Best time to eat quick service

[MaggiLasVegas]

Are there any experts out there who know what times of the day the quick service restaurants have the lowest crowds? Particularly Rancho del Zocalo, Red Rose Tavern, and Flo's V8 Cafe. Also how about the ice cream parlor on main Street and clarabels creamery?
Thank you for any information you can share.

 

[Robo]

General rule-of-thumb:

Food: NOT between 11:30AM and 2:00PM.
Food: NOT between 5:30PM and 7:30PM.
Ice cream: NOT starting 60-75 min. before the "fireworks," and up to an hour after the "fireworks."

 

[StarSeven7]

Are those in Disneyland? You might want to post on the Disneyland board to get more responses.

 

[Robo]

Are those in Disneyland? You might want to post on the Disneyland board to get more responses.

Same times would hold (these are loose generalizations, anyway) at DLR.

If you'll note, the times relate to "lunch" times, "dinner" times, refreshments while waiting for "evening shows" and grabbing something as we exit the parks.

 

[gharter]

Would agree with the times.
The QS will be least crowed at off hours. Similar to the TS restaurants.

 

[Becca1007]

Just use mobile order and it doesn't matter... we tend to eat quick service at noon for lunch and at 5-6 for dinner and we never have a problem finding a table. We've been at least once a month since August...

 

[ParkHopper1]

Don't think I have ever had to pass up counter service meal cuz the line was too long at any particular time on a normal operating day.

Seating is sometime scarce right there but can typically walk aways form the crowds and find a place to sit and eat.

 

[sjmac42]

Just use mobile order and it doesn't matter... we tend to eat quick service at noon for lunch and at 5-6 for dinner and we never have a problem finding a table. We've been at least once a month since August...

I would agree with that, however, the other consideration is if you avoid the times mentioned by Robo, you generally find some attractions do have shorter wait times because everyone else has gone to lunch or dinner.

Again, that’s a generalisation but I’d heed Robo’s advice about the times to avoid and also take Becca107’s advice and use mobile order even in those “off“ times. You can get off a ride, place a mobile order and it’s ready to pick up when you arrive. Just don’t order something at Flo’s from Grizzly Peak or Buena Vista St, be a little closer so your food doesn’t get cold.

 

[Evita_W]

Another thing is use mobile order wherever available, it is faster and may have secret menu items or options that you can't get otherwise.

 

[CharleneTheDM]

I agree with mobile ordering to avoid the worry of peak time.
For example after I get off Indy, I will put in my order for Bengal BBQ and then usually it's ready for pick up when I walk out of the exit.
If there's a seat in the dining area, I'd sit, but if not, I'll just walk around the park with my skewers

 

[DLgal]

As a caveat to the "just use mobile order" suggestion (which I agree with, by the way), sometimes during meal rush periods, mobile order will have pickup times that are an hour or more in the future. It behooves you to decide where and what you want to eat at least an hour before you are ready to eat, and place the order at that time, choosing the window YOU want to be eating during.

 

[xipotec]

General rule-of-thumb:

Food: NOT between 11:30AM and 2:00PM.
Food: NOT between 5:30PM and 7:30PM.
Ice cream: NOT starting 60-75 min. before the "fireworks," and up to an hour after the "fireworks."

This.

as a medical professional, my eating schedule is outside the norm.

one benefit is that when we do go out to eat, we never wait in line.

so here is the skinny.

LUNCH after 2pm. 2:30 is better. OR before 11:30.

Dinner 4:30pm or After 6:30p

Breakfast. before 7am or After 9pm

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Are there any experts out there who know what times of the day the quick service restaurants have the lowest crowds? Particularly Rancho del Zocalo, Red Rose Tavern, and Flo's V8 Cafe. Also how about the ice cream parlor on main Street and clarabels creamery?
Thank you for any information you can share.

We had Rancho del Zocalo on 12/29 at about 4:30 pm. The park was packed but there was no waiting at all in the service lines.

It was pretty cold outside but they were just firing up the heaters which was really nice. You can’t beat the cheese enchilada platter.

 

[Indiana Scott]

Early, we hit lunch at about 11:30 and dinner at 4~4:30 and never have any issues with lines. That goes for all resort area restaraunts.
Sadly, having dinner that early sometimes necessitates a snack later in the evening but, oh well!

 

[Kender]

You can get off a ride, place a mobile order and it’s ready to pick up when you arrive. Just don’t order something at Flo’s from Grizzly Peak or Buena Vista St, be a little closer so your food doesn’t get cold.

When you mobile order, they don't prepare it until you tap "I'm here, prepare my order". Some locations will even not prepare until you've spoken to a CM at the mobile pickup area (Smokerjumpers comes to mind as one of these). One has a window of time (30 minutes) that would be plenty of time to walk from Grizzly Peak or Buena Vista St to Carsland (this is assuming there was an immediate window for mobile order).

One's food will not get cold even if one is at the tail end of one's window.

 

[alvernon90]

When you mobile order, they don't prepare it until you tap "I'm here, prepare my order". Some locations will even not prepare until you've spoken to a CM at the mobile pickup area (Smokerjumpers comes to mind as one of these). One has a window of time (30 minutes) that would be plenty of time to walk from Grizzly Peak or Buena Vista St to Carsland (this is assuming there was an immediate window for mobile order).

One's food will not get cold even if one is at the tail end of one's window.

Sorry, not sure I understand this. Do you mean that once you tap "I'm here, prepare my order" you then have 30 minutes to actually get there? If that's not what you mean, what is the 30 minute window and how are you guaranteed not to have cold food if you arrive at the end of the window?

 

[Becca1007]

Sorry, not sure I understand this. Do you mean that once you tap "I'm here, prepare my order" you then have 30 minutes to actually get there? If that's not what you mean, what is the 30 minute window and how are you guaranteed not to have cold food if you arrive at the end of the window?

No the time window is just to keep the flow of the restaurant going... so once so many orders are placed that window won't be available for people to choose. I generally click the I'm here button when I know I am 3-5 minutes away from the location ... or after I have settled my toddler into a spot at the table. By the time I walk over the food is ready for pickup.

 

[lalasmama]

As for clicking the "I'm here, prepare my order," I had read somewhere to click it as you are arriving into the land, not at the pick-up area. Sometimes this is a good thing (Bengal BBQ seems to take FOREVER after I hit the button). Sometimes, it's not the best (the place in Tomorrowland is on their game, and it's been ready and waiting about 15 seconds after hitting the button, which could allow my fries to get cold if I had pushed that button as I was exiting Astro Orbit...

 

[Evita_W]

As a caveat to the "just use mobile order" suggestion (which I agree with, by the way), sometimes during meal rush periods, mobile order will have pickup times that are an hour or more in the future. It behooves you to decide where and what you want to eat at least an hour before you are ready to eat, and place the order at that time, choosing the window YOU want to be eating during.

I have never seen this to be the case, even at the busiest of times, the window has never been more than 10 minutes away and that is rare, normally avail;able immediately.

 

[DLgal]

I have never seen this to be the case, even at the busiest of times, the window has never been more than 10 minutes away and that is rare, normally avail;able immediately.

It happens regularly at the following restaurants:

Jolly Holiday
Flo's V8 Cafe
Bengal BBQ

I go a lot. Every week. It happens almost every time I try to access any of these 3 right around noon-1pm on weekends. It's much more rare on weekdays.