Burger/Sandwich quality of Full Service vs. Quick Service

[JoyW]

I’ve been looking at a lot of menus lately, as we are doing our first ever Universal trip in January. It looks like, in the sampling I’ve seen so far, that quick service meals may be a tad pricier than Disney, but that Full service seems to only be a bit more than the quick service places, for the traditionally lower priced items on the menu like sandwiches, burgers and pizza.
Can those of you who have eaten at Universal quite a bit chime in on the quality of, for example, a table service burger vs. a quick service burger? If the quality IS consistently better, I’m considering more sit down meals than we usually do, since-other than the tip of course-they seem to be priced similarly.

I’d also love suggestions for good values in full service restaurants. TIA!
ETA: fixed typo of top to tip.

 

[Ross Kratter]

Table service burgers are usually fresh, cooked to order. Quick service are frozen and cooked down to hockey puck state.

 

[Lynne G]

Agree, only burgers we eat are at sit down places. Mythos, Confisco, Finnegan’s, and Jakes are some of the places we will order burgers.

 

[lisam70]

Definitely do not eat at Burger Digs-terrible!!
One quick service that is very good is Thunder Falls. Today cafe is pretty good too but neither has burgers
Agree with above recommendations-Mythos, Confisco's and Finnegans

 

[mamapenguin]

What about Richter Burger? I haven’t eaten there, but my Da
D raves about their apple pie. I think it’s in Universal. I love Finnegan’s, but haven’t ordered a burger too many other choices.

 

[Ross Kratter]

What about Richter Burger? I haven’t eaten there, but my Da
D raves about their apple pie. I think it’s in Universal. I love Finnegan’s, but haven’t ordered a burger too many other choices.

Their burgers are frozen hockey pucks. Absolutely awful.

 

[macraven]

True

 

[TwoMisfits]

I gotta disagree on Burger Digs - this year, my spouse and I were there at open and shared the Casado Burger and Spring Salad - it was great. The only issue was how long it took to be made and delivered (since I have allergies, they had to special make it, so while my kids got all their food at one time, my burger got forgotten, so the kids ended up with free desserts on the house while I had my burger)...

Now, maybe it was terrible before this year, but I'd encourage anyone who hasn't been there in awhile to give it a new try...it also has a new veg portobello mushroom burger that vegans and allergy folks might want to give a try with the salad - I can't say enough how nice, light, and fresh the salad is...

 

[CynBeth]

We were there a few weeks ago and enjoyed Today Cafe for a salad for me and DM and a sandwich for DH. We had burgers and fries at Richter’s and Mel’s and thought they were pretty good. We also had a nice meal at Finnegan’s.

 

[Ross Kratter]

I really enjoy Today Cafe; that's my go-to quick service location in Universal Studios. Everything is consistently good.

 

[gharter]

I just wouldn't expect the burger to be very good no matter QS or TS. Instead order a burger at your own risk.

 

[DuskKodesh]

Today café' had desserts to die for at a good price (Like, nice tarts and cakes cheaper than the heat lamp churros in the rest of the park) and Thunder Falls was definitely good quick service. I was pleased to find something that wasn't a cooked to beef jerky burger. On the other hand I had a masterful burger at Margaritaville. Juicy, big, cooked to order (Which for me is important as I hate above rare).

Avoid the QS burger and definitely try sit down at a place that specializes in burgers. I saw some good looking burgers at Cowfish too.

 

[lisam70]

Oh wow how could I forget Cowfish!!
They do have good burgers

 

[JoyW]

Today café' had desserts to die for at a good price (Like, nice tarts and cakes cheaper than the heat lamp churros in the rest of the park) and Thunder Falls was definitely good quick service.

Thanks for the recommendations- I'm here for good desserts!

Sounds like Today Cafe needs to go on my list-several recommendations here. Is it a long walk from the back of the park back up to the front for lunch?

 

[Ross Kratter]

Thanks for the recommendations- I'm here for good desserts!

Sounds like Today Cafe needs to go on my list-several recommendations here. Is it a long walk from the back of the park back up to the front for lunch?

It can be a bit of a hike from certain areas (Men in Black, Diagon Alley).

 

[bchbetha]

to the burgers at the Jurassic Park discovery center. Awful and I’m ok with a lot of burgers.

 

[wdwrule]

I’ve been looking at a lot of menus lately, as we are doing our first ever Universal trip in January. It looks like, in the sampling I’ve seen so far, that quick service meals may be a tad pricier than Disney, but that Full service seems to only be a bit more than the quick service places, for the traditionally lower priced items on the menu like sandwiches, burgers and pizza.
Can those of you who have eaten at Universal quite a bit chime in on the quality of, for example, a table service burger vs. a quick service burger? If the quality IS consistently better, I’m considering more sit down meals than we usually do, since-other than the tip of course-they seem to be priced similarly.

I’d also love suggestions for good values in full service restaurants. TIA!
ETA: fixed typo of top to tip.

We had a great burger today during an early lunch at Hard Rock Cafe at Citywalk. It was cooked perfectly to our request… medium rare and was thick and juicy. Friday night we had another fantastic burger at Jake’s Bar in Royal Pacific. Again, very juicy and fresh. Both were great quality in our opinion.