have you worked in the restaraunt industry? Trying to understand your vitriol in defending California Grill's ability to make as much money as possible...
I have so I feel qualified to address the question. This is not at all about CG making "as much money as possible." This is a legitimate concern based on the number of people who secure ADR's for CG and other Wishes viewing "Stations". Right now yes, you can take a table and enjoy your cake and coffee for as long as you can comfortably manage while a back up ensues, and your server graciously tries to scoot you out.
CG is a signature restaurant, and as such, the servers are assigned a limited number of tables, which turnover slowly. If several times a week parties take up tables, and then sit back to enjoy the show while nibbling on limited items purchased, those server lose money, the metrics for the restaurant are off, and CG is answering why there is a shortfall from projections.
So far this is acceptable to Disney, but we see more and more questions like your....Can I order this or that, and stay to see Wishes. It was bound to become an issue.
BUT we are not running the CG, we are consumers. If the manager or a waiter came in here and argued that point then that would make sense. We all know they are not suffering for business at the CG.
WE do not need to be managers to see the writing on the wall. Disney is not known for setting simple boundaries. No. They tread lightly, and then BOOM! The hammer drops and all bets are off. If there are rumors floating around that there will be a minimum you can take it to the bank that there will be a minimum. No, we cannot say how it will be handled, but there is going to be a change. WE see all kinds of pay for play occurring in the parks, all for things that were included in the price of admission. It makes sense that Disney is looking for ways to either generate more revenue or boost sales. Either way, it will bode ill for most of us. So far, Disney does not impose a plate fee for those who choose to split an entrée. I wonder if that will change as well.
Isn't the BOG situation different in that it's QS so there is not waitstaff at breakfast and therefore waitstaff is not getting shortchanged?
BOG is QS during the morning and for lunch. By dinner this is a TS restaurant that also suffers from cake and coffee syndrome, but in this case it is cupcake and coffee. This is one of the most difficult ADRs to secure on the entire property, and the hardest in the MK. The management has no idea how many of those ADR's are just going to be dessert, so figure how many tables are turned quickly, leaving empty tables while CM's have to turn folks away at the door. And that does not address how many folks who were actually going to spend money on a meal but booked solid, meant no chance of that.
In regards to the shortchange at breakfast and lunch, you are correct, servers are not losing tips. However how many tables are taken up by people not eating, or those who not only purchase one or two meals per large table and then consume pastry plates, and help themselves to beverages. You and I are paying for those folks, just look at the cost of the "fixed price" entrée at breakfast!
I cannot blame people for using what Disney allows, but I will say that when I am scrambling day after day trying to secure that elusive ADR to no avail I admit I am not thinking kindly that Disney has not addressed this issue. So IMO, this is a Disney issue, not guest issue. AS long as it is allowed, I cannot ell people that they cannot or that they should not. I will not complain, however if there finally are boundaries imposed.
