Disney Restaurant Constistency

[pgianna]

After reading a lot restaurant reviews, it seems to me that Disney has a problem with consistency with a lot of its restaurants. I know one can go to any restaurant outside of Disney world as well and have a bad experience. The restaurant can just be having a bad night, it happens. I think a lot of it is personal taste as well. Having said that, it’s my opinion that a lot of their restaurants aren’t as consistent as they should be. I have read posts were the same people have gone to the same restaurant a few days apart and come away with a totally different opinion between the two visits. I wonder if the free dining, even though it isn’t free, has something to do with it. Maybe Disney feels that because a lot the guests don’t actually ‘pay’ for their meals, they can cut back in food services. But the confusing part is, they can do it in some of their restaurant, why can’t do it in all of them. Is it Disney arrogance and they think people are willing to accept it. Now I have been to Disney World a few times, and my experiences have been pretty good, with a few exceptions. But I still think Disney should raise their standards. What do people think, do you agree or am I way off base? Maybe we tend to hear more negative comments on the boards because people tend to post if they upset or dissatisfied.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'd agree that consistency is a problem for Disney, and not just at the restaurants.

I'd also suggest that everybody has different standards and tastes so what one person thinks is wonderful food/service is the next person's bad experience. I think you see a wide range of expectations here.

For example, I recall the results of a poll I posted on the boards a few years ago asking where the best burger was in the parks. The result? Lots of people picked McDonnalds.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I don't know if free dining is really the culprit. We've been going to WDW since the mid 80s and while certain things were better before the dining plan and all of the free dining crazy issues...we've always experienced similar consistency issues. i.e. we'd pick a TS restaurant in WS for a special family dinner and while we came home raving or hating...others we knew would come home with a polar opposite experience and opinion. In more recent years, we've been to WDW during times of free dining and times without it and considering our experiences- I think bad or good food and bad or good service can happen at any time at any restaurant at WDW. In fact, we went to 1900PF for breakfast back in Dec 2010 and had great food and service during a period w/free dining...we returned in August 2011- even saw some of the same floor mgrs...and the service was downright horrible and some of the food quality had declined. We had a similar service and food situation with CRT between these two trips...bad service and horrible food in August, but wonderful food and service in December. On the flip side, we did Crystal Palace and Akershus on both trips and had great experiences both times. So, I think it's just luck.

 

[minnie mum]

I don't think that a single cause can be pinpointed for a perceived lack of consistency. Any restaurant anywhere in the world can have an off day. Could be a problem with the line chefs, food suppliers, wait staff..... These are all variables that just can't be controlled with 100% certainty.

Then add in the many hundreds of meals that are served daily. What are the odds that one or two of these meals will be less than stellar, if judged impartially?

Then add in the (naturally) subjective opinions of the diners. Some will have extremely high expectations, others not so much. Heck, even those WDW restaurants that consistently (there's that word again) get bad reviews still have their fans who insist had the BEST meal of their lives there!

I think we just have to resign ourselves to the fact that no restaurant will be universally applauded, no matter what they do (with the possible exception of V&A)

 

[tinacaplan]

I think the bottom line here as little to do with Disney and more to do with the people commenting. When you are reading someone's well-intended comments, you don't really know anything about what/where they like to eat. I think most of Disney's TS restaurants would compare favorably to national chain restaurants, and if that's where you eat out (and let's be clear: there is not judgement intended here) most of the time, you'll probably think the Disney restaurants are slightly better. That said, I also think you're much more likely make negative comments than you are positive. I think its useful to take a step back and look at the majority of the comments: are they mostly positive or negative? And, check out the menus for yourself. If they appeal to you, it is likely you will enjoy the restaurant.

And, yes, the Disney restaurants do suffer from a lack in consistency, particularly when comparing the restaurants to each other.

 

[catheren]

Just my opinion, but I feel the free dining plan, which really isn't free, has a lot to do with it. I have been going to WDW since the 70's, and since the dining plan has been introduced, the menu offerings especially at TS have been scaled way back. We never do the dining plan and pay out of pocket. We had dinner with friends one night at a WDW TS restaurant, they were on the dining plan. Several of us got the same entrees, interesting...they were not the same. Appearance, presentation, portions (our portions were smaller but better cuts of meat/fish) and even the freshness of veggies. We said nothing but the friends on the dining plan, did notice and mentioned the difference.

 

[sotoalf]

As inconsistent as food, menu, and presentation may be, WDW cuisine now is a vast improvement over what we ate in the seventies and eighties.

 

[photobob]

Free dining may affect the menu but shouldn't consistency. Two people at a restaurant at the same time eating the same dish can have vastly different opinions of the food. One will say it was out of this world while the other will say it was awful.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

It has to be remembered that when dealing with dining and personel expriences.......things are very *SUBJECTIVE*..just becuase someone report s a bad meal or expreience doesn't mean the next meal or exprience for different people with different tastes will also be reported as bad. (or good for that matter)


It is not fair or reasonable to use only reviews as the final say in beleiving this resteurant is good or bad!

Personally I rarely use personel reviews as a indicator of good or bad....I prefer to try the place myself.


just IMHO...................AKK


AKK

 

[disneynutz]

The issue as I see it is Disney's desire to increase profit. This has resulted in menu selections that are quick to prepare. They have increased bookings and are pressured to turn tables over at a faster pace. They have also increased the number of contracted restaurants which has a profit motive.

If they slowed things down and took control of all of the restaurants, they would stand a better chance of providing a consistent product.

Bill

 

[catheren]

The issue as I see it is Disney's desire to increase profit. This has resulted in menu selections that are quick to prepare. They have increased bookings and are pressured to turn tables over at a faster pace. They have also increased the number of contracted restaurants which has a profit motive.

If they slowed things down and took control of all of the restaurants, they would stand a better chance of providing a consistent product.

Bill

Agree! And well stated!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The issue as I see it is Disney's desire to increase profit. This has resulted in menu selections that are quick to prepare. They have increased bookings and are pressured to turn tables over at a faster pace. They have also increased the number of contracted restaurants which has a profit motive.

If they slowed things down and took control of all of the restaurants, they would stand a better chance of providing a consistent product.

Bill

You are right on about the fast turn over of tables. Last month myself and some friends of mine were having dinner at 50's Prime Time Cafe and they looked very busy with a lot tables taken when we were seated. Well we didn't order any appetizers and I would say about 10 minutes after we ordered our entrees arrived. Now there was nothing wrong with them and etc, I just thought to myself wow our food came out very fast.

Earlier that day we had lunch at Le Cellier and our entrees didn't come out as fast, although some of us had the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup before our entrees. So I wonder if the WDW restaurants are trying to get the food out faster to guests who don't order appetizers so they can get them out of the restaurant a lot faster?

 

[disneygal2007]

After reading a lot restaurant reviews, it seems to me that Disney has a problem with consistency with a lot of its restaurants. I know one can go to any restaurant outside of Disney world as well and have a bad experience. The restaurant can just be having a bad night, it happens. I think a lot of it is personal taste as well. Having said that, it’s my opinion that a lot of their restaurants aren’t as consistent as they should be. I have read posts were the same people have gone to the same restaurant a few days apart and come away with a totally different opinion between the two visits. I wonder if the free dining, even though it isn’t free, has something to do with it. Maybe Disney feels that because a lot the guests don’t actually ‘pay’ for their meals, they can cut back in food services. But the confusing part is, they can do it in some of their restaurant, why can’t do it in all of them. Is it Disney arrogance and they think people are willing to accept it. Now I have been to Disney World a few times, and my experiences have been pretty good, with a few exceptions. But I still think Disney should raise their standards. What do people think, do you agree or am I way off base? Maybe we tend to hear more negative comments on the boards because people tend to post if they upset or dissatisfied.

I agree. I am a Chef and part of my vacation is to have someone prepare really good food for me for a change. And food is such a huge part of my life and when I go to a place I have Disney stalked for awhile and the food is not good it kinda ruins my vacation that day. I wish Disney would figure it out and see how important food is some some people while on vacation.

 

[pgianna]

Wow, this is a lively discussion. I agree that basing your decision on dining at a restaurant shouldn't hinge on one review, but I do think that reading many reviews and taking them as a whole, gives you a good indication. I do think if Disney improved their food experience and were consistent, they would get even more poeple to visit the parks and stay on property and be even more profitable than they are now. I think Disney tends to be short sited sometimes when it comes to stuff like this. If their food was really constistently great maybe they wouldn't have to have the free dining promotions to get people to stay on property and eat in the parks.