Free Dining and being "Rushed"

[cheshiregoofy222]

Just wondering if anyone felt "rushed" to eat and get out during free dining in the past?? I'm sensing the restaurants will need to turn over tables pretty quickly to serve the masses... just curious! Thanks for sharing!! :hourglass

Sandy

[World Bouncer]

I don't ever allow myself to feel rushed.

I am never overly rude and sit for an hour when I am done, but this is vacation and I paid for it... dining plan or not.

If I ever feel like I am being rushed, I just politely talk to the server to slow things down, this is usually a quick and easy fix, without any problems!

Hope your vacation is great and full of relaxation!:wizard:

[kath1210]

It has never happened to us, and we have done free dining every year it's been offered (twice in 2006).

The worst thing that ever happened to us on free dining was a very rude waiter at Sci-Fi, seemingly because he had to wait on a table full of "kids", although all but one were considered adults on the DDP and he was getting an automatic 18% tip.:confused3 I guess he was just having a bad day!

[Kalamazoo Dutchman]

I don't think it's neccessarily the free dining but just the overall popularity of the dining venues. We've done the free dining and regular dining plan during the slower time of the year and getting ADR's was still tough. I'm sure they just want to serve as many as possible. I agree about not letting them rush you along. I've always said:

"I've been thrown out of better places than this!":rotfl2:

[Dizneydaz]

This will be the fifth time we've had DDP and we've never felt rushed using it.

The only restaurant I've ever felt rushed at is PSB for breakfast. The seat in areas and if you aren't finished when the rest of your area is gone they stand around waiting for you to leave so they can clean the tables and set up for the next grouping.

[Disney_Angel]

Savor the meal....never allow anyone to rush you! :thumbsup2

[daisy hughes]

We did the free dining last year, and will do it again this year. Can't wait! :cool1: We never had any problem with feeling as if we were being rushed. The ONLY problem we had was when we shared a meal at Coral Reef. Our waitress ignored us the entire time, visiting our table only once after placing our order, and that was to bring us the bill. Other than that, we had no problems at all.

[cheshiregoofy222]

Can't wait to get there and enjoy!!! Thanks so much for your replies!:goodvibes

[freesone]

Just wondering if anyone felt "rushed" to eat and get out during free dining in the past?? I'm sensing the restaurants will need to turn over tables pretty quickly to serve the masses... just curious! Thanks for sharing!! :hourglass

Sandy

Maybe not rushed, but with the old plan that had the tip included, we noticed that the service was not as good in many places. Very curious to see how service is next month when we go since the tip is not included now.:confused3

[yesmylove]

The only place we felt rushed last year was at O'Hana's, it seemed like we no sooner received our appetizers and our main courses started arriving, we were two people with a table full of food. Things were getting cold, and then the server commented by saying, "Boy you two don't eat much do you" and started to take away the dishes and brought desert. We have eaten there before but never felt rushed liked this.
I also found that the restaurants that serve food family style bring out way to much food when there are only two people. I assume that the food is preplated, but it is such a waste.

[LisaInNc]

I refuse to be rushed and if they start to do it I usually ask them to slow down. We needs to be almost finsihed or completely finished with appetizers before I want to see an entree. Don't ofer dessert until everyone is finished and if I even SEE the check before they offer dessert I comment on it.

I believe that a tip is earned. They deserve 15% but they get 20% of more if they don't rush and provide great service.

[Scott_Erin]

I will not be their for free DDP but my party of five will be there at the end of October so I can steal my kiddies bags of candy what they get for going trick-treat :banana: :banana: :banana:
but I can tell you that my sis-in-law has got to be the SLOWEST EATER I know. I can eat 3 meals to her one and if they try to rush in any way fashion or form, I can just hear her now. I wiould hate to be that person

[disneyfav4ever]

If you don't want to be rushed, try this; order your appetizer, but say you are still deciding on an entee, when the apps are served, order your entree.

[srdipert]

Never been rushed.

I want my check as soon as I order dessert though b/c when I finished I want to be finished not waiting for them to bring my card back.

[Markstudy]

If you don't want to be rushed, try this; order your appetizer, but say you are still deciding on an entee, when the apps are served, order your entree.


Yep... this is the trick.

I order apps and tell them I'm still making up my mind on the main course. I do the same thing with dessert. I control the pace of the meal if I think they are trying to rush things.

Works like a charm. They can't bring it out too fast, if I haven't told them what to bring yet. :rotfl2:

[Markstudy]

I want my check as soon as I order dessert though b/c when I finished I want to be finished not waiting for them to bring my card back.

Yep, .. this is my other trick.

I want to be free to leave when I'm done, not left sitting for 15 minutes because my wait-staff just got a big table.

[cheshiregoofy222]

I like those "tricks" and we'll try them out ourselves!! Thanks for the terrific advice!:)

Also - I have to agree with the earlier post about O'Hana - when we visited with my Mom last May, we were herded through that meal like cattle to the giant skewers! (and I didn't really like the fact that the low chairs leave us all about chin high to the table - good for shoveling food I suppose...):eek:

[Jubilee]

Once or twice but you can be firm to try and pace them like by waiting on ordering each course if you want to go super slow. If you do that, you run the risk of them not coming around when you're ready to order the next course and trying to time it on your own. You can also just let them know you'd like a leisurely meal and give them the benefit of the doubt to time it.

[ThruTheEyesOfMyChild]

If you don't want to be rushed, try this; order your appetizer, but say you are still deciding on an entee, when the apps are served, order your entree.

BRILLIANT IDEA!!!! :cheer2:

[TheRustyScupper]

If you don't want to be rushed, try this; order your appetizer, but say you are still deciding on an entee, when the apps are served, order your entree.

1) Do not use this excuse.
2) Simply say that you will order each course as they come due.
3) There is no problem here.
4) We do this at some of the most exclusive restaurants.
5) The waiter soon sees you are a savvy diner and know what you are doing.
6) Lying tells the waiter you are unsophisticated.

[Tink3Bell]

They tried at Ohanas but I wouldn't let them - I had a heads up about this from these boards last year. Since they are working for their tips this year I think they are there to please you not rush you.

[Markstudy]

1) Do not use this excuse.
2) Simply say that you will order each course as they come due.

6) Lying tells the waiter you are unsophisticated.

:rotfl2: unsophisticated lying :rotfl2:

sorry but, either you are the most sophisticated person on this board, or the majority of us that are still thinking :idea: "Lobster or steak...maybe both?" :wizard: are really really unsophisticated:sad2:

I'm sure its just your wording that made your post read funny. But I thought I'd mention it. Made me laugh

[disneyfav4ever]

1) Do not use this excuse.
2) Simply say that you will order each course as they come due.
3) There is no problem here.
4) We do this at some of the most exclusive restaurants.
5) The waiter soon sees you are a savvy diner and know what you are doing.
6) Lying tells the waiter you are unsophisticated.Half of the time I am actually still trying to decide.

[mrsltg]

Just wondering if anyone felt "rushed" to eat and get out during free dining in the past?? I'm sensing the restaurants will need to turn over tables pretty quickly to serve the masses... just curious! Thanks for sharing!! :hourglass

Sandy

YES!!! In 2006 we were at Kona Cafe. We had an appetizer, entree and dessert, paid the bill and were vacating the table in 65 minutes. Yes, we were rushed. This time I am not allowing it.

[Mom2Evie]

If you don't want to be rushed, try this; order your appetizer, but say you are still deciding on an entee, when the apps are served, order your entree.

When we've used the dining plan before, even more so with free dining, we've really been rushed. We've had the serve tell us we had to order our appetizer, entree & dessert all at the same time because of the dining plan. One server INSISTED on it even afte I explained I didn't want to pick my dessert until after I'd eaten. If that isn't being rushed, then nothing is.

[cheshiregoofy222]

Not exactly "sophisticated dining" IMHO....On our trip in December (the 2nd week of December - all the parks were basically "empty"!) we paid for the dining plan (it did include the tip at that time...), ate dinner at 50's Prime Time anticpating the nifty "view finder" dessert menu thing-a-ma-jig...our waitress insisted we order appetizer, entree, dessert right out of the gate! I think she rattled off the dessert menu from memory :sad1: Just one of those times when I wished I had a bit stiffer spine I guess.... Now that the tip's up to us (although we always left extra when deserved before) I'm looking forward to eating to my own tempo!:thumbsup2

[iluvpluto27]

I think Kona was the only place we felt really rushed last year. Our waitress came across to take our drink orders as soon as we'd been seated, and wanted us to order (I'd barely had time to read the menu, never mind make a decision). I said we weren't ready, so she came back in about 1 minute to see if we were ready now! Overall I think we were there less than an hour.

[beroh2253]

:cool1: :hippie: Free dining in 06 and 07 and paid DDP this June and going for the freebie this Sept and never felt rushed. In fact at the R and C we were there for 7:30 about dessert time saw Illuminations and after that I don't think they would have minded if we stayed all night.

[Crisgw]

Savor the meal....never allow anyone to rush you! :thumbsup2

:thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2