California grill dress code.

[Laurieannc]

We have only eaten dinner at CG once. We went for our Anniversary dinner, on our actual Anniversary. DH wore slacks and a Tommy Bahama button down silk shirt, I wore dressy capris and a sleeveless flowy blouse, our daughter (7) wore a dress. We were overdressed compared to the majority of other people in the restaurant. We saw a lot of shorts and t-shirts. And tons of kids running around without supervision. Our reservation was at 8:30 p.m. in mid July. While I don't expect people to dress fancy at most restaurants, seeing them in sneakers and t-shirts and jean shorts at CG took away from the experience. We won't be going back.

 

[Farro]

I wear a summer dress or cute skirt/blouse with espadrilles or cute flats. He wears pants - khakis but in colors (blue, green, grey, etc.) and short sleeved patterned button up shirts. Collared. Put together but trendy? The dressier side of casual?

Basically we look nice. Like we shop at Banana Republic together...

I agree, it would be nice if people put a little more effort for the signatures. Leave the park early and clean up. Or do as another poster suggested and bring clothes to change into. There are plenty of restaurants to wear park clothes to, any non-signature I would expect it!
But, it doesn't ruin my experience.

 

[AngiTN]

We wear the same things we wear to the park. We don't dress crappy in the parks and what we wear is perfectly acceptable at the Signature locations too

 

[Farro]

We wear the same things we wear to the park. We don't dress crappy in the parks and what we wear is perfectly acceptable at the Signature locations too

I'm sure it is.

It's only my preference, not the rule!

It's just more of an expectation adjustment on my part I guess. In Chicago when we go out to dinner to a place that charges California Grill type prices, people are dressed and you wouldn't show up in shorts, even in the summer. At Disney, those aren't the expectations. That's all I mean.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm sure it is.

It's only my preference, not the rule!

It's just more of an expectation adjustment on my part I guess. In Chicago when we go out to dinner to a place that charges California Grill type prices, people are dressed and you wouldn't show up in shorts, even in the summer. At Disney, those aren't the expectations. That's all I mean.

You can't base it on prices. Disney prices aren't real world prices.
I got out to eat at our nicer local restaurants at a bill that is lower than QS. I wouldn't dream of dressing up for QS, sure no one else would either.
We don't have a restaurant in town that has prices CG charges.

 

[Farro]

Not sure what you mean...my expectations are based on my experiences. And lots of restaurants charge Disney signature prices. When a restaurant claims to be more of a fine dining, more expensive restaurant, my expectation is that people dress the part and that is normally my experience. Normally. Obviously Disney is not normal in that aspect and that's fine.

No big deal, expectations adjusted and dinner will be great.

 

[AngiTN]

Not sure what you mean...my expectations are based on my experiences. And lots of restaurants charge Disney signature prices. When a restaurant claims to be more of a fine dining, more expensive restaurant, my expectation is that people dress the part and that is normally my experience. Normally. Obviously Disney is not normal in that aspect and that's fine.

No big deal, expectations adjusted and dinner will be great.

Mostly just that a $100 meal at Disney does not mean fine dining but at $100 meal most everywhere else, fine dining. $100 meal at Disney equals Applebees or the like. So yeah, most people would dress to the nines if they were spending $100 at home but if you are spending that at Disney, it may just mean a run of the mill meal.

Disclaimer, using $100 for illustration purposes only. I realize CG is more than that.

 

[Farro]

Mostly just that a $100 meal at Disney does not mean fine dining but at $100 meal most everywhere else, fine dining. $100 meal at Disney equals Applebees or the like. So yeah, most people would dress to the nines if they were spending $100 at home but if you are spending that at Disney, it may just mean a run of the mill meal.

Disclaimer, using $100 for illustration purposes only. I realize CG is more than that.

Our last meal at California Grill and also at Jiko was on par with restaurants in the same price range here in Chicago. Service, food, wine. Hardly Applebee's, although I can't speak with authority as I've never been to one.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[Cinderella94]

I wear a summer dress or cute skirt/blouse with espadrilles or cute flats. He wears pants - khakis but in colors (blue, green, grey, etc.) and short sleeved patterned button up shirts. Collared. Put together but trendy? The dressier side of casual?

Basically we look nice. Like we shop at Banana Republic together...

I agree, it would be nice if people put a little more effort for the signatures. Leave the park early and clean up. Or do as another poster suggested and bring clothes to change into. There are plenty of restaurants to wear park clothes to, any non-signature I would expect it!
But, it doesn't ruin my experience.

I understand completely what you are saying. If people don't do this then it doesn't have a negative effect on my experience, and Disney obviously doesn't care, but it still is nice to see people slightly dressier in a Signature experience, that has the appearance and reputation of being a Signature experience. And I don't mean Victoria & Albert wear at all - what you described as wearing sounds perfectly appropriate.

 

[AngiTN]

Our last meal at California Grill and also at Jiko was on par with restaurants in the same price range here in Chicago. Service, food, wine. Hardly Applebee's, although I can't speak with authority as I've never been to one.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree.

I guess that's the problem. We don't have restaurants in that price range here so I can just go as I would to the nicest places we have (which is not Applebees)

 

[jk and ek]

if i expect high-end food and service, i feel like the least i can do is dress to match that. it doesn't have to fussy or uncomfortable... a plain black jersey dress i'd wear with keds in the park during the day can be made smart, fashionable and nice restaurant appropriate by changing shoes, and adding a necklace and/or a cardigan.

and while never in a billion years would i ever let my kid run through ANY restaurant, i tend to only book nicer sit-down meals for earlier time slots (like 6-6:30pm). i find its easier on the kid and we're usually done before the more adult only/date oriented diners show up.

 

[ShellieMimi]

Most high-end restaurants in NYC, which are miles & miles better than CG could ever hope to be, have no dress code at all. The world has changed. Now, I like to dress up for dinner. It's fun for me, but maybe it isn't fun for someone else. Therefore, you can certainly choose to dress up for dinner, but realize that other people are under no obligation to do so. It doesn't make you better; it doesn't make them worse. Do as you like, enjoy your meal & don't worry about what others are wearing or doing. I honestly cannot tell you what anyone around me was wearing at any meal.

And, for the sake of argument, there are absolutely no restaurants at WDW that I would consider high-end except V&A.

 

[Farro]

Most high-end restaurants in NYC, which are miles & miles better than CG could ever hope to be, have no dress code at all. The world has changed. Now, I like to dress up for dinner. It's fun for me, but maybe it isn't fun for someone else. Therefore, you can certainly choose to dress up for dinner, but realize that other people are under no obligation to do so. It doesn't make you better; it doesn't make them worse. Do as you like, enjoy your meal & don't worry about what others are wearing or doing. I honestly cannot tell you what anyone around me was wearing at any meal.

And, for the sake of argument, there are absolutely no restaurants at WDW that I would consider high-end except V&A.

I know I shouldn't...but I can't resist.

I highly doubt in NYC you will find people going to either established old school or new/trendy restaurants in average American theme park wear, which is what we are discussing.

I get it, it's cool to say the restaurants at Disney aren't good because my god, it's Disney (I was cool at 21, in 1994 ), but that's just simply not true. Are they on par with 3 Michelin starred restaurants or James Beard winners in big cities? Maybe/maybe not - different people will have different experiences. Rick Bayless opened a restaurant in Disney Springs, while I have the luxury of having his restaurants near me, I can't wait to sample some appetizers in Disney, because it's vacation!!! Tiffins is supposed to be great, as is Boatwrights.

*****post edited to change my clothing description and add thoughts about other restaurants - yes, I realize I'm annoying.

 

[jk and ek]

I know I shouldn't...but I can't resist.

I highly doubt in NYC you will find people going to either old school or new/trendy restaurants in tank tops, shorts and flip flops.

I get it, it's cool to say the restaurants at Disney aren't good because my god, it's Disney (I was cool at 21, in 1994 ), but that's just simply not true. Are they on par with 3 Michelin starred restaurants or James Beard winners in big cities? Maybe/maybe not - different people will have different experiences.

as somebody who recently just moved away from NYC after living there for 11 years (and as somebody who had a career photographing all the newest/hottest/most popular/fanciest restaurants and bars in the city for magazines), i have to say i wholeheartedly agree with all of the above. i live in chicago now and i've found its pretty similar here as well.

CG is way better than a LOT of restaurants in NYC...and not as good (i wont say 'worse') as many others. but you sure as heck wont find people dressed the way some find acceptable at WDW signatures as MOST NYC restaurants, regardless of price point or acclaim unless you're at a tourist trap in times square.

this is a debate that can go on until the end of time. i know i can't convince anybody who thinks their personal ease and comfort is the number one priority that they should consider their surroundings or the intentions of those who created the establishment, just as nobody will convince me i could personally feel comfortable not dressed for a particular restaurant according to the aforementioned criteria.

 

[Cinderella94]

this is a debate that can go on until the end of time. i know i can't convince anybody who thinks their personal ease and comfort is the number one priority that they should consider their surroundings or the intentions of those who created the establishment, just as nobody will convince me i could personally feel comfortable not dressed for a particular restaurant according to the aforementioned criteria.

That's the thing, I think. Disney may not care if I showed up to CG in my shorts and a Disney t-shirt straight from a park, but I would feel uncomfortable. Different strokes I suppose. And that's fine.

 

[AngiTN]

Most high-end restaurants in NYC, which are miles & miles better than CG could ever hope to be, have no dress code at all. The world has changed. Now, I like to dress up for dinner. It's fun for me, but maybe it isn't fun for someone else. Therefore, you can certainly choose to dress up for dinner, but realize that other people are under no obligation to do so. It doesn't make you better; it doesn't make them worse. Do as you like, enjoy your meal & don't worry about what others are wearing or doing. I honestly cannot tell you what anyone around me was wearing at any meal.

And, for the sake of argument, there are absolutely no restaurants at WDW that I would consider high-end except V&A.

This is so true. You'd be hard pressed to find women wearing dresses to church anymore. Pants are the norm, dresses the exception. Everything is more casual. Good or bad, it is what it is.

Best point of all, what others wear shouldn't have any bearing on your evening.

 

[Farro]

This is so true. You'd be hard pressed to find women wearing dresses to church anymore. Pants are the norm, dresses the exception. Everything is more casual. Good or bad, it is what it is.

Best point of all, what others wear shouldn't have any bearing on your evening.

Last post, I promise!

People wanting to see and be seen, look good, in style, trendy, whatever at hip/new/trendy/upscale restaurants has not changed and it never will. And that does not include average American theme park clothing that people wear to Disney "signatures". Period. Pants can be dressed up. Even good dark or black jeans can be dressed up with the right top and shoes.

Also, I think most of us have established that what others wear won't affect the taste of our food, or the enjoyment of our evening. Just discussing our preferences.

And now, I bid you adieu.

 

[ShellieMimi]

I know I shouldn't...but I can't resist.

I highly doubt in NYC you will find people going to either established old school or new/trendy restaurants in average American theme park wear, which is what we are discussing.

I get it, it's cool to say the restaurants at Disney aren't good because my god, it's Disney (I was cool at 21, in 1994 ), but that's just simply not true. Are they on par with 3 Michelin starred restaurants or James Beard winners in big cities? Maybe/maybe not - different people will have different experiences. Rick Bayless opened a restaurant in Disney Springs, while I have the luxury of having his restaurants near me, I can't wait to sample some appetizers in Disney, because it's vacation!!! Tiffins is supposed to be great, as is Boatwrights.

*****post edited to change my clothing description and add thoughts about other restaurants - yes, I realize I'm annoying.

For the most part, Disney restaurants are mediocre to good - some are terrible, some are QUITE good - but they are not fine dining experiences. That said, unfortunately, a lot of them used to be much better. I have lowered my expectations significantly & I find that I actually enjoy more meals that way because I am often pleasantly surprised rather than disappointed! (This is in terms of food quality, not price. The prices are what they are. It's Disney World.)

Regarding what people wear... we once ate at EMP next to someone in a Chewbacca suit. It was not a special occasion or event. Someone thought, "I wonder what I should wear to dinner... ah, I think I'll wear my Chewbacca suit!" Now THAT was an outfit I noticed. I thought it was hysterical. It had zero impact on the evening... if anything, it enhanced it, because we still laugh about the time we had dinner with Chewie. People are going to do what people want to do. You just have to roll with it. Whenever this topic comes up, no matter the forum/context, you find a lot of people standing on soapboxes, preaching about how "they were raised better" and "they have respect for the venue/other people," implying that those who don't dress for dinner are the equivalent of Cousin Eddie. Just not the case in 2017.

 

[anniemae]

Personally, I don't care what others wear, unless it effects me. Which it usually does not.

I do however, remember one person on here talking about how they went to CG and a family came in in park clothes like shorts and flip flops. It was summer in FL and the family was noticeably sweaty. The lady needed to charge her phone and was scooting by the posters table to plug in her phone at an outlet. I guess it kind of put a damper on the persons dining experience. You expect hot sweaty people in flip flops and tank tops in the parks, but not so much at the nicer restaurants. I don't know why i remember that story, but I immediately thought of it when I read this thread.

 

[Lisa F]

I've never seen kids running around CA Grill and I always go earlier n the day when it is full of families. Kiddo wore a polo shirt and khaki colored cargo pants, I wore jeans with a pretty top. I think a step up from park wear is fine. Though the people next to us wore park wear and we had a nice chat with them and somehow the fact that she was wearing a mickey tshirt at walt disney world didn't bother me in the slightest. If you care terribly about what other people are doing and really let it wreck your experience, disney in general is not for you.