At the buffets, do you have to pay for a kid who eats nothing and just sits w. you?

[TigerLaw]

So my son is 8 and calling him a picky eater doesn't even begin to describe him! If we went to a buffet (or even ohanas) with him and he just had snacks we brought in with us (like cheezits or something) would we still have to pay the child's meal price?

I understand say at a character meal v/c you are getting to see the characters, but otherwise, what would be the policy? Has anyone been in the situation where there is soneone in the party who is just going to sit there and no eat anything?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Moliphino]

Yes. Any buffet, family style, or prix fixe you would need to pay.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

yes.

 

[Lewisc]

Policy is you pay. Restaurant staff doesn't have the time to verify how little a guest consumes. Theoretically your son would offset the guest who goes back 8 times. If the rest of your family are big eaters you might not have an issue paying for your son

You can ask. Its possible an exception might be granted. I'd skip the buffet if paying for your son would be an issue with you.

 

[snikki]

Expect to pay. It's the rule and most CM's will abide by it.

I have read reports that a CM has not charged a guest when they saw the kid didn't eat. I would add that the guest reported that they did NOT ask not to pay but were pleasantly surprised when they received the bill.

 

[backformore]

I have a son who was a very picky eater (he's now an adult, and less picky)
When he was a kid, we managed buffets by telling him he could try small quantities - like a spoonful- of anything he thought he might like, with no expectation that he had to finish anything, just the attitude of "you can't know until you try it." This worked, for the most part. There's usually at least one thing he would enjoy. He needed to be in control of how much of something he was willing to try.

All-you-can-eat restaurants are not going to let kids or adults take up a spot, and enjoy the entertainment /atmosphere, and not expect to pay. Once they started making exceptions, they would then have tables of 6 people where only two were eating. And they don't want to have to police tables, so that they could catch someone who isn't paying, sampling from another person's plate.

 

[clm10308]

Another Yes. Years ago when my son was little, we had a buffet dinner in a park (so long ago that I’m not sure where we ate) and my son slept through the entire meal. He lay down on the bench next to me when we arrived and he had to be carried out when we left. We were charged for his meal but the sever did allow us to fill a to go box with food for later for him.

 

[bsmcneil]

I do wish they had cereal. My youngest didn't want anything on the buffet and was begging for some cereal (and typically you can't bring outside food into a restaurant - so I couldn't go to the Marketplace and get some). Anyway. Not a huge deal - but a minor irritant.

 

[ppony]

Yup. My son on the spectrum never eats anything at Disney but fries which is why we bring food for him. We’re ALWAYS charged at price fixe venues. Even at breakfast when he eats nothing.

 

[WDW Traveler]

We had an experience at Boma where they did not charge my BIL for his son, probably about 8 at the time. He ate nothing, ever. He ate only pretzels and graham crackers his whole childhood. And to this day, at 23 he has a VERY limited amount of items he eats. Maybe we just got lucky, so as others have said, be prepared to pay, but you never know when a Disney CM might sprinkle some kindness your way.

 

[Disturbia]

Our son slept through a meal at Boma when he was little (3+). The chef had brought out separate pasta with a sauce (without milk/eggs) but wouldn’t allow us to take it. On one visit a kind waitress brought us to go cups and told us to fill it with his leftover pasta (he barely ate anything). Both times we paid for him.

Now that he’s 5, he sits down and eats (pasta with marinara sauce and grilled chicken) and Boma has a vegan flamingo cake that he enjoys as well.

Even at more expensive venues like Space220 and CRT, we’ve always had to pay even if he just ate grapes or French fries. You can take it to go, but we found that anything we took we ended up throwing out (doesn’t taste good).

 

[Narcoossee11]

You are paying for the experience. Just don't eat at buffet for this trip.

 

[RoseGold]

Ohana's was table service when I went not long ago. There aren't many buffets open.

And you can get a lot of the Ohana stuff on mobile order now!

 

[bumbershoot]

When he was a kid, we managed buffets by telling him he could try small quantities - like a spoonful- of anything he thought he might like, with no expectation that he had to finish anything, just the attitude of "you can't know until you try it." This worked, for the most part.

Although my son was in no way "picky" (I grew up with 3 brothers who Would Not Eat if they didn't want that food, and I know picky) but was...hesitant. One day the Trader Joe's food sample person suggested he take an "adventure bite." He loved that phrase, and it worked really well with him. (but again, he was not really picky.)

I still love the phrase, and that's why I mention it.

and typically you can't bring outside food into a restaurant - so I couldn't go to the Marketplace and get some

Although I've never done it at WDW, at Disneyland restaurants I brought food from elsewhere in the parks. No one ever seemed to care. (this wasn't at buffets, but assuming you're paying for it I can't imagine them having a huge issue if you have something else. Disney is different.)

 

[kc51570]

I had a beyond picky eater who also had a minimum of 5 different food allergies. I don’t think we ever encountered a Disney restaurant where he couldn‘t eat something, especially at a buffet. We carried a lunchbox with us for years every time we dined out. We learned quickly that it was unnecessary at Disney, but still brought snacks to supplement here and there.