Sit Down Epcot Restaurants around $15 per person??

[SM101]

Here's something to consider when eating at Disney. You're paying a premium for dining because of where you are - there's no way to get around that. Consider that a portion of what you're paying gets filtered into the Disney machine, so it helps pay for the "free" entertainments - the entertainers in the Epcot showcases, the parades, the movies under the stars, fireworks, riding the monorail, etc. All the stuff you pay for from park tickets to a $3 bottle of water to a higher than average hotel room rates to a dinner that costs more on Disney property than it would off property filters into paying for Disney to be what Disney is.

So yes, you're going to pay more money for that Japanese hibachi dinner at Teppan Edo than you would at your local Japanese hibachi joint. But you're not at your local Japanese hibachi joint. You're on vacation. At Disney. Hopefully having a great time and doing lots of other cool things. Do a little research and you won't get nickel and dimed for every "extra".

I budget so we can eat what we want when we're on vacation; that's a part of why we like to go on vacation. If I go to the shore, I want to eat seafood at a waterfront restaurant. If I go to DC for the museums, I also want to eat a great restaurant down there. If I go to Williamsburg, VA, I want to eat in the colonial taverns. They all cost money above and beyond what it costs locally - I just get over it and budget accordingly. We're far more frugal when we're home.

The good news about Disney is that all the restaurants and all the menus and all the pricing is available online. Do your homework. Know what you can comfortably afford. Make choices based on that. You might not have great TS options at Epcot with an Applebees budget, but you can get some great QS options (even if you need more than a McD's value menu budget).

Just don't ask me to go to a nice sit down meal and only have a side salad and cup of soup.

 

[sharonabe]

I'm looking at some of these menus and the prices are outrageous. Any suggestions for an Epcot sit down restaurant (table service) where the price will be more like $15 per person?

Several of the EP restaurants have some great looking things for around that price, but for LUNCH. Chefs, Marrakesh, and Rose & Crown all have a variety of entrees in the $15 range.

Without knowing how many are in your party, if each of you orders an app and you share, I think you would not go hungry, and definitely get in at that price. Make it a challenge. Have fun with it! La Hacienda and Le Cellier have some interesting sounding ones to me. The sides at Le Cellier are also big enough to share.

 

[kamik86]

I know for me when I go on vacation the dining is important. Much more then where I stay for example. Some want a view... I want to experience the food...

That being said if you wanted to always stay in the $15 range I would probably just do counter service I would hate having to go and watch the prices on everything and be so careful about what I choose.

 

[SM101]

Agreed....I want to order what looks good, rather than what is under a certain price. But if budget is an issue, I'll go order what looks good at Tangerine Cafe rather than trying to do Le Cellier on the cheap.

 

[sharonabe]

Agreed....I want to order what looks good, rather than what is under a certain price. But if budget is an issue, I'll go order what looks good at Tangerine Cafe rather than trying to do Le Cellier on the cheap.

If budget were an issue, you would pay more at Tangerine than you would for some of the really good apps and lunch menu items at the restaurants I pointed out above.

OP did have a 2nd post that said budget was not really the issue. They are looking for ideas for good food for less money. I get that. Going into a TS and being waited on in the air condition, and not spending much more than I would at a QS where I have to wait in line in the heat, get my own food, and then find a table (also in the outside heat for most places) is a much more enjoyable way to spend that $15-20.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Yes, adults absolutely can order from the kids' menu - I do it all the time.


They don't frown on it at all, actually. When you're paying for your meal with anything other than the DDP, you can order whatever you want. Not a great value for a Guest, but, they'll let you do it.

Thanks for this. So you're saying you've ordered from the kids menu at TS? I'm a senior citizen who often takes solo trips, and if I order adults portions, it's just too much food! I only eat about a third of it. I often wondered about ordering from the kids menu-I do it a lot at QS but didn't know I might be able to do it at TS also.

 

[SM101]

The problem with ordering off the kid's menu is that kid's menus, with very few exceptions, are limited to mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, and hamburgers. Blah. That selection never went over with my daughter. Can't say I blame her.

 

[Aunt Bee]

We never, ever eat more than one meal a day at Disney, and that meal is either a TS meal or CS. The rest of the time we snack, either from food we bring in (dried fruit, pretzels, crackers, etc.,) or sometimes a big splurge snack from a bakery. If you don't do the meal plan, pick 2 or 3 restaurants you want to try and those can be part of your food budget for your entire stay,
Honestly, although Disney food has really improved over the years, with very few exceptions it's not spectacular, so if you want to do a TS meal, go for the experience and when you are hungry, snack on less expensive food.

 

[WebmasterJackie]

Thanks for this. So you're saying you've ordered from the kids menu at TS? I'm a senior citizen who often takes solo trips, and if I order adults portions, it's just too much food! I only eat about a third of it. I often wondered about ordering from the kids menu-I do it a lot at QS but didn't know I might be able to do it at TS also.

You're so welcome! I sure have done this at TS locations. In fact, sometimes my daughter who's 13 wants something off of the kids' menu too and they'll make a larger portion of whatever it is and charge a few bucks more for it. They really do aim to please.

Of course, it's always important to keep in mind that this could be discretionary since each restaurant makes their own decisions and what not. What I've found is that when you're nice and unassuming about this kind of thing when talking with your server, they're willing to do it with no issue.

 

[1stTimeDisneyer]

They frown on that very strongly, but they will let you.

This is not true at all. We were very encouraged to do this, if we wanted someting off of the kids menu.

You have 37 posts and all of them seem to be rude or smart, seems like someone let the troll out of the dungeon.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Honestly, I am not all that impressed with TS at WDW. Overpriced generic food. On our trip last month we just snacked around Epcot and it was great. Friend and I shared fish and chips in england, got crepes in france, a wine and cheese flight in germany, and ate at the food court in the land pavillion. The food was just as good as anything we ate table service, but for much better prices.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Agreed....I want to order what looks good, rather than what is under a certain price. But if budget is an issue, I'll go order what looks good at Tangerine Cafe rather than trying to do Le Cellier on the cheap.

Well considering how bad my last meal at LeCellier was the only way I am going back is if it's free so that would be "cheap" Tangerine's food was 100 times better! Plus the staff there is nice not surly!

Honestly, I am not all that impressed with TS at WDW. Overpriced generic food. On our trip last month we just snacked around Epcot and it was great. Friend and I shared fish and chips in england, got crepes in france, a wine and cheese flight in germany, and ate at the food court in the land pavillion. The food was just as good as anything we ate table service, but for much better prices.

Sadly, the food continues to go downhill IMHO. I blame the DDP, but I think the truth it s a combination of things.. DDP which provides little reimbursement to the restaurants and the "we can fill it up no matter what slop we serve" mentality caused by the current volume of people going to Orlando and Disney. The place is full so they aren't motivated to improve.

 

[loves to dive]

OP, like you I can afford to eat where I want but don't always want to pay more money then I should (possibly that's why I can afford it). I only do a couple of TS meals during a week, mostly because I just can eat that much food. My favorite is a cheese plate and app. Cobb salad at Brown Derby. I know the Cobb salad is about $9.00 and it's more than enough food for me. Like others, I've been known to order off the kid's menu, even at TS restaurants. Again, I'm just not a big eater, I tend to eat 5 smaller meals a day instead of one huge one. There is something to be said about just sitting down and being waited on though and when I'm in that mood, it's usually an app and a dessert or just an entre.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

OP, hope this helps a little. All prices are pre tax, pre tip. I may put together a guide on this as I have planned several meals like this before.

Coral Reef Lunch or Dinner:
Ceasar Salad - $12.49
Drink - $2.99
Total: $15.48

Lobster Soup: $8.99
Seasonal Salad: $7.99
Water: $0
Total: $16.98

Seasonal Soup: $7.99
Jr Garden Salad: $2.99
Coconut Mango Chiffon Cake: $6.99
Water: $0
Total: $17.97

La Hacienda De San Angel:
Pork Empanadas: $11.25
Drink: $2.99
Total: $14.24

Crema De Elote: $7.50
Empanada de Manzana: $7.95
Drink: 2.99
Total: $18.44

Gorditas: $10.75
Nieves: $6.50
Water: $0
Total: $17.25

Le Cellier:

Canadian Chedder Cheese Soup: $10.00
Kids House Salad" $4.00
Drink: 2.99
Total: $16.99 ($14 if drinking water)

Kids Mickey Check Meal - Seared Salmon: $15
Drink included
Total: $15

Any Poutine offering: $10.00
Kids House Salad: $4.00
Water: $0
Total: $14.00

Canadian Maple Whisky-cured Salmon: $15.00
Water: $0
Total: $15.00

Cedar Key Clams: $14.00
Kids Cheddar Soup: $3.00
Water: $0
Total: $17.00

I recognize you are trying to be helpful and applaud you for that but once tax and tip are added for any of these in you are at a minimum 15% over OPs desired budget and in most cases at least 25%.
I have no issue with frugality but sometimes facts have to be faced and the fact is it is nigh impossible to eat at an Epcot TS for $15 or under pp.

 

[nkereina]

Well to be fair, you are at Disney World. If you can't afford to splurge on table service you probably shouldn't go.

Affording and splurging are two different things, so this post doesn't make sense. But I do agree that it's a known fact that Disney World is a very expensive place, so nothing at Disney should really come with sticker shock. A good thing to keep in mind when budgeting.

That being said, there's plenty of options to keep food costs low. Our favorite TS restaurants for either cheaper prices or large portions for sharing are Via Napoli, Sci-Fi, and the Plaza. Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD is QS but portions are large and food is exceptionally good. The QS at the Mexico pavilion has generous portions as well.

 

[CraigInPA]

Sadly, the food continues to go downhill IMHO. I blame the DDP, but I think the truth it s a combination of things.. DDP which provides little reimbursement to the restaurants and the "we can fill it up no matter what slop we serve" mentality caused by the current volume of people going to Orlando and Disney. The place is full so they aren't motivated to improve.

I wouldn't blame the DDP itself for the decline of food quality. Blame "free dining", which fills the restaurants to the point the restaurants only have to produce "acceptable" meals to stay open. If Tony's Town Square was anywhere else but Disney, it would have closed LONG ago. "Free dining" is a way for Disney to keep the restaurants open and busy even when attendance is traditionally low, and guarantees the CM's who work there full year employment. If Disney offered a room discount instead of "free dining", you'd see some of the sit down restaurants closed during slow periods.

 

[NorthshoreTigerFan]

OP, I appreciate your approach to dining. It's a tough goal though. I think the only way to make your $15 per person dinner TS goal is to share meals. I agree with some of the comments that ordering from the children's menu greatly reduces your dining options and you get more for your money (both in quality and quantity) by splitting one entree. If you were willing to go the CS route, Tangierine Cafe in the Morocco exhibit is one of my favorite places to eat at Epcot.

 

[ineedavacation33]

We ate dinner at Nine Dragons and the portions were generous, maybe around $18 per plate. But you could easily share with a child, thus bringing down the overall cost. I would definitely consider it for a lunch option.

We also like Sunshine Seasons, I get the beet and goat cheese salad (if they still have it). Around $9 per plate.

 

[PamNC]

Even if you wanted to eat sunscreen, you'd still be $3 over budget.

now that is funny. And oh so true.