Daily Fix - Skipper Canteen Menu Change

[DVCjj]

In March at 3:00 we wanted something light and had the appetizers & soup (Arepas) and loved it.

I still dream about the bread and the honey.

Interesting though that it was just us (4 adults) and another couple in the quite large restaurant.

I will miss the Arepas for sure.

 

[Octoberbaby]

I agree with Pete on this one. And I was so disappointed to find out they are changing the menu. I love trying new things and foods. My husband wasn't very adventurous with his dining, now after being married to me, his favorite restaurant is Boma at Disney. I make my son try new foods as well. Just last night we went to dinner at our local Mexican restaurant, and he was wishing he had sushi instead. Eating chicken, hot dogs, and fries gets old after a while. And, if I'm on vacation, I want good food to eat that makes me not having to cook, worth it.

 

[disneysteve]

They just need to have something for us meat and potatoes guys.

Not every restaurant has to have something for everyone though.
They don't "need" to cater for all.

I've got to agree with Jes on this point. There's no reason a restaurant needs to offer something for everyone. That's the great thing about restaurants. If you want Italian food, you can find a place for that. If you want seafood, you can find a place for that. If you want Cuban food, there are places for that. I would never go to a Cuban restaurant and expect to get chicken parm.

If the menu at a particular restaurant doesn't appeal to you, don't eat there. But don't expect that restaurant to change to suit your tastes.

All of that said, however, if a new place opens and business is not good, then I agree that one of the things they need to re-evaluate is what they're serving. Personally, I think the lack of ADRs is a big deal for a table service restaurant at Disney. Why they thought having a system that is totally different than every other restaurant was a good idea is beyond me. When we were there, we walked right past the place just assuming we wouldn't be able to eat there since we didn't make reservations. Of course, we wouldn't have gone there anyway because of the high prices but that's a separate issue. We didn't even consider it an option.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I've got to agree with Jes on this point. There's no reason a restaurant needs to offer something for everyone. That's the great thing about restaurants. If you want Italian food, you can find a place for that. If you want seafood, you can find a place for that. If you want Cuban food, there are places for that. I would never go to a Cuban restaurant and expect to get chicken parm.

If the menu at a particular restaurant doesn't appeal to you, don't eat there. But don't expect that restaurant to change to suit your tastes.

All of that said, however, if a new place opens and business is not good, then I agree that one of the things they need to re-evaluate is what they're serving. Personally, I think the lack of ADRs is a big deal for a table service restaurant at Disney. Why they thought having a system that is totally different than every other restaurant was a good idea is beyond me. When we were there, we walked right past the place just assuming we wouldn't be able to eat there since we didn't make reservations. Of course, we wouldn't have gone there anyway because of the high prices but that's a separate issue. We didn't even consider it an option.

The only difference is that at Disney it is often families traveling together and wanting to eat together so if 1 out of 6 people don't see something on the menu then no one can eat there so i would be ok with them adding a couple of "safer" options just so that one person feels there is something they can eat. And to be clear, I don't think that has to be chicken tenders and fries or anything, but just a more "normal" sounding Chicken dish or something - then keep the bulk of the rest of the menu

 

[disneysteve]

The only difference is that at Disney it is often families traveling together and wanting to eat together so if 1 out of 6 people don't see something on the menu then no one can eat there

That's true everywhere, not just at Disney.

My daughter is pretty picky partly because she is a vegetarian. Both she and DW have food allergies as well. So finding a restaurant where everyone can eat is often a challenge but that's just the way it is. We don't expect every restaurant to be able to accommodate us. We just choose to eat at the ones that can. You'll never find us at a seafood restaurant due to my wife's allergy. You'll never find us at a BBQ place because of DW's vegetariansim (though my wife and I will go there when it's just the 2 of us). When you're with a group of people, you need to pick a place that works for everyone whether you're at home, at Disney, or anywhere.

 

[Princess Jes]

I've got to agree with Jes on this point. There's no reason a restaurant needs to offer something for everyone. That's the great thing about restaurants. If you want Italian food, you can find a place for that. If you want seafood, you can find a place for that. If you want Cuban food, there are places for that. I would never go to a Cuban restaurant and expect to get chicken parm.

If the menu at a particular restaurant doesn't appeal to you, don't eat there. But don't expect that restaurant to change to suit your tastes.

All of that said, however, if a new place opens and business is not good, then I agree that one of the things they need to re-evaluate is what they're serving. Personally, I think the lack of ADRs is a big deal for a table service restaurant at Disney. Why they thought having a system that is totally different than every other restaurant was a good idea is beyond me. When we were there, we walked right past the place just assuming we wouldn't be able to eat there since we didn't make reservations. Of course, we wouldn't have gone there anyway because of the high prices but that's a separate issue. We didn't even consider it an option.

Wasn't BOG the same way when it first opened? Couldn't you get a flipping fastpass to eat there?
Wasn't there a totally separate website to make ADRs for BOG when they did switch to taking them?
BOG is still near impossible to get a dinner res at, and it was different initially and people were lining up for lunch at rope drop

 

[JimmyV]

And to be clear, I don't think that has to be chicken tenders and fries or anything, but just a more "normal" sounding Chicken dish or something

What could be a more normal sounding chicken dish than: "Taste Like Chicken...Because It Is!". Can't get much more basic sounding than that.
I think that people just have to accept the fact that if you love WDW in large measure because of its theming, then you can't get too upset when that theming carries over into the food. Think about what they are trying to create. You have entered the Mess Hall of the Jungle Navigation Co., LTD which is supposed to be set in the deep, dark recesses of the world's great river jungles. It is difficult to get immersed in that theme if the food options are distinctly reflective of the Lower 48. It isn't the Missouri River Navigation Co, LTD, or the Sacramento River Navigation Co, LTD.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

What could be a more normal sounding chicken dish than: "Taste Like Chicken...Because It Is!". Can't get much more basic sounding than that.
I think that people just have to accept the fact that if you love WDW in large measure because of its theming, then you can't get too upset when that theming carries over into the food. Think about what they are trying to create. You have entered the Mess Hall of the Jungle Navigation Co., LTD which is supposed to be set in the deep, dark recesses of the world's great river jungles. It is difficult to get immersed in that theme if the food options are distinctly reflective of the Lower 48. It isn't the Missouri River Navigation Co, LTD, or the Sacramento River Navigation Co, LTD.

Probably not being clear what I mean as I very much want them to stick to the theme and have different offering than other restaurants ... just that I think you can stick with the theme without having things with the term "head on" in them

 

[SorcererHeidi]

To be fair, I haven't seen any details of what they are changing it to ... it might just be less intimidating alternatives to chicken nuggets, etc. Like many of the options in Disneyland (Bengal Barbeque, etc.) they carry things that aren't chicken nuggets or pizza but are more approachable than what the current Skipper Canteen is

But fully agree that if they do change it to just chicken nuggets and stuff I will be very disappointed!

I still agree with you Max, so I will re-cute/re-paste exactly what I posted recently - agreeing with you then too.

Totally agree with all you said, Max. Keep the "more adventurous stuff", fine, (no - I don't want every location to be the same, or all vanilla!), but add some "safer" stuff, so families don't have to split up. Or - like me - I could try some more adventurous stuff, but also know there is "safer stuff" if I don't care for the "more adventurous". I also agree that the price point(s) was ALL OFF. At least IMHO.