California Grill - dress code

[eeyoreandtink]

Funny..,in the past two weeks I received about four surveys from Disney. On each was a question asking if the behavior of other guests negatively impacted my visit.

Maybe they are getting the picture!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I don’t know. Sounding like Disney may be looking to up their standards at some of the signatures. The dress code language was removed for the restaurants in parks and modified for some in the hotels. Time will tell.

One can only hope.

 

[cobright]

California Grill dress code. Can adults get by with nice jeans and dress shirt? Can kids wear nice shorts? Thank you.

Do you mean, will they let you in, or is it propper attire?

California Grill has what is often described as a 'Casual Elegant' dress code,

Men must wear khakis, slacks or dress shorts and collared shirts. Jeans may be worn if in good condition. Sport coats are optional.

Bare minimum is shirt with a collar. I wouldn't wear jeans under any circumstances. Kids in casual (not athletic wear) shorts are fine for a lunch. Yes, they mentions jeans may be worn, but really... do you want to be the guy who sees a standard and aims for the lowest part of it?

They are asking you to make an effort here, the website even says,

Dressier attire is also welcome.

But as the first reply says, yeah, they'll let you in.

 

[cobright]

The rules have been posted which clearly allow for park attire.

Sure. Just like there are rules against certain behaviors in the park (like cutting in lines) and other behaviors are not covered by the rules. Some behaviors are practically un-governable, that does not always mean they are correct or proper.

I watched a pair of teens at WDW last year who thought it was great sport to openly but not loudly insult the people ahead of them in line to each other. The conversation was obviously for the 'benefit' of the person being mocked, and when that person voiced disapproval, they simply replied that they were not talking to her. There was no rule Disney could enforce here, so you might say they were doing nothing wrong?

Boorish people often fall short in their behavior of violating the rules, but that does not make them couth.

Saying something over and over does not make it true. I can't speak for others, but I can tell you that for myself, I am the same person in a suit and tie that I am in shorts and flip flops

And yet you, in a suit and tie, distract from the curated elegance of a fine dining establishment far less.

The experience of fine dining is every bit as much elements of visual, aural, and olfactory as it is simply the taste of the food. This is why so much time and effort is put into making them look nice. It is not asking much that guest also put a little bit of time and effort into the same.

Again...I’m usually to busy paying attention to my family and food to ever notice someone would be wearing flip flops. I certainly wouldn’t pay it enough attention to bother me. To each their own...

If we were talking about a Waffle House I would agree. Eat at a wafflehouse, dress like a wafflehouse. But if you go to the CG dressed like a wafflehouse, you're being a little disrespectful to the establishment. One can say that as long as they aren't technically breaking the rules and as long as the establishment grins and bears it then their behavior must be beyond reproach. One can say that about a lot of horrible behavior.

Anyway, it is this innate ability that makes me scrutinize things like dress codes; I guess I've been groomed to find loopholes. If Disney wanted a binary dress code, then they would have drafted as such.

Disney Signature Restaurants would like you to not dress like a slob. CG is asking you to not dress like a slob. A legalese interpretation or a loophole will not turn board shorts and a t-shirt into appropriate dinner wear.

If your rules for what is correct behavior relies only on what will not be punished, you have set an incredibly low bar.

I don't know Disney's reasons for being lax on a dress code.

Because most people understand what dining etiquette is expected of them and are happy to comply, and on the occasion that someone doesn't it is simply easier to put on a smile and find them a table in the corner.

 

[hertamaniac]

Disney Signature Restaurants would like you to not dress like a slob. CG is asking you to not dress like a slob. A legalese interpretation or a loophole will not turn board shorts and a t-shirt into appropriate dinner wear.

If your rules for what is correct behavior relies only on what will not be punished, you have set an incredibly low bar.

My definition of what you call as appropriate dinner wear is likely different from others.

It is not a behavioral approach with fear of punishment, but complying with an ambiguous request. In fact, I have no problem setting the lowest dress code bar at an eating establishment and gauge the reaction(s). It has nothing to do with my ability to purchase and wear nice clothes, but my comfort level so long as I comply.

Of course, DSR does not want guests to dress like slobs, but their dress code leaves enough discretion to the eatery to make that determination at point of entry. I believe it's code is worded by design to empower the eatery.

 

[Chessie!]

California Grill dress code. Can adults get by with nice jeans and dress shirt? Can kids wear nice shorts? Thank you.

Yes! That would be fine

 

[Beer Me]

..,Ohio limits are basically 70. We all go pushing 80. No one will get noticed going 78 say..,

Unless you have WV plates. Bad experience. I go about 2 under now in Ohio (and still pass people going slower in the left lane but that’s another story). Anyway - sorry for the digression - carry on !

 

[smcabee]

Stay away from the prohibited items and you are fine. Its your dinner, and your money. If someone wants to pony up for my meals they can tell me what to wear.

 

[Farro]

The experience of fine dining is every bit as much elements of visual, aural, and olfactory as it is simply the taste of the food. This is why so much time and effort is put into making them look nice. It is not asking much that guest also put a little bit of time and effort into the same.

I like this description of fine dining - both the restaurant and guest expectations.

Disney should really take away the "fine dining" impression they try to give with their signatures unless they really plan to enforce the dress code (nice shorts, nice jeans are fine in the dress code). Theme parks, even the hotels apparently, aren't conducive to fine dining.

If Disney wants to charge those signature prices, then they need to walk the walk, talk the talk. Because let's face it, those prices reflect an experience or image they are trying to project, not just the food.

( to be really controversial, maybe make their fine dining restaurants ineligible for free dining plans )

It either is a fine dining establishment or it isn't. I'm fine either way if I like the food.

 

[nickg420]

Sure. Just like there are rules against certain behaviors in the park (like cutting in lines) and other behaviors are not covered by the rules. Some behaviors are practically un-governable, that does not always mean they are correct or proper.

I watched a pair of teens at WDW last year who thought it was great sport to openly but not loudly insult the people ahead of them in line to each other. The conversation was obviously for the 'benefit' of the person being mocked, and when that person voiced disapproval, they simply replied that they were not talking to her. There was no rule Disney could enforce here, so you might say they were doing nothing wrong?

Boorish people often fall short in their behavior of violating the rules, but that does not make them couth.

I'm not sure what any of this has to do with the debate at hand...But I'll reply anyway...

I mean I don't know, is it really up to Disney to keep someone from mocking someone else? I don't think so... I'm not saying that it's appropriate to mock others I'm simply saying it's not Disney's responsibility to police that behavior IMO. Secondly, how old was this individual? Are we talking teens mocking some adults or teens mocking kids? If we are talking kids then the parents should step in and put a stop to it if it's bothering the kids, however if it was some teens mocking some adults....I'm sorry, but who cares? You're an adult...DO you care what some dumb teenager in a WDW queue is saying and laughing at? I surely don't...

Who said anything about people being couth or sophisticated? That's a completely different argument...If you think because someone decides to dress up for CG it automatically makes them somehow better or superior than the individual that shows up in park attire then I got news for you...A-holes come in all sorts of packaging. For all you know the man in his Ralph Lauren outfit may go home and beat his wife and kids every night, while the man in the park attire is simply trying to provide his family with the best experience possible. Here you are claiming he is boorish because he didn't go all the way back to his off property hotel to change into some outfit you think he should wear to eat at a Disney restaurant? How dare you....You sir or ma'am are the the one who is un-couth.

And yet you, in a suit and tie, distract from the curated elegance of a fine dining establishment far less.

The experience of fine dining is every bit as much elements of visual, aural, and olfactory as it is simply the taste of the food. This is why so much time and effort is put into making them look nice. It is not asking much that guest also put a little bit of time and effort into the same.

But this wasn't the argument. The poster implied that people behave differently in different clothes. I was simply stating that I do not...Nothing more nothing less. A suit or flip flops does not make me who I am or how I choose to behave.

If we were talking about a Waffle House I would agree. Eat at a wafflehouse, dress like a wafflehouse. But if you go to the CG dressed like a wafflehouse, you're being a little disrespectful to the establishment. One can say that as long as they aren't technically breaking the rules and as long as the establishment grins and bears it then their behavior must be beyond reproach. One can say that about a lot of horrible behavior.

Who said anything about dressing like the Waffle House? I'm simply saying that if someone comes to CG from a theme park in their park attire, which CG is a part of said park because The Contemporary is a DRH and even listed a MK Resort, why would you let that bother you? That's it....That's my point. Furthermore, my opinion still stands. Regardless of whether I am eating at Waffle House, McDonalds, or The Sundial in Atlanta, if I am with my family that's what I am paying attention to. I don't care about anyone else's attire, food choices, or anything else that doesn't impede my personal space.

Disney Signature Restaurants would like you to not dress like a slob. CG is asking you to not dress like a slob. A legalese interpretation or a loophole will not turn board shorts and a t-shirt into appropriate dinner wear.

If your rules for what is correct behavior relies only on what will not be punished, you have set an incredibly low bar.

Again I don't think anyone is suggesting it should be ok to dress like a slob. There's a huge distance between park attire and dressing like a slob. I also don't think it's a fear of punishment...It's simply ridiculous to not expect people to patron CG in park attire when the theme park is literally walking distance away, and the hotel is specifically for said theme park....But maybe that's just me.

Because most people understand what dining etiquette is expected of them and are happy to comply, and on the occasion that someone doesn't it is simply easier to put on a smile and find them a table in the corner.

Again, you show how you really feel...

I have been a patron to CG on MANY occasions. Sometimes dressed up, sometimes not. More often than not I am there straight from the parks in a Disney tee of some sort, shorts and tennis shoes. Never once has CG ever implied I was out of dress, never once have they placed me at "a table in the corner". The day they do decide to turn me away for being in park attire then I will decide for myself if the food and view there warrants the extra planning to be able to patron CG.

 

[sullyfam]

I guess I had no idea this was such a "thing." Myself and my family dress up for signatures. Husband wears khaki's and a button down, I wear a dress, my girls wear dresses and my son who likes to wear suits, usually wears a suit. Do we feel like we have to do this? Not necessarily, because we see others who do not. We do it mainly because we want to and because it makes the experience special to us. Do I care if someone else isn't dressed up? No. That's their prerogative and I'm on vacation and concentrating on my time with my family. If Disney has an issue with those that don't dress up, they can address it is how I feel. It does not affect my experience in the slightest. I will say that the last time we did Cali Grill for dinner, 99% of people there were dressed similar to us.

 

[nickg420]

I guess I had no idea this was such a "thing." Myself and my family dress up for signatures. Husband wears khaki's and a button down, I wear a dress, my girls wear dresses and my son who likes to wear suits, usually wears a suit. Do we feel like we have to do this? Not necessarily, because we see others who do not. We do it mainly because we want to and because it makes the experience special to us. Do I care if someone else isn't dressed up? No. That's their prerogative and I'm on vacation and concentrating on my time with my family. If Disney has an issue with those that don't dress up, they can address it is how I feel. It does not affect my experience in the slightest. I will say that the last time we did Cali Grill for dinner, 99% of people there were dressed similar to us.

Thank you so much! This is the only point I've been trying to make this entire thread.

 

[marikujawa]

I guess I had no idea this was such a "thing." Myself and my family dress up for signatures. Husband wears khaki's and a button down, I wear a dress, my girls wear dresses and my son who likes to wear suits, usually wears a suit. Do we feel like we have to do this? Not necessarily, because we see others who do not. We do it mainly because we want to and because it makes the experience special to us. Do I care if someone else isn't dressed up? No. That's their prerogative and I'm on vacation and concentrating on my time with my family. If Disney has an issue with those that don't dress up, they can address it is how I feel. It does not affect my experience in the slightest. I will say that the last time we did Cali Grill for dinner, 99% of people there were dressed similar to us.

This is exactly our experience. We take 2 or 3 weeklong trips to Disney every year and dine mostly in resort or DS signatures. I can count on one hand the number of times we saw people who did not comply with the dress code. I hope we’re not doing a disservice to people who read these threads to find out what most people do and see post after post about how the dress code is not followed. In my experience, most people do comply with the dress code, regardless of whether it’s mandatory or suggested. The few who didn’t kind of stuck out like a sore thumb. I particularly remember riding in the CG elevator with a party where the adults had all sweated completely through their t-shirts (although technically they weren’t in prohibited items). They were taken into a side room somewhere. There were also a couple of young teens in super short shorts at Flying Fish, but I’m pretty sure they thought they were being fashionable.

As I said earlier, the anti-dress code folks are very vocal and passionate here, but I really don’t see them often at Cali Grill.

 

[MikeNamez]

Dress shorts, sneakers and a polo. Great food, but Cali Grill isn't that nice/fancy.

 

[marikujawa]

And dress shorts, sneakers and a polo comply with Disney's idea of dressing up

 

[Pumbaa_]

This one is done

wear what you want
don't stink

those are my rules, ymmv