Anyone get the value out of the quick serve plan?

[kerri0616]

Wondering if we bought plan for one day, if we could come out ahead....

If you bought plan and felt successful, please tell me where you ate and what you ordered.

Thanks!

 

[macraven]

I have only come out ahead by maybe $2.50-3.00 depending if I order the high end items

It is more for the convenience rather than money for me

If I have a large late lunch,
I save the snack and beverage coupon for another day

 

[baerchenland]

We want to buy Freestyle Cups and have an American express card. The bundle with Quick service Meal then only costs 12$ mor than buying the Cup alone. This is definitely worth it. Then we will check how we use the cards and if we can come out ahead, we buy another one after that...

 

[nkereina]

Admittedly I am not all that familiar with Universal's dining plan. However, about a year ago, we were buying lunch at Three Broomsticks and the CM taking our order suggested the dining plan because it would be the same cost and we'd have two drink credits remaining to use at any point during the rest of our trip. So we went with it. I believe I ordered the fish and chips with a butterbeer and DH ordered the turkey leg with a butterbeer. The butterbeers counted as snack credits rather than drink credits. So, you can buy it on a case by case basis when your purchase makes sense for it.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Admittedly I am not all that familiar with Universal's dining plan. However, about a year ago, we were buying lunch at Three Broomsticks and the CM taking our order suggested the dining plan because it would be the same cost and we'd have two drink credits remaining to use at any point during the rest of our trip. So we went with it. I believe I ordered the fish and chips with a butterbeer and DH ordered the turkey leg with a butterbeer. The butterbeers counted as snack credits rather than drink credits. So, you can buy it on a case by case basis when your purchase makes sense for it.

The same thing happened to us! I've tried to remember since then to calculate to see if it would be worth buying the meal plan as I order.

 

[MikeNamez]

I could never imagine wanting to have to calculate how many X credits i have left...Was that snack credit or a drink credit? Sounds like way to much work for vacation.

 

[nkereina]

I could never imagine wanting to have to calculate how many X credits i have left...Was that snack credit or a drink credit? Sounds like way to much work for vacation.

FWIW, it can be looked up and remaining credits are also on the receipt when you redeem something. While it may be too much work for you, it can be a good savings for others depending on what they are ordering.

 

[macraven]

You need to buy the high end at the eatery to come out ahead with the quick dining plan

If you were paying cash for a meal and it costs $15, and the meal deal was $23(with tax) that would be $8 you need to recoup

Butterbeer is a high end snack credit while popcorn is a lot less in price

You need to use the snack coupon for a higher end cost to come out ahead

The beverage coupon is good for a soda, coffee or bottle water

Check out the menu sticky to pull up prices @damo has listed


Do look at the dates menus were posted so you know they are current prices

The coupons are valid for 14 days I believe

I only buy the counter meal deal if at the 3 B in potter and go with the high end meal of chicken/ribs
Or at Louie’s for their combo meal

Typically I use my coupons for butterbeer, dipping dots or high end deserts at Boulanger in the studios

Beverage coupon, I get a water or a coke if I have a meal
More times than not, I go with the water

If I buy the meal deal it is for convenience reasons as my stays onsite are close to two weeks

 

[slford00]

IF you are an annual passholder (this is key), then usually in the fall (I want to say around September) they have a deal where you can get 2 dining plans for the price of 1, or the 2nd half off... something along those lines (I forget the specifics). In that situation, you definitely come out ahead -- we've done it a couple times.

Outside of using that specific passholder deal at that time of year, then like most theme park dining plans you're probably at best just barely coming out ahead (or worse) than just paying outright for food.

 

[tweak89]

Just echoing what others have said in that you have to really work at to come out "ahead" or at least break even with theme park meal plans. On paper, the convenience sounds great, but when you tally it up and you leave money on the table you see that it wasn't really worth it. We tried out a meal plan at WDW just to see if we could at least break even. It was WORK, but I came just a few dollars shy of not losing money. But, there was also a lot of leftover food since we ordered the most expensive things for each meal/snack/drink etc.

Now, that being said, if you go to Sea World and get a deal on their All Day Dining Plan, then and you are a big eater, you can make out like a bandit.

 

[skylock]

I only get the dining plan the day I eat at three broomsticks and come out a couple of bucks ahead. Any other place I just break even at best.