Charged more for allergy friendly food at TS

[livndisney]

I was charged more for allergy friendly food at WCC. I was not on the dining plan and the food served did not have a higher cost.

I was served grilled chicken breast(similar to the grilled chicken sandwich-minus the bun) and mashed potatoes. Menu price for the sandwich and french fries(which I told were not safe) is 12.99. I was charged 15.99.

Not a large difference and the food was good. The chef was awesome. Just wanted to give a heads up to others.

The food I was served was not special "allergen safe" food which would have cost WDW more.

 

[dzorn]

I was charged more for allergy safe food at WCC. I was not on the dining plan and the food served did not have a higher cost.

I was served grilled chicken breast(similar to the grilled chicken sandwich-minus the bun) and mashed potatoes. Menu price for the sandwich and french fries(which I told were not safe) is 12.99. I was charged 15.99.

Not a large difference and the food was good. The chef was awesome. Just wanted to give a heads up to others.

Yes food allergy safe food may cost more. No upcharge if you are on the dining plan but otherwise it may have a different price as it costs Disney more to provide it.

Denise in MI

 

[livndisney]

Yes food allergy safe food may cost more. No upcharge if you are on the dining plan but otherwise it may have a different price as it costs Disney more to provide it.

Denise in MI

Actually, according to the emails from special diets "allergy safe food may cost more due to higher cost of "safe" food. My example did not include any higher cost item, nor did it include any allergen free item.

Perhaps I need to clarify-the chicken I was served is on the regular menu. It was not an "allergen free" item.

 

[dzorn]

Actually, according to the emails from special diets "allergy safe food may cost more due to higher cost of "safe" food. My example did not include any higher cost item, nor did it include any allergen free item.

Perhaps I need to clarify-the chicken I was served is on the regular menu. It was not an "allergen free" item.

I though you got the allery safe chicken tenders. It may also be that mashed potatos are not the same price as french fries.

Denise in MI

 

[livndisney]

I though you got the allery safe chicken tenders. It may also be that mashed potatos are not the same price as french fries.

Denise in MI

No, as I originally posted the items I was served were on the menu. The grilled chicken was the same as they use on the chicken sandwich. WDW saved money by not serving the bun LOL. According to the server mashed potatoes are offered and cost the same as fries. I was charged more because I have allergies.

 

[jdb in AZ]

No, as I originally posted the items I was served were on the menu. The grilled chicken was the same as they use on the chicken sandwich. WDW saved money by not serving the bun LOL. According to the server mashed potatoes are offered and cost the same as fries. I was charged more because I have allergies.

Tacky. Did you ask the manager for an explanation?

 

[clanmcculloch]

I would have questioned the bill. If I received the same basic thing that's listed on the menu but without a bun and with a comparable side dish then I'd expect to be charged the same. We're not talking about a specialty product that costs more for them to buy; you basically got less and were charged more. I'd definitely be questioning this. If the server didn't give a satisfactory answer I'd be asking for a manager. That just isn't acceptable. I expect to pay more for specialty items but I expect to pay the same as everybody else when I get regular food. I don't expect a discount when something's left off even though I suppose I could be difficult and ask for one (not that I'd get one) but I definitely don't see why I should be charged more when I'm receiving regular food with something left off.

We've never eaten at WCC. This makes me glad.

 

[bopper]

Is it possible that they had to make a new batch of mashed potatoes or chicken using specially cleaned pots/utensils?

 

[livndisney]

Is it possible that they had to make a new batch of mashed potatoes or chicken using specially cleaned pots/utensils?

Disney is not charging anyone else when they run out of mashed potates to "make a new batch".

 

[livndisney]

I would have questioned the bill. If I received the same basic thing that's listed on the menu but without a bun and with a comparable side dish then I'd expect to be charged the same. We're not talking about a specialty product that costs more for them to buy; you basically got less and were charged more. I'd definitely be questioning this. If the server didn't give a satisfactory answer I'd be asking for a manager. That just isn't acceptable. I expect to pay more for specialty items but I expect to pay the same as everybody else when I get regular food. I don't expect a discount when something's left off even though I suppose I could be difficult and ask for one (not that I'd get one) but I definitely don't see why I should be charged more when I'm receiving regular food with something left off.

We've never eaten at WCC. This makes me glad.

The bill was paid before I saw it, but I am following up. So far I am getting alot of "WDW new policy" answers, which is why I posted as an FYI. We may start seeing this at other locations in WDW.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll make sure to pay more attention to prices in the future. Mostly I check to make sure that the items I'm expecting are on the bill but I haven't really paid too much attention to the prices beside the items (though as an aside, at CHH we only paid maybe $0.50 more then regular for our allergy tenders because they had already done their price increases on the regular menus but they hadn't budged the allergy prices at that point so that was a pleasant surprise). I'll have to watch closer going forward. We do typically try to order regular menu items that are simply modified by leaving off sauces or buns or swapping regular sides so it's disturbing to have to consider that they'd charge a premium for doing that.

Please let us know what kind of response you get back. It seems kind of discriminatory to charge allergy sufferers a premium when they'd otherwise for no extra charge switch sides and leave off items based on preference. I know they do have to take extra precautions and I suppose they may even have to have extra staff in the kitchens due to how many allergy sufferers are now going to WDW but it just rubs me the wrong way.

 

[DCDisney]

I wonder if they served a larger piece of chicken than they would in the sandwich? I think sometimes when they know there won't be a bun they do a bigger serving so it doesn't look so small.

 

[M5ward]

My only observation on this issue is that maybe there was a surcharge because mashed potatoes don't appear to be available on the lunch menu and would have to have been made specially for you (not that that's a big deal.). If that would happen to be the case, the server should have informed you.

 

[livndisney]

My only observation on this issue is that maybe there was a surcharge because mashed potatoes don't appear to be available on the lunch menu and would have to have been made specially for you (not that that's a big deal.). If that would happen to be the case, the server should have informed you.

I did not ask for mashed potatoes, I was served them because the fries were not "safe". The mashed potatoes were served to others at the table as part of the Canyon Skillet.

From all ears menus mashed potatoes ARE on the lunch menu:
Canyon Skillet
All You Care To Enjoy $18.99 per person

Smoked Pork Ribs, Oven-roasted Chicken, and Pork Sausage served with Cowboy Beans, Corn on the Cob, Creamy Coleslaw, Mashed Potatoes, and Fresh-baked Cornbread



And to the pp, the chicken was the same chicken they serve on the sandwich.

The only answer I have gotten so far is I was charged more simply because I have allergies.

 

[M5ward]

My mistake..you are correct. I would be questioning the charge also. It's not about the $3.00, it's that old, proverbial principal. I would, at least, like to know how the price was determined.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just a couple of things: according to the WDWinfo menu http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?restaurant.ID=17, that meal is priced at $13.99; so this site seems to be more current than AllEars and the upcharge was 'only' $2.00.
And is it possible the upcharge was for the substitution itself? Yes, mashed potatoes are on the menu, but there was a recent thread on the restaurant board where a party dining in Italy each subbed spaghetti for a side they didn't like - and then were angry at the $7 PP charge.

 

[livndisney]

Just a couple of things: according to the WDWinfo menu http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?restaurant.ID=17, that meal is priced at $13.99; so this site seems to be more current than AllEars and the upcharge was 'only' $2.00.
And is it possible the upcharge was for the substitution itself? Yes, mashed potatoes are on the menu, but there was a recent thread on the restaurant board where a party dining in Italy each subbed spaghetti for a side they didn't like - and then were angry at the $7 PP charge.

Charging when someone "doesn't like something" is one thing. Charging more for regular food just because of an allergy is something else. I don't think "only" enters into it. I doubt people would be so willing to "only" have to pay more for other medical needs to be met.

The "substitution" choice was made by the chef and was not discussed with me. In the case you mentioned the customer made a choice and was charged more.

edited to add-that link is not more "current". We were charged 18.99 for the all you can eat Canyon Skillet. And that link does not include a kids Canyon skillet which my child had.

 

[mycropht]

I do think this is kind of a bit of dirty pool, but I also noticed that WDW is getting a bit more underhanded at sticking the upcharges on food.

With so many people on the Dining Plan (how much I hate that Dining Plan is a topic for another place) they seem to be looking for as many ways as possible to get $ out of diners.

Should they be upcharging? Not without telling you in advance.

But given how much of the food is prepped at central locations and even _plating_ it differently takes extra effort I can understand some rationale behind it.

Yes, they already have the potatoes and they already have the chicken. But they put those things together ahead of time in an assembly-line type fashion. Taking apart a pre-assembled dish and reassembling specific parts of it can be seen as a time-cost that they would pass along to the diner. It's not unlike getting charged extra for a manual transmission on certain types of car. Again, though, they should advise you in advance of this.

 

[livndisney]

I do think this is kind of a bit of dirty pool, but I also noticed that WDW is getting a bit more underhanded at sticking the upcharges on food.

With so many people on the Dining Plan (how much I hate that Dining Plan is a topic for another place) they seem to be looking for as many ways as possible to get $ out of diners.

Should they be upcharging? Not without telling you in advance.

But given how much of the food is prepped at central locations and even _plating_ it differently takes extra effort I can understand some rationale behind it.

Yes, they already have the potatoes and they already have the chicken. But they put those things together ahead of time in an assembly-line type fashion. Taking apart a pre-assembled dish and reassembling specific parts of it can be seen as a time-cost that they would pass along to the diner. It's not unlike getting charged extra for a manual transmission on certain types of car. Again, though, they should advise you in advance of this.

I'm sorry, but this is NOT what happens when you have allergies. WDW does not take a pre assembled dish and serve it to a guest with allergies.

And once again according to Disney "policy" the ONLY time they are supposed to charge more is when more expensive allergen food is used.

 

[mycropht]

Okay then. All the more to my point.

They make it specially which takes even MORE effort than replating.

Have you contacted them for clarification? Because all that any of us can do is speculate.