California Grill on Dining plan

[candeeapril]

What is included on the Dining Plan for California Grill. I know that it is 2 table credits, but does it include appetizers or just the entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic bev.

I also have the Fantasmic pkg at Mama Melrose....does that include appetizer?

TIA

 

[TDluvsDaisy]

If you have the regular dining plan it is only the entree, a dessert and a non-alcoholic beverage.

If you have the deluxe plan it is an appetizer (or starter), entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage.

The Fantasmic package includes the appetizer, entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage regardless of the plan.

 

[candeeapril]

thanks for the reply.

so do you think it is worth 2 table credits or should we pay out of pocket?

 

[figment_jii]

thanks for the reply.

so do you think it is worth 2 table credits or should we pay out of pocket?

When are you going? If you're going this year 2012 and on the DDP (entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic drink), it's probably best to pay OOP for Cali Grill. I assume $15 for a QS meal and $4 for a snack, which means each TS credit is "worth" about $32.50. So your 2TS meal needs to cost about $65 (after tax) or $61 (pre-tax) to make it economically efficient. In March (according to Allears.net), the most expensive dessert was $14 and I'd guess drinks were about $3, which means the entree need to be at least $44. Only 2 of the 8 are above the price point, so overall it means making the two credit cost efficient is very tough. However if you were planning on ordering the higher priced items, then it would be economically efficient to use the DDP - it all depends on what you order. Another thing to keep in mind is that not everyone in your party has to pay the same way (one meal can be paid for with credits and the other can be paid OOP).

[Math - in case you're interested]
Cost of DDP: $51.50
Assumed Average QS Cost: $15
Assumed Average Snack Cost: $4
"Value" of TS Credit: $32.50 ($51.50 - $15 - $4 = $32.50)
"Value" of 2 TS Credits: $65
Tax Rate: 6.5%
So, pre-tax Signature sub-total: 1.065x = $65 => x = $61

 

[havoc315]

. Only 2 of the 8 are above the price point, so overall it means making the two credit cost efficient is very tough.

Actually, that ratio is pretty similar for 1 credit restaurants as well, especially peak pricing or 2013 pricing. Assuming you need a $23 entree, just to break even....
Tony's town square, dinner -- only 2 out of 9 items, break even.
Chefs de France, lunch, just 1 out of 10 items
Sci Fi dine in -- just 1 in 10 items.

So signature efficiency is the same as 1-credit restaurants. You only break evn, if you are ordering from the top 10-20% of the menu. If you are ordering from the remainder -- 80-90% of the menu -- then you lose money at California Grill, or any other restaurant.

 

[figment_jii]

Actually, that ratio is pretty similar for 1 credit restaurants as well, especially peak pricing or 2013 pricing. Assuming you need a $23 entree, just to break even....
Tony's town square, dinner -- only 2 out of 9 items, break even.
Chefs de France, lunch, just 1 out of 10 items
Sci Fi dine in -- just 1 in 10 items.

So signature efficiency is the same as 1-credit restaurants. You only break evn, if you are ordering from the top 10-20% of the menu. If you are ordering from the remainder -- 80-90% of the menu -- then you lose money at California Grill, or any other restaurant.

Sci Fi and Tony's are among the cheaper TS venues (as is LTT and R&C). In general lunch entrees are less expensive than dinner, so if a place has separate lunch and dinner menus, it's harder to make the credit's value at lunch. If you go to dinner, you often have more selection (from an economical use of the credit stand point). For example, at Les Chef for dinner, almost all of the entrees are above $23.

 

[havoc315]

Sci Fi and Tony's are among the cheaper TS venues (as is LTT and R&C). In general lunch entrees are less expensive than dinner, so if a place has separate lunch and dinner menus, it's harder to make the credit's value at lunch. If you go to dinner, you often have more selection (from an economical use of the credit stand point). For example, at Les Chef for dinner, almost all of the entrees are above $23.

I'd put Tonys and Sci Fi right in the middle. Id consider the cheaper venues to be the Plaza, Beaches & Cream, Les Chefs dinner might be the most expensive 1 credit restaurant left (and as shown, at lunch ddp still isnt a value).
Tutto Italia, Les Chefs, and maybe a couple other Epcot restaurants. Outside of the dinner menu at 4 or 5 Epcot restaurants, I can't think of other ala carte restaurants where more than 10-20% of the menu would be a good value under ddp.

I'm just surprised. I always previously used the same rule of thumb -- that signature restaurants were a much poorer value than non signature. But as prices of the plan have increased, it really has changed a bit -- whether signature or 1-credit, you only get value at the vast majority of restaurants, if you order from the top 10-20% of the menu.

 

[candeeapril]

i have read somewhere on another thread that you can split your bill and use part dining plan and part pay out of pocket. have any of you done this? This might be a reasonable option for us

 

[havoc315]

i have read somewhere on another thread that you can split your bill and use part dining plan and part pay out of pocket. have any of you done this? This might be a reasonable option for us

Yes, you can. Just spell it out to the server.

 

[TDC Nala]

i have read somewhere on another thread that you can split your bill and use part dining plan and part pay out of pocket. have any of you done this? This might be a reasonable option for us

It depends on how you want to do this.

If you want to use credits to pay for the meals of some members of your party, and "cash" to pay for others, then you can do that. Let the server know which method you will be using to pay for which meals.

What you can't do is spend one credit at California Grill on a meal for one person and then pay the difference with cash. Individual meals must be paid for with either credits or cash, you can't combine them.