Why don't they offer kids meals at the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ??

[dsny1mom]

Well it was so super crowded that day that by the time I got over to the stagedoor cafe through the crowd and stood in the huge line with was going super slow, it took almost 25 minutes for me to get back to my table at the BBQ. Didnt appreciate that.

My DD loves Mexican food and I dislike it. When we are heading to Rancho we stop on the way and pick me up something I like. Bengal Barbque, pulled pork from RT, etc. The trick is to stop on your way to the restaurant to get the other items not get to the restaurant and then go back out again.

My DD really doesn't care for BTB so she just chats with me while I eat ( I love the place) and we pick her up something either before or after I eat there. They don't mind her sitting there and not eating so that's an option, as well.

I don't find it at all odd that they don't offer nuggets at BTB. They don't offer nuggets at any full service restaurants at DL. They don't offer them at some scramble restaurants either, like Rancho.

dsny1mom

 

[sweethannah]

I agree with the burgers - pretty traditional BBQ fare imo. That would be a nice addition.

Chicken nuggets as Western? That I'm not so sure about


I have a reservation for the night of 02 October ( right before the Halloween Party starts up ) but I'm not 100% sure we'll go. I wanted a res for a place that would have us in the back part of the Park for when the Halloween festivities start up and I've heard this is a quieter section for trick or treating.

 

[BayGirl22]

It's BBQ, not grilled food. True BBQ includes slow cooked foods like ribs and drumsticks. Grilled food like burgers or hot dogs are what some people think of eating AT a cookout, but its not actual, true BBQ. We chose to go there just for the BBQ, and I feel like they have enough different foods for my 1 and 3 year old to eat. And its family style, right, so that always means a limited number of entrees and sides.

I'm not a big fan of separate "kid food" either. Most of its heavily processed and dumbed down in flavor and variety. Both my kids eat what we're eating, with some minor adjustments for the baby. I'm kind of disappointed in the limited variety of kids meals I've seen at DL so far. I don't want my kids to eat mac and cheese every day and they don't eat chicken nuggets. I'm guessing I'll end up splitting adult entrees for them just so they get some nutritional variety.

 

[Started With a Mouse]

Well it was so super crowded that day that by the time I got over to the stagedoor cafe through the crowd and stood in the huge line with was going super slow, it took almost 25 minutes for me to get back to my table at the BBQ. Didnt appreciate that.

If it's near the end of one of the shows inside the Golden Horseshoe, the lines will be super short INSIDE the Golden Horseshoe. I believe the menu is very similar (if not the same) as the Stage Door Cafe.

 

[Malcon10t]

I think the issue is people don't realize this isn't an "order from the menu" restaurant. Its a "family served BBQ". They serve the ribs, chicken, beans, cornbread, and cole slaw, as all you can eat, simply replenishing the food. If this isn't what you want, there are other restaurants just steps away. For us, it is a go to restaurant. We really enjoy it.

We've been pretty fortunate I guess. All of the kids have loved the ribs and chicken, and really loved the beans!! It is nice of them to let you bring in other food for your kids though....

 

[mouseymommy]

Ok, I can't resist! After seeing Malcon10t's cuties, I have to post the one of my middle one, DS5 and his favorite place.

 

[DBMC]

Love the pictures!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

It's BBQ, not grilled food. True BBQ includes slow cooked foods like ribs and drumsticks. Grilled food like burgers or hot dogs are what some people think of eating AT a cookout, but its not actual, true BBQ. We chose to go there just for the BBQ, and I feel like they have enough different foods for my 1 and 3 year old to eat. And its family style, right, so that always means a limited number of entrees and sides.

I'm not a big fan of separate "kid food" either. Most of its heavily processed and dumbed down in flavor and variety. Both my kids eat what we're eating, with some minor adjustments for the baby. I'm kind of disappointed in the limited variety of kids meals I've seen at DL so far. I don't want my kids to eat mac and cheese every day and they don't eat chicken nuggets. I'm guessing I'll end up splitting adult entrees for them just so they get some nutritional variety.

I completely agree. My kids have loved ribs since they've had enough teeth to gnaw on the bone. My kids eat what we eat. My 5 year old's favorite food (and pretty much the only thing she continually asked for when we went to WDW) is "chicken on the bone". We typically split adult meals amongst them instead of getting the kids meals.

 

[HappyHaunt]

I too have never really catered to my DD3. She has always eaten whatever we were have from the time she stared solids. I just mushed up or put what we were having in the food processor. Now at 3yrs old she eats almost anything. I wish that steamed or raw veggies were more readily available at restaurnts as a kids menu option. I quite often will just order a side of veggies and cut her up some of my entre in place of a kids meal.

Same here. My hubby is a very picky eater, so I was determined to make sure our son would eat a variety of foods. He's still picky on somethings. But was never just the pizza and nugget type only. He hardly ever wanted anything off of the kids menus. But I realize all kids are different.

In this case you'd probably see me deboning the chicken and ribs for him. It was always work, but it was nice that he'd eat it.

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

I do want to point out that the Village Haus restaurant, which is very close to BTB, has kid's hamburgers, pizza, and mac and cheese on their menu. It's not chicken nuggets, but it's also not halfway across the park either. So that's another option for picky kids.

Also, if I'm remembering correctly, if the ONLY thing your child will eat is chicken nuggets, then you're stuck with Hungry Bear, Golden Horseshoe/Stagedoor, and Tomorrowland Terrace. No other restaurants serve them.

 

[larina]

Why would you go to a BBQ restaurant if you don't like BBQ sauce?...

That's what I was wondering.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

We haven't been to DL yet, but my picky DD did just fine at Hoop De Doo Revue, which has a similar menu of ribs and chicken on the bone. I think it is incredibly accommodating that they allow you to bring outside food into a restaurant, particularly one that serves family style. I wouldn't expect every restaurant to offer my DD's favorite foods - that's why we check the menu in advance to see if there is something for her. The rest of us are pretty adventurous eaters and can always find something. I wouldn't even consider picking up chicken nuggets at another restaurant to be an inconvenience - it's not like the restaurant requires food to be picked up in one place and eaten in another - bringing in outside food is a convenience for the guest.

A little advance planning goes a long way.

 

[pixiewings71]

Well it was so super crowded that day that by the time I got over to the stagedoor cafe through the crowd and stood in the huge line with was going super slow, it took almost 25 minutes for me to get back to my table at the BBQ. Didnt appreciate that.

I'm sorry that happened to you, did you check inside and out? The day we did the BBQ my girls went to Village Haus for burgers and pizza, of course they are old enough to be allowed to wander DL alone and we have been enough that we are comfortable letting them do that.

Actually it's a western themed restuarant so chicken nuggets would fit in just fine.

Actually, it's the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ, it isn't a western themed restaurant, it's an outdoor BBQ. I don't agree that nuggets would fit in just fine, I don't serve nuggets at my BBQ's. LOL I do serve hot dogs but not chicken nuggets.

The meat isn't coated in BBQ sauce, it does have a layer of sauce on it but it's not like it's drenched or is swimming in sauce, in fact DBF and I will often ask for extra sauce. We usually go for lunch, he and I, and we can easily eat 2 servings of everything, for dinner you also get sausage and corn on the cob, we loved the corn, I ate 3 pieces and DBF ate about 5....LOL It's crazy good, the coleslaw is soooooooooo good that I found the recipe online and make it myself for our BBQ's regularly.
I highly recommend the BTRBBQ to everyone who asks.

 

[BurnsideMommy]

I always kind of appreciated that this is one of the places in Disney that doesn't have the typical "crap" kiddie diet menu. It seems like all the faster places have nuggets, those fake PBJ sandwich things and mac & cheese. Not saying the BBQ is healthy (its not), but my kids LOVE the beans and corn there at least, and they've always loved ribs. I don't know many kids who wouldn't like the food at the BBQ place

I dunno - I think it'd be pretty miserable taking a nugget only eating child out to any real dining establishment other than some drive-thru joint.

My sister has this same issue. My nephew will only eat nuggets. On a 1.5 hour trip back from shopping we ate out (my kids know they can eat where we are with the adults or go hungry). Nephew threw a fit the place didn't have nuggets and didn't eat. I listened to him wail "I want mcnuggets" for 1.5 hours while I was driving home. It took a lot to NOT drive off a bridge...We don't eat McDonald's so I told him he wouldn't be eating that while he was staying with us. It was a LOOOONG week. I'm a picky eater myself so I was determined to make sure my kids ate outside the American kiddie menu diets as soon as they were starting solids. Made life much easier and more fun being able to eat almost anywhere with them!

 

[Pesky]

I agree that while they don't have a kids' menu per se, it would seem that corn on the cob and fried chicken are fairly kid-friendly. While there could be the occasional kid who insists on nuggets or mac n cheese or the like, likely the BTR BBQ menu caters the majority of kids (who accept chicken, ribs, corn, etc.) and not the minority. It is just one of those circumstances where it pays to be prepped and review the menu in advance, as with any sit-down meal, to ensure there is something for everyone at the venue. Sorry you got surprised by the menu and at least next time, if the rest of you enjoyed it, you can know to prep in advance something else for the little ones.

 

[love280mickey]

I always kind of appreciated that this is one of the places in Disney that doesn't have the typical "crap" kiddie diet menu. It seems like all the faster places have nuggets, those fake PBJ sandwich things and mac & cheese. Not saying the BBQ is healthy (its not), but my kids LOVE the beans and corn there at least, and they've always loved ribs. I don't know many kids who wouldn't like the food at the BBQ place

I dunno - I think it'd be pretty miserable taking a nugget only eating child out to any real dining establishment other than some drive-thru joint.

My sister has this same issue. My nephew will only eat nuggets. On a 1.5 hour trip back from shopping we ate out (my kids know they can eat where we are with the adults or go hungry). Nephew threw a fit the place didn't have nuggets and didn't eat. I listened to him wail "I want mcnuggets" for 1.5 hours while I was driving home. It took a lot to NOT drive off a bridge...We don't eat McDonald's so I told him he wouldn't be eating that while he was staying with us. It was a LOOOONG week. I'm a picky eater myself so I was determined to make sure my kids ate outside the American kiddie menu diets as soon as they were starting solids. Made life much easier and more fun being able to eat almost anywhere with them!

ditto that! My dd would sit and eat hibachi steak/shrimp/chicken rice and veggies at 2-1/2. still eats most anything. but some kids are just different. My friend's son would only eat mac n cheese, but she let him.

anyway, thanks for the recommendation for the bbq: one of our faves!