Cafe Orleans--Good Food, Awful Service Yesterday

[lilpooh108]

We generally LOVE Cafe Orleans. We went there on a whim last night..with reservations. It is usually slow anyway, because it is always so packed. But last night was RIDICULOUS. We waited 15 minutes to get seated (not a big deal), then another 10 minutes to get water...then another 20-25 minutes to get our food. The waitress never smiled at us, we waited (asked twice) for refills on coke...and had to find our waitress in order to get the bill.

Our food order was simple--3 gumbos, 1 crepe and 1 order of fries. Not sure why this took 20-25 minutes. No one ever checked on us either. Our entire section was treated this way...someone's baby literally starting crying after waiting 30 minutes.

We were seated on the inside...and had thought maybe it was very very crowded outside and that's why it was slow.

Nope...on the way out, half of the patio seating was fully empty.

So disappointed...

Is this now the norm for Cafe Orleans? We've been there a few times before and while it was slow, it was never this awful.

 

[ArchOwl]

DH and I went to Cafe Orleans for the first time in awhile at the end of May with reservations. It was PACKED inside and out. We waited awhile for pretty much everything, menus, drinks, food. In fact, our pommes frites order was lost somewhere and arrived with our entrees instead of as an app. We didn't say anything, but they ended up being comped when we received the bill. We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, but decided we will eat there during non-peak times in the future (if there is such a thing).

Our waitress was really trying, but she was completely overwhelmed I think. It seems like Disney should expand its table service options, they are quite popular!

 

[blackjackdelta]

We generally LOVE Cafe Orleans. We went there on a whim last night..with reservations. It is usually slow anyway, because it is always so packed. But last night was RIDICULOUS. We waited 15 minutes to get seated (not a big deal), then another 10 minutes to get water...then another 20-25 minutes to get our food. The waitress never smiled at us, we waited (asked twice) for refills on coke...and had to find our waitress in order to get the bill.

Our food order was simple--3 gumbos, 1 crepe and 1 order of fries. Not sure why this took 20-25 minutes. No one ever checked on us either. Our entire section was treated this way...someone's baby literally starting crying after waiting 30 minutes.

We were seated on the inside...and had thought maybe it was very very crowded outside and that's why it was slow.

Nope...on the way out, half of the patio seating was fully empty.

So disappointed...

Is this now the norm for Cafe Orleans? We've been there a few times before and while it was slow, it was never this awful.

Did you talk to the lead at CO about your experience?

Jack

 

[Krissy Marissy]

I've probably eaten here about 40 times in the last few years and have never had a wow eating experience there. We love the food!! But the service has always been lacking. Always slow no matter how busy or empty the place seems to be. We just know that going into it and try to be patient. Although there are times when I get upset. You'd think they'd work harder at the service aspect, or at least make it appear that you're trying to be quick.

 

[blackjackdelta]

The last few times we have been there the service has been outstanding and the "lead" at those times was constantly checking on us to see how things were going.

Jack

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

We generally LOVE Cafe Orleans. We went there on a whim last night..with reservations. It is usually slow anyway, because it is always so packed. But last night was RIDICULOUS. We waited 15 minutes to get seated (not a big deal), then another 10 minutes to get water...then another 20-25 minutes to get our food. The waitress never smiled at us, we waited (asked twice) for refills on coke...and had to find our waitress in order to get the bill.

Our food order was simple--3 gumbos, 1 crepe and 1 order of fries. Not sure why this took 20-25 minutes. No one ever checked on us either. Our entire section was treated this way...someone's baby literally starting crying after waiting 30 minutes.

We were seated on the inside...and had thought maybe it was very very crowded outside and that's why it was slow.

Nope...on the way out, half of the patio seating was fully empty.

So disappointed...

Is this now the norm for Cafe Orleans? We've been there a few times before and while it was slow, it was never this awful.

This sounds almost exactly like our one experience at Cafe Orleans in November 2008. I'd read so many great things on the boards about this restaurant so picked it for my birthday. The CM at the check-in booth was rude to us. It took a while to get seated. We were put inside. When we left, we noticed outside had ample open seating; I don't know for sure, of course, if that's the way it was when we got there though. The service was extremely slow. Our waiter was almost impossible to find and we had to go get him in order to pay. I think we had problems getting our waters refilled too. Our pommes frites that I'd read such good things about arrived lukewarm and limp. I had the chicken sandwich and DH the ratatouille. The food wasn't bad but didn't excite us much. The boys had kids meals that were very disappointing. We were so exhausted and disappointed in the experience by the end of the meal that I didn't even order the beignets I'd been looking forward to trying. So we've never gone back. There are lots of other restaurants in and around the parks that we enjoy, and I can get beignets at the julep bar or Jazz Kitchen. I usually give a place at least two tries, but we were so soured by this experience that we just can't bring ourselves to go back.

 

[lilpooh108]

Did you talk to the lead at CO about your experience?

Jack

No. It was a quick dinner trip for us and it was already 8:30 p.m. by the time we were done...we were really just itching to get out of there. I will give it a try one more time this summer. If the service is the same, I will say something.

It's nice to know that we're not the only ones treated this way....not that it is great to have consistently bad service but maybe they need to change their system in this particular restaurant somehow.

The whole experience was just so un-Disney (well except for the crowds )

 

[Bungle]

We received amazing service there during our may trip. We sat outside around 4 and it was pretty busy. I'm sorry you had such bad service there that is one of the reasons I love Cafe Orleans.

 

[Caseystigger]

I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. We've been there when it was slow due to being so busy but we never really had service like that. Was the food still good at least?

I'd give it another try, it could have just been an off night.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

I've eaten at CO about six times and only one time was a bad experience. Our bad experience happened four years ago when we ordered breakfast (not an option anymore I assume). Anyhow, we waited 25 minutes for a mickey waffle and egg dish and when it finally came out, everything was cold.

But normally we have "good" experiences at CO. Good, not stellar or amazing. But good is good enough for us!

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

We visited CO on Monday and it was SO GOOD (service and food), that we had to go back for more beignets on Wednesday. We had Drew. He even came and introduced us to another gal when he had to "go on break". And she was good, too. It was one of the best meals all week!