Crab legs at Cape May thread-crab legs still going strong! :)

[RubySlippers]

5) Too many people "pigged out" on crab legs at Cape May.
6) They were no longer profitable.
7) Some people, I swear, ruin it for others !!!

OR it could be because crab fishing quotas were lowered this year and the cost of crab has risen.....

https://www.undercurrentnews.com/category/species/shellfish/crab/

Rusty...Why are you also so negative about Disney guests? I find it hard to believe that you continue to WORK FOR WDW with such a negative attitude towards the people you are supposed to be helping have Magical vacations.
Smile and Breathe my friend and life will Smile with you!

The server told us they were unavailable for an unspecified period of time because the cost of crab has increased and they did not want to pass the cost on to the customer.

 

[SandiR]

Disney is making 60 bucks a person here. Plus, most people are coming from the theme parks where they've spent about $100 more just to walk through the door. They are making record profits and now we're going to excuse them for cutting the most desirable things off the menu because some people overindulge a bit? Um....NO.

 

[jenjersnap]

How is it the customer's fault if the Boston Lobster Feast can have 60 menu items and AYCTE lobster buffet for around $35 per person in Kissimmee, but Cape May can't do lower quality crab legs for about the same price within the busiest resort in the world? Maybe it IS actually the management trying to pinch every last nickel out of the customer. I thought the crab legs at CMC were nearly inedible, and it was a joke of a restaurant.

I have never been to Lobster Feast but I agree with the sentiments of this post. I think the cost of crab hit their profit margin a bit and off it went. But, let's take a shot at customer gluttony because that is an easy mark.

We have eaten at CM three times with diminishing returns and it astounds me that people think the seafood on the buffet is good. And I am an inlander through and through who is really not an expert on fresh seafood.

 

[DisUniversal]

Disney is making 60 bucks a person here. Plus, most people are coming from the theme parks where they've spent about $100 more just to walk through the door. They are making record profits and now we're going to excuse them for cutting the most desirable things off the menu because some people overindulge a bit? Um....NO.

It's pretty easy to see it for what it is. Did Disney replace the all you can eat crab legs with something of comparable value? Did they lower the price to reflect that the crab legs are no longer on the menu? If the answer to both question is NO, then it is nothing more than another example of Disney trying to get away with offering less to their guests at the same or higher prices and we can expect that behavior to continue as long as people are ok with it. Some are blind to this and for them Disney can do no wrong. It's always the guest (gluttons in this case) or it's just capitalism on Disney's part. Sad.

 

[aristocatz]

Actually, the real Cape May is barely above the Mason-Dixon line on the South Jersey shore, not New England, but your point is taken that almost nothing there was either New England or New Jersey seafood. It was low-end fare not even up to par for a Red Lobster restaurant.

Oops, sorry, you are 100% correct I'm a Cape Cod girl and I often forget that Cape May Cafe is.....Cape May!!!!

 

[sharadoc]

5) Too many people "pigged out" on crab legs at Cape May.
6) They were no longer profitable.
7) Some people, I swear, ruin it for others !!!

* Fortunately, for many (including me), the crab legs at Cape May were small and not filled with much
meat. One had to really work to get enough. In our opinion, they were of lesser quality than the Lobster
Feast on Hwy-192. And, that is not not a glowing comment or endorsement.

There was no worse experience than Cape May for dinner on Free Dining. The herd of elephants would RUN to the buffet when the fresh pan of crab legs came out and then one or two people take them all!!!! They wouldn't even stand in line, just run in a bunch. It was horrifying. I swear they acted like they had never been to a restaurant before.

Funny when I saw this thread, I thought to myself, okay maybe we'll go back again. Those crab legs and the animals that went there to eat them ruined that buffet.

Good riddance to them!!

 

[DisUniversal]

There was no worse experience than Cape May for dinner on Free Dining. The herd of elephants would RUN to the buffet when the fresh pan of crab legs came out and then one or two people take them all!!!! They wouldn't even stand in line, just run in a bunch. It was horrifying. I swear they acted like they had never been to a restaurant before.

Funny when I saw this thread, I thought to myself, okay maybe we'll go back again. Those crab legs and the animals that went there to eat them ruined that buffet.

Good riddance to them!!

Hey! You don't refer to people as

here, you refer to them as

 

[ArwenMarie]

3) Yes, Cape May no longer has Crab Legs, but Captains Grille does.
4) However, crab legs at Capt Grille are ONE serving, not AYCTE.
5) Too many people "pigged out" on crab legs at Cape May.
6) They were no longer profitable.
7) Some people, I swear, ruin it for others !!!

Oh yes I've seen people pile their plates up so high with crab legs at the buffet that a few fell off their plates on the ground and they just kept walking yikes! I saw one lady at WDW wrap a few in napkins and stick them in her purse and it was summer ... Yuck who'd want to eat a crab leg later on after siting in her purse or actually to take them my goodness! Yeah I'm sure the crab legs get hit real hard by many people at the buffet so not cost effective any longer to keep them on the menu

I just spit my coffee all over my computer I'm laughing so hard.

That is a shame they just took them off though. They could have rationed them out somehow.

Maybe they should just leave it as a character meal then at dinner too. Heck, they might as well just leave the breakfast food in there all day (actually I would like breakfast for dinner!)

 

[DisUniversal]

I just spit my coffee all over my computer I'm laughing so hard.

That is a shame they just took them off though. They could have rationed them out somehow.

Maybe they should just leave it as a character meal then at dinner too. Heck, they might as well just leave the breakfast food in there all day (actually I would like breakfast for dinner!)

What they should have done is have the server bring you 'refills' of crab legs like they drinks. When they came to take away a plate, they could simple ask if you'd like more. No limit, but even though I never saw it, would stop the gluttons that others have observed from piling their plates to the point they were kicking the ones that fell off their plates back to the table.

 

[jesswindsor]

I hate it that Cape May has gotten ride of the Crab Legs, but I can completely understand why. I have never really liked buffets myself. The food at the buffets have never really been a problem for me. But I have seen to many Children Sneeze & Grab at food while their parents are trying to fill their plates for them. Anyway, Captain's Grill's Crab Legs will work out better for me. But hopefully Cape May can work out something with the Crab Legs in the future. I remember back years ago when Red Lobster had the Endless Bucket of Crab, maybe they can do something like that.

 

[sharadoc]

Hey! You don't refer to people as

here, you refer to them as

Apologies- I only meant as a thundering herd, not the size of the patrons. Didn't even cross my mind, no offense intended

 

[Le Soque Puppet]

How is it the customer's fault if the Boston Lobster Feast can have 60 menu items and AYCTE lobster buffet for around $35 per person in Kissimmee, but Cape May can't do lower quality crab legs for about the same price within the busiest resort in the world?

Numbered and text-justified posts are always
THE TRVTH

 

[wdwpirates]

Over the last 2 years I have noticed that the selection and quality of the food at Cape May has degraded on each trip. We were really disappointed with our visit in May. The only decent food items (IMO) were the crab legs and the steamers. Other than that it was just no longer worth the $$$. We decided to skip making a ressie on our upcoming trip. And if the crab legs are truly no longer on the menu then it's not worth it for us to visit until the food selection improves.

It's a bummer because I love the theme of the restaurant. Maybe they'll get a new chef soon!!

 

[RubySlippers]

Seriously... The crab fisheries were hard hit by the extremely harsh winter. Fishing quotas are down everywhere. I really think this is more likely the issue than a few people at WDW overindulging at one buffet.

 

[heidijanesmith]

Ah man..............what a bummer. This was our favorite WDW eatery. We loved the crab legs. It was the main draw for us to come here.

This will be off the ADR list until the crab legs come back!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Disney is making 60 bucks a person here. Plus, most people are coming from the theme parks where they've spent about $100 more just to walk through the door. They are making record profits and now we're going to excuse them for cutting the most desirable things off the menu because some people overindulge a bit? Um....NO.

No. First, according to the Buffets/AYCTE thread, the peak charge this year - Thanksgiving - will be $44.99 (tax subtracted).

Second, whatever Disney charges is dramatically different from what they make on a sale. According to this,
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/average-profit-margin-restaurant-13477.html the pretax profit (what the restaurant makes) on a check is a truly amazing 1.8%. That's eighty one cents; even assuming the $59.99 the restaurant makes only $1.08.

Finally, who are all these people buying single-day park admission? The vast majority uses multiple admissions, which dramatically reduce the per day admission.

 

[bramble4]

We always hit Cape May on our arrival day and enjoy it. Happened to be on the phone with Disney Dining already so we asked about the menu change. The CM said she never even knew that they had all you can eat crab before. She gave us a direct number to the restaurant and the man there said he hadn't noticed them missing. Trying to decide whether we should keep our ADR for October or try somewhere new. Any suggestions in the same area, or HS?

 

[SandiR]

No. First, according to the Buffets/AYCTE thread, the peak charge this year - Thanksgiving - will be $44.99 (tax subtracted).

Second, whatever Disney charges is dramatically different from what they make on a sale. According to this,
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/average-profit-margin-restaurant-13477.html the pretax profit (what the restaurant makes) on a check is a truly amazing 1.8%. That's eighty one cents; even assuming the $59.99 the restaurant makes only $1.08.

Finally, who are all these people buying single-day park admission? The vast majority uses multiple admissions, which dramatically reduce the per day admission.

According to Disney's own website - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/beach-club-resort/cape-may-cafe/ - the top price for dinner is $59.99, so I'm not sure why it would matter what some thread said it is.

Even if you assume that people are getting the highest value ticket (or least expensive per-day ticket), the point is that Disney is still making record profits. Record profits. At the same time, they are cheapening the experience by scaling back on guest favorites.

By the way, I might be wrong, but I sincerely doubt that Disney's profits are that of an average restaurant. Most restaurants can't make money and fold. Disney rakes in the cash year after year.

 

[DisUniversal]

No. First, according to the Buffets/AYCTE thread, the peak charge this year - Thanksgiving - will be $44.99 (tax subtracted).

Second, whatever Disney charges is dramatically different from what they make on a sale. According to this,
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/average-profit-margin-restaurant-13477.html the pretax profit (what the restaurant makes) on a check is a truly amazing 1.8%. That's eighty one cents; even assuming the $59.99 the restaurant makes only $1.08.

Take that $1.08 and add it to what a comparable meal would cost at non-Disney restaurant if you want to know their true profit.

Finally, who are all these people buying single-day park admission? The vast majority uses multiple admissions, which dramatically reduce the per day admission.

How dramatically? A 4 day Magic Your Way ticket with park hopping works out to about $94 per day. Not that dramatic, is it?

 

[carmelhp]

Take that $1.08 and add it to what a comparable meal would cost at non-Disney restaurant if you want to know their true profit.

Exactly, at the busiest resort in the world, with an essentially captive clientele and no marketing costs. Talk about apples and oranges.