Can you order appetizers for a meal at a WDW sit down restaurant ?

[pooh2001]

Can you order just appetizers for a meal ?
For lunch I am not a big eater.

50's Prime Tme Cafe at MGM Studio's
I would love just to just have ....

Fried Herb Cheese - lightly breaded, served with toasted French bread and fresh fruit $6.19
and
Chicken Noodle Soup - hearty mixture of chicken, vegetables and egg noodles $3.19

Total would be $9.38 - a little less tham the price of an entree.

Anyone just order appetizers and a drink ?
Thanks

 

[ducklite]

I've done so when I really wasn't very hungry, but we tipped as if I had ordered a full meal.

Anne

 

[kaygela]

I've been very carefully watching my weight and don't want to totally blow it on this next trip down so I will probably order just appetizers myself or share an entree with my DH. I think alot of weight conscious people have been doing that so I don't think it will raise eyebrows.

 

[Kaycee]

I often order an appetizer for my meal. I've never had any problem doing so. As Anne said, I make sure to tip as though I'd ordered a full meal.

 

[Puffy2]

You are the customer. You can order whatever you want and I don't know why some people are so hung up on tipping as if you ordered something larger - tip what you think you should tip.

 

[disnut8]

Can you order just appetizers for a meal ?
For lunch I am not a big eater.

50's Prime Tme Cafe at MGM Studio's
I would love just to just have ....

Fried Herb Cheese - lightly breaded, served with toasted French bread and fresh fruit $6.19
and
Chicken Noodle Soup - hearty mixture of chicken, vegetables and egg noodles $3.19

Total would be $9.38 - a little less tham the price of an entree.

Anyone just order appetizers and a drink ?
Thanks

Cracks me up! That's EXACTLY what I intend to order!!!!!! I order just an appetizer all the time - not only at Disney World but at other restaurants. I just say "I'd like - whatever - as my meal" while my husband does a full blown meal. That way, everything comes out at the same time. It's definitely not a problem.

 

[ducklite]

You are the customer. You can order whatever you want and I don't know why some people are so hung up on tipping as if you ordered something larger - tip what you think you should tip.

Some of us feel that a server does as much work for someone ordering just appetizers as a full meal, and thus shouldn't take a financial hit for it. They work hard for their money, and while you'll never miss an extra $1-2, over a days work that can really add up for them.

Anne

 

[Jen_in_NH]

DH and I will often each order an appetizer and split a dinner. Other than places where you absolutely cannot split a dinner (I can't think of any at Disney, but I haven't eaten everywhere there), no one has ever had a problem with it.

Jen

 

[Luv2Roam]

I don't think it is that unusual. Esp consider in the summer when guests drink a lot of fluids. Then you just are not as hungry. I know we experienced that on an August trip. We were constantly gulping down something cold to drink, so ate a lot less that trip. (Iced coffee never tasted so good! )

 

[christinou]

I do that a lot, I very often order a salad as my appetizer and an appetizer as my dinner, then I have room to order desert....... Works for me.
My older daughter who is 10 does that very often, as she does not care for most meals on the kids menu and an adult meal is just too big for her.

 

[jwfla422]

I do this at a lot of the WDW sitdowns including the more upscale restaurants. Some of the appetizers appeal to me more than the entrees plus I don't always feel like eating a lot of food although the appetizers can sometimes be rather filling, just them alone. (ie. JIKO- I like to get their tomatoe, cucmber and onion salad and sometimes I'll just get the flatbread appetizer which is enough for 2 easily-I can't finish that alone!)

But, at Prime Time, of course it's not a problem to do, just watch out for your server who might yell at you and tell you "you call that a dinner?? Where's your meat!!! deary!!"

 

[Mortlives]

Some of us feel that a server does as much work for someone ordering just appetizers as a full meal, and thus shouldn't take a financial hit for it. They work hard for their money, and while you'll never miss an extra $1-2, over a days work that can really add up for them.

Anne

Sorry, but I'm curious. By that logic, shouldn't teetotallers tip as if they'd ordered a cocktail? In places with free refills on soft drinks, they can be a lot more work for the server than alcoholic beverages. When I was a waitress, it never occurred to me that someone tipping 15% of their bill, no matter what they ordered, wasn't doing right by me.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

You are the customer. You can order whatever you want and I don't know why some people are so hung up on tipping as if you ordered something larger - tip what you think you should tip.

I also tip for what I order.....usually when I order an appetizer as an entree, we are out the door much quicker than having a complete dinner. IMO, the server is getting an extra turnover on their table, therefore having the opportunity to make some more money.

 

[POLY1985]

I've gone to 50's Prime Time and just ordered Chicken Noodle soup so I could get a thick chocolate malt - yum

 

[CarolA]

I genenrally tip based on my bill (before discounts) however, since I do normally order wine or beer my bill at Disney winds up pretty close to the person next to me who ordered only entree with water....

If I am alone I do tip a little extra just to dispel the myth that solo women diners are bad tippers!

 

[Dizneydaz]

Sure-order whatever you want. You could even just have dessert and beverage. My Mom and I frequently share our meals. Especially the pot roast at 50's. It's not like we are small eaters either. And when we have the dining plan we share our meals even more often. By the time you add the appetizer and the dessert, it's too much food. We don't like to be stuffed after eating. We've never had a problem sharing whether on the dining plan or not. Sometimes, I share my meal with my DD6. She usually wants something other the requisite chicken strips anyway.

Enjoy!

 

[Puffy2]

How many tables do you think a server manages in an hour? Four? Five ?

Since dinners/lunch costs so freaking much at Disney (easily $50 lunch, to $125 for 2 - 4 people) Let's just say that a tip will average $8 -$10...that's $32 (min.) - $40 a hour. I'm sorry, but even though I fully respect a good waitress/waitor, I don't think their time is worth more than the average nurse or teacher's hourly wage.

I'm all for everyone making a living, but I'll continue to tip only for what I pay for - if the service is good.

 

[liamandcaili]

Disney restaurants are very accommodating. DSis and I split several entrees our last visit (we should have done it more!) and I know she and her DH just ordered appetizers and drinks at California Grill with no problems. Order what you want and enjoy!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I usually order two appetizers all the time. Okay, I get dessert too. But rarely a whole meal. I agree with what a previous poster said, that most of the time the apps just look more appealing. The only time I had entrees as my actual meal were at Brown Derby, Mama Melrose's, and Le Cellier, and the two of them were Fantasmic dinner that they were included. Le Cellier is the only place where I've actually ordered an entree out-of-pocket.

I tip based on what I order, but I usually tip high, about 30% for good service, 20% for average service, and then higher or lower based on my discretion.

 

[ducklite]

How many tables do you think a server manages in an hour? Four? Five ?

Since dinners/lunch costs so freaking much at Disney (easily $50 lunch, to $125 for 2 - 4 people) Let's just say that a tip will average $8 -$10...that's $32 (min.) - $40 a hour. I'm sorry, but even though I fully respect a good waitress/waitor, I don't think their time is worth more than the average nurse or teacher's hourly wage.

I'm all for everyone making a living, but I'll continue to tip only for what I pay for - if the service is good.

Three to four during the busier times, 1-2 during off times. A table for four is generally two adults and two kids. Let's use the Liberty Tree Tavern. The adults meals with either an appetizer or dessert and sodawill probably be about $20 each. The kids meal will average $6. That's a $52 check. The average tip will be $8. They work a six hour shift, and will have 14 tables during that shift on average. (Keep in mind they have to do a lot of set up and tear down at the beginning and end of each shift.) So they get $112 in tips, and have to tip out the hostess and busboy 10% each. Now they are down to $80 in tips. For a six hour shift. That's $13-14 an hour, not $40.

Anne