Dining on a Budget

[elishakaylen]

What are the best table service resturaunts to go to, but are not all that expensive?

 

[OhThePain]

The first one that jumps in my head is The Plaza in MK. Good food and good service at decent prices.

 

[bcrook]

For our family of four with two older teens, we could eat at Rose and Crown, Sanaa, Kona and Via Napoli for close to a $100.00 for meal, tax and tip. These restaurants have entrees less than or close $20.00.

And, we like to eat the latest lunches we can get and then snack for dinner. The lunch menus are often (not always) cheaper.

We avoid the buffets, they are much too expensive especially for dinner.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Sci-Fi, 50's PT cafe, T-Rex, Via Napoli...I havent been to the other places mentioned

 

[tluvstink]

Another vote for Sci-Fi

Terri

 

[lockedoutlogic]

there are few "cheaper" sitdowns left...there were quite a few about 10 years ago...but they have been buy and large phased out.

the best value is a "quickserve" where they wait on you: the wolfgang puck expresses at downtown.

captain jacks at downtown has a reasonably sandwich menu at lunch.

olivias, boatrights, rose and crown, the plaza, trails end, whispering canyon, grand floridian cafe, kona, house of blues, and somethings at yak and yeti and rainforest also have some good lower priced options.

and of course...beaches and cream

there are some quickserves that rival the sitdowns in quality now as well...

besides the pucks - pound for pound the best food available - earl of sandwich, sunshine seasons at the Land, the quickserves around the world showcase, columbia harbor house, cosmic rays, flame tree barbecue...all have better than average quickserve that comes close to the lesser than average sitdown foods that are unfortunatley widespread and becoming moreso at WDW.

 

[erinscreen]

For our family of four with two older teens, we could eat at Rose and Crown, Sanaa, Kona and Via Napoli for close to a $100.00 for meal, tax and tip. These restaurants have entrees less than or close $20.00.

And, we like to eat the latest lunches we can get and then snack for dinner. The lunch menus are often (not always) cheaper.

We avoid the buffets, they are much too expensive especially for dinner.

Let me add Tangierine Cafe. It is technically "counter service" but the prices are definitely reasonable for the amount of food you get. Also Sunshine Seasons (same reason).

 

[bcrook]

there are few "cheaper" sitdowns left...there were quite a few about 10 years ago...but they have been buy and large phased out.

the best value is a "quickserve" where they wait on you: the wolfgang puck expresses at downtown.

captain jacks at downtown has a reasonably sandwich menu at lunch.

olivias, boatrights, rose and crown, the plaza, trails end, whispering canyon, grand floridian cafe, kona, house of blues, and somethings at yak and yeti and rainforest also have some good lower priced options.

and of course...beaches and cream

there are some quickserves that rival the sitdowns in quality now as well...

besides the pucks - pound for pound the best food available - earl of sandwich, sunshine seasons at the Land, the quickserves around the world showcase, columbia harbor house, cosmic rays, flame tree barbecue...all have better than average quickserve that comes close to the lesser than average sitdown foods that are unfortunatley widespread and becoming moreso at WDW.

I can't believe I forgot GF Cafe and Olivias! those are great suggestions too.

Let me add Tangierine Cafe. It is technically "counter service" but the prices are definitely reasonable for the amount of food you get. Also Sunshine Seasons (same reason).

totally agree! Tangierine Cafe is another place we visit quite often.

 

[andrea2289]

When we were one TS short and had to pay oop, we compared prices and (for us) Sci-Fi was the cheapest. Also, consider sharing meals. Not to be cheap but because it really can save money and prevent waste. My daughter and I can hardly ever finish a whole meal. The burger at Sci-Fi is huge and since we both love their burgers, we split it. Just get an extra side (or dessert) if you think it may not be enough

 

[EmpressBubbles]

This year, we have the free QSDP. However, we are paying OOP for a couple of TS meals. We decided to try Trail's End Buffet at Ft. Wilderness for dinner one evening. This will give us a chance to try a restaurant we have never tried and to see Ft. Wilderness, which we also have never been to!

The prices at Trail's End are more reasonable than most other buffets in the World:

Adult price range: $24.49-$26.62; Child (ages 3-9) price range: $13.84-$14.90

Tax is included; gratuity is not included.

 

[bcrook]

This year, we have the free QSDP. However, we are paying OOP for a couple of TS meals. We decided to try Trail's End Buffet at Ft. Wilderness for dinner one evening. This will give us a chance to try a restaurant we have never tried and to see Ft. Wilderness, which we also have never been to!

The prices at Trail's End are more reasonable than most other buffets in the World:

Adult price range: $24.49-$26.62; Child (ages 3-9) price range: $13.84-$14.90

Tax is included; gratuity is not included.

Take the ferry, don't try to drive! Parking is very confusing for newcomers.

 

[EmpressBubbles]

Take the ferry, don't try to drive! Parking is very confusing for newcomers.

The ferry is part of the charm!

 

[budafam]

We enjoy 1900 Park Fare for breakfast... even with all of the characters and it being a buffet, it's cheaper than most of the buffets with characters (which I find odd since more than 50% of the characters actually have to speak!) I also second the Plaza & Sci-Fi... just order app's if you want to keep the costs down at fancier places.

 

[KTJAY]

When we've gone to disney and paid oop-we usually try to hit a breakfast or lunch buffet then snack or split meals the rest of the day.

Whispering Canyon and Tusker House both have bfast and lunch buffets under $20. Captain's grill in Yacht Club has a good bfast buffet too for around 15-16.



Via Napoli or the TS in Mexico have good splittable meals. And Chefs de France, Kona, GF Cafe have good meals under $15. I like the flatbreads too at Mama Melrose-all around 12-13.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge has an all-you-can-eat skillet for $18.99. Great deal, IMO. (Plus there's a 10% off discount if you are a DVC member.)

ETA: This is the lunch skillet, btw.

 

[ColoradoDis]

I agree with the previous poster who suggested sharing meals. After looking at the pictures of the entrees - we've decided to order and appetizer and then share an entree and dessert.

 

[erinscreen]

I should have added this to my earlier post, but let me add it here: do your research on lunch versus dinner. For example, Rose & Crown (one of my favorite not-so-expensive TS) has very similar prices for their dinner entrees as they do for lunch. This is obviously a place you may choose to go to dinner. Most of the buffets nearly double for dinner versus lunch.

I know this seems trivial, but it is nice to sit down at the end of the day and have a good meal and know that it isn't the most expensive of the day.

 

[cluvsdisney]

ESPN is pretty reasonable.

 

[Hunclemarco]

We enjoy The Plaza in MK. They have excellent portion sizes. We get the meatloaf meal for under $20.00, and split the meal.
We also like Pecos Bill's in MK. They are reasonably priced.
Les Chefs de France has a good Lunch menu for about $25.00. My wife and i share that as well.