Cost of 1 Counter Service and 1 Table Service meal per day?

[jtw]

Not including breakfast in the parks or at the resorts, what would be the typical cost for one CS meal and one TS meal per day? My parents are taking me, my sister, and our spouses to The World in early January but we are each going to be responsible for taking care of our own food costs. We have been talking about doing the Dining Plan, but in lieu of some of the discussions going on about possible unfavorable changes for the DP in 2008, I'm trying to add up what it would cost just to use cash for my wife and I for meals.

Thanks for any info!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Check out this link: http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

It has the menu of every WDW restaurant. You can see all the prices there.

In my opinion, though, counter/quick service will run you about $10-15 a person and table service about $20-50 depending on where you go.

 

[kandmwedding]

That totally depends on where you'll be eating. You can check out the menus, including prices, here. Just remember to add tax (around 11% I think) and tip, if applicable.

Fwiw, dh and I usually budget $35 per person per day and that covers us for one table service and one counter service meal. We don't have any alcohol though. That would definitely hike the price up if you plan to.

 

[disney6family]

I agree it depends on what you will be eating. My DH and I can easily share the burgers as they are much bigger than a regular fast food restaurant. That meal for lunch is more than adequate. Also, we tend to get popcorn or ice cream to supplement if we need it. Then, TS can run about $20 per person, but we don't like to eat big meals at WDW unless they are character/ special meals. That is to say for dinner we don't usually do appetizer, meal, & dessert. DDP for a counter service meal includes entree, drink and dessert. No way could all of us eat that much every day for one meal, let alone go on to dinner and eat more!
So for our family of 6 a budget of $25 for lunch, $30 for dinner and $30 for extra snacks is usually more than adequate. Of course, I add in the price of any 'flat fee' meals in addition to this. Such as MM Fantasmic package, or character meals.

 

[dburg30]

My wife and I are going to be doing a good amount of TS it appears . Didnt plan it that way, but it's going to be that way. Actually more then 1 per day. I've added up the more expensive ones that we'll be doing. IF we would change up and do more CS's. I figured with TAX (figured 7%) and tip (18%) that it would cost us each about 405 for the 7 days we are there. Hey we like to eat . Anywho, that was adding up the more expensive, TS's that we WILL do. allowing $12 for each CS and $4 for each snack. (not that we're going to make sure we get the most expensive items, just as a comparision). If we do the DDP it is about 273 each, a POSSIBLE savings of $132 EACH. Now, it's the POSSIBLE part that I have to think on. I just dont know which way to go. I had told myself I was just going to pay this year, and see how it went. Then we'd decide next time if we were going to do it or not. But for a possible savings of over $250, plus the ease of using it........... Hmmmmm

Oh, to actually answer the OP's ?. I was guessing $12 for a CS and around $22-$40 at the places we are eating for TS..

 

[aubriee]

I went solo to WDW this past May and was on the DDP, but I did get the totals at each meal just to figure out what I would have spent without the DDP. I did order an appetizer, entree, and dessert at each TS, but did not necessarily order the most expensive thing on the menu (just whatever I was in the mood for at the time). I just looked at my totals and for CS I spent $10.07-$28.37 (Earl of Sandwich and Pepper Market at CSR), for TS I spent $32.36-$62.58 (Cape May Buffet and Le Cellier). My snacks ranged from $2.95-3.99 (Doh Bar and hot caramel sundae). Anyway, as you can see they had a wide range in prices. It's going to depend on where you eat.

FYI: For eight nights I spent $311.92 for the DDP and ate $31.79 in snacks, $121.25 in CS, and $405.11 in TS (total=$558.15). So I guess you could say I saved $246.23 with the DDP, but then again I probably would not have ordered all those appetizers and desserts, if I hadn't been on the DDP. My TS meals were Le Cellier, Cape May, Konas, Spoodles, Wolfgang Pucks, Turf Club, Chefs de France (lunch), and Rose & Crown. For CS I ate at La Kringla Bakeri, Wolfgang Express (twice), Pepper Market, Starring Rolls Cafe, Tusker House, and Earl of Sandwich.

I'm using the DDP again for my Sept/Oct trip, because I got it free via the Bounce Back Program, but when I go back in Dec I won't be doing the DDP again, because it is just too much food and beside I can save almost as much with my DDE card.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I went solo to WDW this past May and was on the DDP, but I did get the totals at each meal just to figure out what I would have spent without the DDP. I did order an appetizer, entree, and dessert at each TS, but did not necessarily order the most expensive thing on the menu (just whatever I was in the mood for at the time). I just looked at my totals and for CS I spent $10.07-$28.37 (Earl of Sandwich and Pepper Market at CSR), for TS I spent $32.36-$62.58 (Cape May Buffet and Le Cellier). My snacks ranged from $2.95-3.99 (Doh Bar and hot caramel sundae). Anyway, as you can see they had a wide range in prices. It's going to depend on where you eat.

FYI: For eight nights I spent $311.92 for the DDP and ate $31.79 in snacks, $121.25 in CS, and $405.11 in TS (total=$558.15). So I guess you could say I saved $246.23 with the DDP, but then again I probably would not have ordered all those appetizers and desserts, if I hadn't been on the DDP. My TS meals were Le Cellier, Cape May, Konas, Spoodles, Wolfgang Pucks, Turf Club, Chefs de France (lunch), and Rose & Crown. For CS I ate at La Kringla Bakeri, Wolfgang Express (twice), Pepper Market, Starring Rolls Cafe, Tusker House, and Earl of Sandwich.

I'm using the DDP again for my Sept/Oct trip, because I got it free via the Bounce Back Program, but when I go back in Dec I won't be doing the DDP again, because it is just too much food and beside I can save almost as much with my DDE card.

Thanks so much for that info. As a frequent solo traveler, it's good to have an idea of the savings. Just one question-do you remember where you got the caramel sundae for a snack credit? I love caramel sundaes!

 

[LisaBi]

For me and DS, I added up the cost of what we would order/eat normally if paying OOP. It came to slightly less OOP than DDP. BUT - he is an adult on the DDP, and prefers kids menus at about half the places, so that is what tipped the OOP to be less expensive. And without DDP we do less TS.

However, on DDP, we do feel free to try more appetizers and deserts, and more expensive places that I wouldn't do OOP, and more TS.

 

[patsal]

What I plan is about $35.00 per person for TS and $12 per person for CS when I am not using the DDP. This figure usually works out well and I usually come out a bit under budget.

 

[kato0627]

I'd also like to know about the Hot Carmel Sundae??? Love those and that sounds great!!!

 

[Hopefully]

I agree with the estimate of about $12 per person for CS and $35 per person for TS. Alcoholic beverages can make these totals higher.

 

[aubriee]

Thanks so much for that info. As a frequent solo traveler, it's good to have an idea of the savings. Just one question-do you remember where you got the caramel sundae for a snack credit? I love caramel sundaes!

I got mine at my resort food court. I believe all the food courts have them. I know I've had them at Pop and also at AS Sports. They are really huge, by the way, not those little ones.

 

[Allison]

That totally depends on where you'll be eating. You can check out the menus, including prices, here. Just remember to add tax (around 11% I think) and tip, if applicable.

Tax is 6.5% not 11%.

 

[helenabear]

It also depends on WHEN you are eating. We don't like doing TS for dinner at all. Just not our style. So lunches are far cheaper at TS than dinner for us. We also never spend more than $10/person for CS and in my case probably closer to $6. We buy snacks to take with us to parks and both of us do not drink a lot of soda. So our cost a day is usually $30/person or less. Obviously for us DDP is a total waste. For others who prefer to sit down at night, it works out better. But be aware, they serve you a LOT of food at each TS meal.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I got mine at my resort food court. I believe all the food courts have them. I know I've had them at Pop and also at AS Sports. They are really huge, by the way, not those little ones.

Thanks! Now I have another reason to visit Pop in September. I'm taking a non-park trip, and this will be something I'll look forward to doing one day-"go to Pop and have caramel sundae." I wonder if the caramel sundae can also count as a dessert in CS.