Starbucks provided in the room. It was actually very good.

 

[AngiTN]

I think it depends on where you eat. I have never had a really good meal at a resort QS food court. I've had edible breakfasts but nothing that I couldn't get at McDonald's. Now TS restaurants or even QS in the parks is a different matter, I've had some excellent meals there. I agree with SRT, although last time we were there our bill was over $80. In all fairness more than one refreshing adult beverage may have been consumed.

Me either. I don't believe they exist. Edible may be a generous description. We typically prefer to avoid them whenever possible. Way too much better found to be found.
Sorry the CM wasn't clear on what was being ordered. Sadly, that doesn't surprise me much either.

 

[SaintsManiac]

A turkey sandwich is the last thing I would order anywhere, but I'm picky about my deli meats. If you like it a certain way, you'll be disappointed at a food court.

Now the meatball sub at AoA tasted like heaven to me, but probably because I had been up for 8 hours without a single bite of anything

There are some things I really love at WDW, but 'm really looking forward to trying almost all new places on our next trip.

I live in New Orleans, but previously lived in the San Francisco area. I am used to good food. Disney can live up to the standards - but so often does not. So much of the food at Disney is gagmatic.

I refuse to pay top dollar for crud. We eat off site a lot. And I often take a sandwich with me when going to the parks if I know that my only choice is to have cruddy food for $15+.

I'm from New Orleans. While it's a city known for cuisine you can get some pretty crappy and disgusting "meals" in the tourist areas. Same type of situation.

 

[hiddenMeekey]

The problem is too many people accept the mediocrity and continue to pay a premium for subpar food because "it's a theme park"...but this is Disney and they need to be held to a higher standard. People don't say anything and just continue on eating undercooked overprocessed food...say something...stop going to certain places where your had bad experiences, if we all do it eventually they'll start to catch on.

 

[North of Mouse]

Honestly, I have maybe only had one or two subpar meals at Disney and food is a huge part of the experience for me. Maybe I am just lucky but the vast VAST majority of meals have been good to great... and I HATE Applebees and Chilis and refuse to eat there.

I agree! The pp that said if Disney's food was on par with Applebees and Chilis you're doing good isn't setting a very high bar IMO. It's been several years since I ate at either one and have no intentions of going back. From eating at other chains though, have found that they are not all alike even though they're supposed to be, even though they may start with the same ingredients. The management makes a huge difference sometimes.

 

[holden]

Most of the food there is mediocre at best. There are a handful of places with decent food and most of them are pricey. Sunshine Seasons is the only counter service that has good options IMHO.

Whenever possible I try to stick to salads (without prepared dressing...just balsamic and olive oil), fruit, etc.

 

[L&Lfan]

I like Chili's, but all I get there are margaritas and the bottomless chips and salsa. I avoid Applebee's if possible but will go for drinks. We don't usually do Disney resort QS unless it's late and nothing else is open, but we understand quality wise it is what it is.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Sunshine Seasons is the only counter service that has good options IMHO.

Sunshine Seasons is good. I also like Contempo Café, and I'm looking forward to trying Satuli Canteen.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

We had our worst meal at Sunshine Seasons. DH and I had basically the entire Asian menu between the two of us and it was almost inedible.

 

[Disneylover99]

Me either. I don't believe they exist. Edible may be a generous description. We typically prefer to avoid them whenever possible. Way too much better found to be found.
Sorry the CM wasn't clear on what was being ordered. Sadly, that doesn't surprise me much either.

I feel like value resort quick service locations get a bad reputation foodwise. Have you eaten at Pop or AofA?

Lots of great choices. Some of them better then the parks. The make your own pasta with chicken or shrimp comes to mind. Braised short ribs, quiche and Veggie burgers are awesome and the pot roast with mashed potatoes and green beans were so good!

Sometimes we drive to AofA/Pop for a meal when we stay Deluxe if we don't feel like going to a park or DS.

 

[AngiTN]

I feel like value resort quick service locations get a bad reputation foodwise. Have you eaten at Pop or AofA?

Lots of great choices. Some of them better then the parks. The make your own pasta with chicken or shrimp comes to mind. Braised short ribs, quiche and Veggie burgers are awesome and the pot roast with mashed potatoes and green beans were so good!

Sometimes we drive to AofA/Pop for a meal when we stay Deluxe if we don't feel like going to a park or DS.

Yes to both. Threw our food away at Pop it was so bad

 

[Disneylover99]

Yes to both. Threw our food away at Pop it was so bad

Too bad you got some bad food. It can happen anywhere. We've had delicious meals at Values many times.

 

[persimmondeb]

I'm mostly happy with Disney food. We've had a couple of less than stellar experiences, and I really never expect anything more than edible from the resort food courts, but I'm happy with most of what we get to eat, and plan our trips around dining. There are mine fields that we avoid, but I have paid $40 (not all that recently) for a bucket of very mediocre chicken fingers and fries at Six Flags. In comparison Disney food is reasonable and delightful. Even better local amusement park food (like Dorney), while not horrible, is more expensive and less consistent than Disney's.

Food is subjective, but given the circumstances they operate under, I usuallly feel they do a pretty good job. I will agree with the idea that price and quality aren't nearly as direct a correlation as you might think, though.

 

[AngiTN]

Too bad you got some bad food. It can happen anywhere. We've had delicious meals at Values many times.

I agree, it can. But that combined with the fact that no meal we've gotten has ever been good enough to eat again is enough for me to know I wouldn't ever make a special trip to dine at resort QS and try to avoid doing it period. We dine elsewhere if at all possible. Sometimes, we just end up hungry and at the resort and that's where we eat. It's never exceeded our expectations.

 

[schaefercal]

Sometimes, we just end up hungry and at the resort and that's where we eat. It's never exceeded our expectations.

Yes to this. And this is why we stopped using the dining plan years ago. We felt forced to eat food we rarely liked. We have had good meals at AofA and in the parks at Sunshine Seasons and few others but they seem to be getting fewer and far between. We lately just use them for more of a snack. Stop in and grab a salad and a piece a fruit, sit awhile and move onto something else. I would rather save those dollars for a nice dinner later.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We've had some fairly decent QS meals and some pretty awful ones too. Was really disappointed by the last QS meal at the POR food court.

 

[IrishNYC]

I don't go to Disney for the food, and I certainly don't hold them to a higher standard just because they're Disney. I go there expecting mass-produced, preservative-filled, carb-heavy, HFCS sweetened, sodium laden, bland food that caters to the tastes of the majority, and that's exactly what we get. When we get a meal that isn't all that, and it's good, it's a pleasant surprise. When I want a food-centric trip (and we do go on these often) Disney isn't where we go.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I don't go to Disney for the food, and I certainly don't hold them to a higher standard just because they're Disney. I go there expecting mass-produced, preservative-filled, carb-heavy, HFCS sweetened, sodium laden, bland food that caters to the tastes of the majority, and that's exactly what we get. When we get a meal that isn't all that, and it's good, it's a pleasant surprise. When I want a food-centric trip (and we do go on these often) Disney isn't where we go.

Hahaha we try to eat healthy most of the time at home. So on Disney vacation, yes this is what I am looking for.
When our city has its summer festival, the big deal for our family is the menu - we look up all the new treats and greasy yum-yums and make a touring plan! LOL

True... there is a massive difference between food service #10 cans and actual hand-harvested/artisanally-created food, but I cannot even imagine what Disney would cost if they actually did that!!!

"Chip & Dale touched your salad leaves... that'll be $50 upcharge please."