Are the filets really disappearing?

[Rootskate]

My husband loves steak so just to be on the safe side I made a reservation at Shula's. At least there I think were pretty safe.

 

[tfc3rid]

For the free dining season and DDP'ers, they should do like what we do here in NY for Restaurant Week... There is a specific menu that is offered with an app., entree and dessert for $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner...

Then anyone can order the usual a la carte menu items if they please...

The issue is also the uniqueness of the menus... There is not much differentiating the menu at Olivia's (which is supposed to have a Key West theme) from that at the Turf Club (steakhouse/clubhouse restuarant)...

 

[ElizabethB]

But, for NYC Restaurant Week, some restaurants -- namely Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe -- offer ALL of the regular menu items for the $24.07 price! (At lunch, anyway.)

 

[canes876]

They just need to place a surcharge or certain items for dining plan members. I would not mind paying $5 extra for an item to keep the option of having it on the menu.

For example you could get the chicken or sirloin on the dining plan for free, but if you choose the filet it would cost you and addition $5. V &A does it, why not the rest of the restaurants?

 

[quixoticvalue]

They just need to place a surcharge or certain items for dining plan members. I would not mind paying $5 extra for an item to keep the option of having it on the menu.

For example you could get the chicken or sirloin on the dining plan for free, but if you choose the filet it would cost you and addition $5. V &A does it, why not the rest of the restaurants?

Because then the DDP would be pretty much pointless.

 

[canes876]

Because then the DDP would be pretty much pointless.

How would it be pointless? For those wanting to fix the price of their trip, they order the non-supplemented items. For those wanting better quality foods, they order the supplemented items, paying a small "fee". Finally for those not on the DDP, nothing changes and the variety and quality is still there.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Oh man! I made ADRs at Kona for next week for DH's 40th birthday because he loved the charred filet there.

Does anyone know if they still have it at the WAVE?

 

[quixoticvalue]

How would it be pointless? For those wanting to fix the price of their trip, they order the non-supplemented items. For those wanting better quality foods, they order the supplemented items, paying a small "fee". Finally for those not on the DDP, nothing changes and the variety and quality is still there.

I understand what incurring fees implies. I am not confused on that part, because incurring fees may make sense in other tourist destinations. But more in detail of my point is the following:

Firstly, because the DDP was originally made as a way for pre-paying your meals. Once they make people pay supplemental fees for more expensive items, people will notice and not return to the DDP. Trust me, once they start that, the DDP is pretty much over for them. And regardless of what people may think, Disney reels in a lot of their American tourists with the DDP.

Finally, what would be the point of getting the all-inclusive pre-paying "cost-saving" dining plan if they incur fees? Their whole marketing approach would need to be re-worked, re-tooled, and pretty much re-hauled. People would not be too keen on the assentives anymore (not like they are 100% okay with it now), thus more people eating offsite.

Now, with Disney boasting about attendance at their parks, they don't release this big detail too much: their in-park revenue (such as souvenirs, food, and tours) is slipping a lot. Why would they want people to start eating offsite, or their less than expensive CS? Even though people "save money" on the DDP, disney still gets you with your pre-paying on the DDP.

Anyway, long story short, I just do not see them incurring a fee, unless they plan on doing away with the DDP completely, which in spite of what I may sometimes read on these boards, I just cannot see them doing that right now.

 

[quixoticvalue]

By the way, do you root for the hurricanes?? I always root for them!!

 

[canes876]

Anyway, long story short, I just do not see them incurring a fee, unless they plan on doing away with the DDP completely, which in spite of what I may sometimes read on these boards, I just cannot see them doing that right now.

I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. At almost every price fix menu I've ever eaten at around the world there were supp. charge items and now even the cruise industry, the king of all inclusive, is starting to adopt the idea as well.

As I see it, its the best of both worlds, people can have their quality items as well as the fixed price option.

I will for sure agree with you on the Canes!!!!! It's going to be a fun year, not saying we are going to win it all, but it'll be fun to see the future.

 

[quixoticvalue]

I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. At almost every price fix menu I've ever eaten at around the world there were supp. charge items and now even the cruise industry, the king of all inclusive, is starting to adopt the idea as well.

As I see it, its the best of both worlds, people can have their quality items as well as the fixed price option.

I will for sure agree with you on the Canes!!!!! It's going to be a fun year, not saying we are going to win it all, but it'll be fun to see the future.

Well, I mulled over your argument and I would have to agree with you now. Perhaps with the way food prices rise, and maybe if Disney wants to keep the items for all, incurring fees would be a move they can make.

If I were on the DDP, I would certainly pay the extra 2-5 dollars for the filet (even though I am a pescetarian, but my dbf sure can eat meat!). But as for Disney doing the fee? well, just be ready to see people react as if their car and hair were on fire. But for Disney to make the move? It would be interesting to see.

 

[canes876]

But as for Disney doing the fee? well, just be ready to see people react as if their car and hair were on fire.

This I fully agree with. I can only imagine some of the arguments that this would generate.

And for you being a pescetarian, this will save the lobster and scallops for you.

 

[Daisy21015]

If people want to count on the all inclusiveness (is that a word?) of the DP, than they just simply shouldn't order any items that have a surcharge - seems pretty simple.

I think to elminate them does nothing for those visitors that are paying OOP and want the variety of those items and are willing to pay for them.

 

[Maggi May]

I think the DDP lost its all-inclusiveness (is that a real word???) when they removed the tip from the plan.

I really appreciate everyone's info and perspective on this. I hope that Jiko doesn't remove the filet from its menu -- there are many excellent and unusual items there, but the filet is just the best!

 

[Condorman]

This topic has been on many threads lately, namely how the DDP destroyed the unique menus and cuisines that WDW became known for in the 90s. Yes, the food situation and the DDP have gone downhill, no question. But the restaurants throughout WDW do not have competition, not even if you're willing to go off-property. Disney wins in that situation because you've paid for park tickets that won't see their value for the hours that you're gone.

When you go to DHS - Mama Melrose, 50s Primetime, Sci-Fi and Brown Derby are meant to complement each other not work against one another. MM only has a few pasta dishes - not the 150 possible variations you would find at your local favorite Italian spot - both because they could not afford to keep those ingredients in stock and also because of the other TS restaurants not ten minutes out the front door. Do you think 50s has too few options for entrees? It doesn't. It's part of the overall F&B system of DHS. If you look at each park as having a food court arrangement, then you have dozens upon dozens of entrees to choose from whenever you sit down at a TS - you need only choose which cuisine interests you. We see the individual menus on allears. WDW management sees the overall offering, and they're right.

My point is a filet need only be served at one out of ten restaurants, not every single one. If they remove that staple from four or five places, let them. When I visit WDW for a week I don't order a filet every night. I get it at Le Cellier and at Yachtsman I'll order a different cut of meat.

I've made the comment before, but the homogenization of menus affects absolutely no one if your tastes are diverse enough and you take advantage of WDW's numerous international and cultural options.

 

[quixoticvalue]

I've made the comment before, but the homogenization of menus affects absolutely no one if your tastes are diverse enough and you take advantage of WDW's numerous international and cultural options.

THANK YOU! You sir/madam (trying to be politically correct here haha) win with that statement. You just made my whole moral over Disney dining become a huge amount better. This is EXACTLY what I was trying to think of this past two weeks and you just came up with a statement that deeply culminated my overall opinion.

 

[lillykat]

Honestly the food at the non signatures restaurants is good but not great by any stretch, and very hit and miss. The signature places are a great place to be adventurous - but the 1 TS places are really hit and miss. Coming from a very adventurous eater (I loved escargot when I was 5) when I want a great meal I go to the nicer restaurants in NYC - I don't look to Disney for it (unless we are talking about places like Jiko, CG etc). So honestly I am slightly annoyed when they do something like remove he filet/tenderloins b.c honestly as long as they cook it properly I know I will get a decent meal. When I deviated to the fish or other dishes my meals are hit and miss. Plus by removing them I notice that the other choices are much cheaper making the dining plan even less of a good deal and had they done this in advance we probably wouldn't have purchased the plan. Now I don't go to every restaurant for that but we did choose some based on previous meals.

As far as the supplement I would pay $2 for the better selections - I wouldn't be so happy but if I wanted it I would. Many places that have price fixed menus do that all the time (and they quality of their food is better that you don't need to order the supplement). So it is not unusual for restaurants to do this at all - but if they do it they should give notice before people purchase the DP.

 

[Brian Noble]

As far as the supplement I would pay $2 for the better selections

This has been said, but perhaps it bears repeating. The "marketing message" behind the DDP is "order any entree you want---it's covered" Having some entrees eligible, but others not, would be a major departure for the Plan. (Yes, I know some places do exclude some things, but those are all Operating Partners, not Disney-owned.)

There is nothign that says they *can't* change to a supplement model, but so far it seems very clear that they *don't want to*.

 

[asmit4]

I've made the comment before, but the homogenization of menus affects absolutely no one if your tastes are diverse enough and you take advantage of WDW's numerous international and cultural options.

Yes, I would agree with you, but a good portion of DISers at least, and people I know, DO order steak for every meal. I will be there for 4 days and plan to eat 4 beef meals. 3 steaks and 1 ribs.

I am not into 'diverse' food or 'international/cultural' options. I want americanized food and I'm not afraid to admit it. MANY on these boards agree too- or there wouldn't be such an uproar. Heck, one of the reasons we didn't like AKL was b/c the restaurant choices - 1/2 the stuff we couldn't pronounce and the other 1/2 looked icky to all of us- and there were 8 in our group- including 7 adults. Uncultured I spose.

DW can do what they want. We don't go to DW JUST for the food. What I can say is that if the food continues to go downhill, we will just eat at chain restaurants for less $$ and stay offsite. We happen to like those 'standard American' chain places. We also like 4/5 star dining, such as high end steakhouses and seafood places. It seems to me that DWs once 4/5 star dining is going down the tubes- it's a common comment on the boards, not just from me.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Yes, I would agree with you, but a good portion of DISers at least, and people I know, DO order steak for every meal. I will be there for 4 days and plan to eat 4 beef meals. 3 steaks and 1 ribs.

I am not into 'diverse' food or 'international/cultural' options. I want americanized food and I'm not afraid to admit it. MANY on these boards agree too- or there wouldn't be such an uproar. Heck, one of the reasons we didn't like AKL was b/c the restaurant choices - 1/2 the stuff we couldn't pronounce and the other 1/2 looked icky to all of us- and there were 8 in our group- including 7 adults. Uncultured I spose.

DW can do what they want. We don't go to DW JUST for the food. What I can say is that if the food continues to go downhill, we will just eat at chain restaurants for less $$ and stay offsite. We happen to like those 'standard American' chain places. We also like 4/5 star dining, such as high end steakhouses and seafood places. It seems to me that DWs once 4/5 star dining is going down the tubes- it's a common comment on the boards, not just from me.

I agree with you . I only eat steak & macaroni. So if you take the steak off the menu. I am up the creek without a paddle.