California Grill - dessert only

[twinklebug]

I have dinner reservations at Cali Grill for myself and two children (11 & 15). After looking at the menus I have realized that there is nothing the kids will eat here and enjoy other than desert (of course LOL). Would it be frowned upon for us to have desert & drinks only?

 

[tigger536]

Well, I can't imagine your server will like it, given it lessens their tip, but it also means you will likely be out of there faster and thus s/he will get another opportunity to make more tips with the new table. Your server won't be rude about it though (unless they are just a bad server, and that's another issue entirely).

If that's what you want, do it. Its your time and your vacation.

But, I will say this. CG is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is amazing and truly worth a try. Are you sure they would like nothing? Often the descriptions at these types of places greatly overstate the complication of the food. Have you looked at the photos people have taken at this restaurant (in various dining reviews and in the food porn thread). Some examples of things that might work: the flat breads (basically upscale pizza), the filet...I could go on and on. You might want to give it a shot. But if you decide on dessert only, they wil do that too.

 

[BCV23]

If you don't plan to dine, I really don't think it's fair to the server or other families hoping to dine there or to those waiting for your table.

But I agree with the other poster that your kids might be fine. The steak can be ordered without sauce. The 4 cheese flatbread is always on the menu. It's quite tasty without being exotic at all.

 

[Booyakasha]

They can't make you order food. Unless they prestate that there is a minimum purchase. However, like others said it sort of inappropriate when there are people who can't get reservations that really truly want to eat there. The fireworks are great but you could always try just the longue and walk on the balcony. Unless you sit down right before firewors which is pretty hard to do it would be hard to stretch that "meal" long enough to see them. The waiter is also going to be very unhappy as he/she will be losing money and although you may eat faster waiters are normally given a certain amount of tables in a very busy restaurant like that. Your quick meal probably will not allow them to get an extra turn in.

B.

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

My sons loved their food and my very picky 12 yr old ordered from the adult menu for the first time during our stay and it was our last night
He ordered the chicken dish and loved it

 

[ElizabethB]

I wonder why bother dining at a place where you don't like the food? Is it because of the fireworks? If so, keep your reservation. But, when you arrive, ask to be seated in the bar area. Order a drink or glass of wine, some bar snacks and dessert. It seems to me less problematic to dine the way you plan if you do so informally in the bar area.

I guess this assumes kids can be seated in the bar area. I don't actually know the answer to that. But, CG is such a zoo before the fireworks, I think kids could be doing the bartending and nobody would notice!

Another possibility -- just show up, tell them you're not dining, but want to see the fireworks. Tell them to charge you the no-show price of $20 a person for going up and viewing the fireworks. That way, everybody wins! Disney gets what they planned on if you don't show up and eat. The waiter doesn't have to serve a table where no one eats anything and he/she gets a low or no tip. And, you and the kids see the fireworks and can head to Pecos Bill's afterwards! Nirvana for all!

 

[tigger536]

I don't think ordering dessert and drinks is ordering nothing. It will still set you back. And its your vacation, you have a reservation, you are paying, you have as much right to be there as people ordering $200 bottles of wine.

You will decrease the tip for the server by doing dessert only (so I'm sure they like the wine tables better, LOL, but its all part of the job). If they are worth their salt (like I said before) they won't say anything. CG has some great desserts. So I still say go for it if thats all you want. Perhaps this could serve as a stepping stone to introduce your kids to more sophisticated dining. They can look around and see all the yummy food going to the other tabls and maybe next time will want to branch out to more than dessert.

Which brings me to another good reason to keep your ADR. Maybe your klids will get up there, see the food and decide it looks good after all. Like I said, some of those descriptions are no help. You need to see it. Enjoy!

 

[twinklebug]

Thank you all for your responses. I do appreciate the different views - that's why I asked you all to start with

My sons loved their food and my very picky 12 yr old ordered from the adult menu for the first time during our stay and it was our last night
He ordered the chicken dish and loved it

Excellent point - they might actually find something they like, and I assume that since this is an upscale restaurant that if something is made, say with mushrooms onion or garlic, that I can ask what they can do to change the recipie to exclude those items.

I don't think ordering dessert and drinks is ordering nothing. It will still set you back. And its your vacation, you have a reservation, you are paying, you have as much right to be there as people ordering $200 bottles of wine.

You will decrease the tip for the server by doing dessert only (so I'm sure they like the wine tables better, LOL, but its all part of the job). If they are worth their salt (like I said before) they won't say anything. CG has some great desserts. So I still say go for it if thats all you want. Perhaps this could serve as a stepping stone to introduce your kids to more sophisticated dining. They can look around and see all the yummy food going to the other tabls and maybe next time will want to branch out to more than dessert.

Which brings me to another good reason to keep your ADR. Maybe your klids will get up there, see the food and decide it looks good after all. Like I said, some of those descriptions are no help. You need to see it. Enjoy!

You're absolutely right. They'll accept us as a valid party regardless of what we decide to order. I am not cheap in the slightest, particularly to my servers (My eldest DS has been a server for many years working his way through college) Nor do I tip according to a percentage... I tip by service and have been known to give up to 100% of what I pay for the meal for excellent service... not saying that's what they'll get - they have to earn it first

I really don't understand where folk got the idea that I was taking my kids to Cali Grill simply to sit and watch the fireworks. We have a 6:30pm reservation and the view of the fireworks is far better from within the park IMHO. I would like my kids to experience Cali Grill as once upon a time it used to be known as Top of the World and I have memories of my dad taking me and my siblings there as a child. I'd simply like to share that with my kids. Nothing against eating in bars (I love them when a good game is on), but it's not the same and I have no intention of taking my 15 & 11yos into one at this time.

I think we'll keep the reservation as it is. Thanks again everyone!

 

[missycj96]

You can order desert and drinks if that's what you want, and I can't imagine anyone would give you a hard time. But the kids food is plain food that I think most kids would enjoy. What do your kids like to eat? My DD2 ate a plain steak. There is mac and cheese and pizza too on the kids menu.

 

[ElizabethB]

Just so you know, the bar seating area is not off by itself. It's part of the restaurant -- and has a great view of the Castle. It's just like dining in the restaurant, but slightly smaller tables and more informal dining, though you can order your meal there, too. Although there is an actual bar, too, with bar seats, that part of the "bar" is actually closer to the restaurant tables and open kitchen.

Like all Disney bars, the bar seating area is not a "bar" in any sense of the word. Just a different seating area with more informal dining. And, the area is always full, with people waiting for tables.

No need to worry about "taking the kids into a bar". It's Disneyworld! Like everything else at Disneyworld, the bars there bear no relationship to bars in real life.

 

[missycj96]

We love sitting in the bar area. It is more like a lounge or waiting area with great little tables and chairs and nothing like a bar at all. We've had sushi and flatbreads there, as well as desert and drinks. You don't need a reservation but you take your chances in getting a table.

 

[Booyakasha]

I really don't understand where folk got the idea that I was taking my kids to Cali Grill simply to sit and watch the fireworks. We have a 6:30pm reservation and the view of the fireworks is far better from within the park IMHO. I would like my kids to experience Cali Grill as once upon a time it used to be known as Top of the World and I have memories of my dad taking me and my siblings there as a child. I'd simply like to share that with my kids. Nothing against eating in bars (I love them when a good game is on), but it's not the same and I have no intention of taking my 15 & 11yos into one at this time.

I think we'll keep the reservation as it is. Thanks again everyone!

Well we got the idea becasue in your original post you didn't say any of this.
All you said is your kids won't eat anything on the menu. IMO one of the most important things when experiencing a restaurant is actually eating the food. (not just dessert.)

B.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I can tell you that my mother and my sister were refused a table when they mentioned they were only ordering desserts and drinks to the hostess. This was about a year ago.

They were shown the bar instead and it worked out fine.

I don't know if a waiter will be as bold to tell you to order food once seated but they were pretty adament that they would not get a table.

 

[tigger536]

I think we'll keep the reservation as it is. Thanks again everyone!

I'm so glad! CG is special for the atmosphere alone (I know some people think its too hectic, but I like it) - the show kitchen, the views of MK and the MK resorts, its just fun. And like several of us have said, maybe they'll see something they like when they get there! They are very accomadiating to special requests - no sauces, etc. But even if not, you are guaranteed some great desserts!


And you're right about the bar - its very crowded with people waiting. Not an enjoyable place to eat, IMO.

I can tell you that my mother and my sister were refused a table when they mentioned they were only ordering desserts and drinks to the hostess. This was about a year ago.

They were shown the bar instead and it worked out fine.

I don't know if a waiter will be as bold to tell you to order food once seated but they were pretty adament that they would not get a table.

Did they have an ADR? I can definitely see this happening if they had no ADR and maybe were trying to be squeezed in. Otherwise, why would you tell the hostess what you were going to order?

 

[BriarRosie]

I would go with the lounge suggestions. When you get to the second floor check in area for California Grill, you can tell the cast member that you and your kids want to order dessert from the lounge. The cast member should be ok with that. Another cast member will escort you up to the restaurant level per the norm.

Like others have said, you might need to wait for a small table to open if people are upstairs waiting for their dining seating.