Dress Code?

[SouthJersey]

Eh... DH will be in shorts and a t-shirt, maybe with flip flops, for our signature meals (Le Cellier and Yachtsman). We will be coming straight from the parks, so there is nothing we can do about it.

I wear t-shirts and there are plenty of nice shorts.
The issue is not everyone is going to sit there with some nice casual slide on. Instead, you get people shaking around their bare feet after slipping out of their flip flop, which is unbecoming for a nice restaurant. There's not many things more unappetizing than looking over and seeing someones calcified crusted eagle talons. Between many diners being put off by feet and by glass lawsuits, 'no open toe shoes' was born in many places.

 

[L&Lfan]

South Jersey, you have such a way with words! I still can't get the pepperoni nipples out of my head! You are hilarious! Preach it, bro!

 

[Fuhnuh]

I don't think I want to see anyones calcified crusted eagle talons either, but I just realized that I may have never noticed a diner not in my party's state of foot dress, some tank tops can be harder to miss. We usually go in the summer and dine early. I have never felt out of place a Epcot or the signatures (not V&A) in a pair of dress shorts, a polo, and non-flip flops (usually dress shoes, sometimes Keens). We have generally received great service from attentive servers, so up to a point I think how you conduct yourself is more important than what you wear to the servers. I find myself much more likely to be disturbed by behaviors than dress, but dress codes are pretty casual in the northwest. I never really thought about there being a dress code in Epcot restaurants, but I usually wear dress shorts and a collared shirt when I go to the parks, so I'm ready if we decide to dine at a signature in the evening.

 

[gogo]

I never fully get the, "what other diners are wearing does not ruin my dinner" comments. Everything is not completely black or white. If I'm at a nice restaurant and the majority of people are dressed neatly and appropriately but there may be a table of guests in graphic t's and flip flops, will that ruin my dinner? The answer is no but it certainly diminishes the specialness of a signature restaurant and atmosphere.

I am in agreement that dress shorts, golf type shirts, nice pair of jeans and even t's that are plain and not graphic would be fine in Disney signatures. I've actually felt kinda bad when I see folks looking like they took extra time to dress for dinner and they are surrounded by flip flops, graphic t's, etc. It's sort of embarrassing. Will I think about it throughout dinner? No, but it sets the tone of a restaurant.

If atmosphere doesn't matter, why do some restaurants have dim lights, candles, etc. ? They are setting a mood, or at least trying to. Would I pay $68.00 to eat a steak at the pool bar or other counter service? I wouldn't and I do not think the majority of people would. I realize to some it wouldn't matter, there are always exceptions. Following the dress codes or at least taking them into some consideration does not make a person a snob.

Two experiences come to mind on recent dining at Disney:

Seeing a big kid maybe 3 or 4 running around around California Grill in footed pj's and the father chasing him back and forth past our table....

Eating at Shula's on a Friday night with a guy in a hooded sweatshirt.

Neither of these experiences ruined my dinner. In fact, they were the hightlights of our dining that trip. However, it stood out.

Taking into consideration policies or at the very least making an attempt to follow them AND expecting appropriate behavior is again not being a snob. Actuallly, the attitude that I can do what I want if it makes me comfortable is more a snobbish attitude, IMHO.......

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I mean, I go during Christmas. Although we had very warm weather this past trip (it was outstanding - in the 80s most days!) I can get away with a shirt and khakis and be comfortable.

But during the summer is a different story. I've been to Disney when it was the middle of July, mid 90s and tremendously humid. Not to mention, I was about 70 pounds heavier! I'd recommend a nice pair of shorts and a polo. You could even do a golf polo with the moisture-wicking fabric.

I attached two pics - how my fam dressed for Il Mulino and how my sister and I dressed for Narcoossee's...Nothing special. We would look out of place at the parks, but I wouldn't say we were dressed. Especially for Il Mulino. I wore the same thing to Il Mulino that I'd wear to the bar on a Friday night. And honestly, we were overdressed. As Jersey said, we could have pulled off a t-shirt if we wanted. Just look neat.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I never fully get the, "what other diners are wearing does not ruin my dinner" comments. Everything is not completely black or white. If I'm at a nice restaurant and the majority of people are dressed neatly and appropriately but there may be a table of guests in graphic t's and flip flops, will that ruin my dinner? The answer is no but it certainly diminishes the specialness of a signature restaurant and atmosphere.

I am in agreement that dress shorts, golf type shirts, nice pair of jeans and even t's that are plain and not graphic would be fine in Disney signatures. I've actually felt kinda bad when I see folks looking like they took extra time to dress for dinner and they are surrounded by flip flops, graphic t's, etc. It's sort of embarrassing. Will I think about it throughout dinner? No, but it sets the tone of a restaurant.

If atmosphere doesn't matter, why do some restaurants have dim lights, candles, etc. ? They are setting a mood, or at least trying to. Would I pay $68.00 to eat a steak at the pool bar or other counter service? I wouldn't and I do not think the majority of people would. I realize to some it wouldn't matter, there are always exceptions. Following the dress codes or at least taking them into some consideration does not make a person a snob.

Two experiences come to mind on recent dining at Disney:

Seeing a big kid maybe 3 or 4 running around around California Grill in footed pj's and the father chasing him back and forth past our table....

Eating at Shula's on a Friday night with a guy in a hooded sweatshirt.

Neither of these experiences ruined my dinner. In fact, they were the hightlights of our dining that trip. However, it stood out.

Taking into consideration policies or at the very least making an attempt to follow them AND expecting appropriate behavior is again not being a snob. Actuallly, the attitude that I can do what I want if it makes me comfortable is more a snobbish attitude, IMHO.......

I agree that the DDP can take away from the ambiance. I think if people actually knew how much they were spending (rather than using their MagicBand to pay) they'd take it a lot more serious. It helps the sticker shock that it's "2 points" not "$300". As a result, people don't think "hey I'm going to an expensive restaurant" they just see it as "hey, I'm having a better meal than Chefs de France tonight."

 

[maxiesmom]

I never fully get the, "what other diners are wearing does not ruin my dinner" comments. Everything is not completely black or white. If I'm at a nice restaurant and the majority of people are dressed neatly and appropriately but there may be a table of guests in graphic t's and flip flops, will that ruin my dinner? The answer is no but it certainly diminishes the specialness of a signature restaurant and atmosphere.

I am in agreement that dress shorts, golf type shirts, nice pair of jeans and even t's that are plain and not graphic would be fine in Disney signatures. I've actually felt kinda bad when I see folks looking like they took extra time to dress for dinner and they are surrounded by flip flops, graphic t's, etc. It's sort of embarrassing. Will I think about it throughout dinner? No, but it sets the tone of a restaurant.

For me, what other guests are or are not wearing has no impact on my meal, or on how special I think the meal is. I think that how the other people are behaving--are they yelling or cursing loud enough for everyone to hear? Are they chasing their kids around or letting them roll around on the ground--has more of an impact. I have seen wait staff having to try and walk around kids rolling around on the floor, carrying trays of food. I would rather be around well behaved people in shorts and tee shirts then rude guests in jackets and dresses.

 

[L&Lfan]

I would like to see the signature restaurant dress code of business casual observed with more regularity, but I agree with mom that the pleasantness of my dining experience at WDW is most often affected by the disturbing behavior of unruly children accompanied more often than not, by parents who aren't even TRYING to discipline or correct their children or get them under control. It's very difficult, at least for us, to have a relaxing, enjoyable evening when there's utter pandemonium at the next table. Thankfully this doesn't happen too often at those places who do not accept the DDP. We find ourselves dining more frequently at the Swan and Dolphin, the resort signatures and Disney Springs places such as Raglan Road, Bongos and Fulton's where there tend to be less children. We expect we'll be adding the Boathouse, STK Steakhouse and Morimoto Asia to that list.

 

[saskdw]

Yup, same, I wear jeans at all of them.
Our DC and our chief are insane about appearance of uniforms and gig-lines, all 'volun-told' events in suits, etc.

The parks only have one signature - Le Cellier - and being how long their walk-up is and the ADR availability, they'd likely still fill out.
The resort signatures would definitely fill with an enforced dress code. After the Dis arguments about dress, I made it a point to actually pay attention last trip at the signatures each night and the vast majority are dressed according to the code. It could be because we go later in the evening, not sure.

As for the server, they shouldn't account for dress to an extent of their service being different to the point it impacts the guests' experience. But at the high-end places we frequent, I've noticed far better service when I dress to their code. It's the same with the NYC taxi experiment that focused on dress and appearance- the nicer dressed individuals yielded cabs substantially more than the latter, to the point cabbies even passed the other individual and picked up the well dressed.

The thing with Disney and restaurants is the existence of a dining plan. With the plan, a lot of people tend to 'go all out' on their trip and this includes dining out how they don't dine out at home. You'll notice the non-dining plan locations at Disney have consistently better reviews than those who are on the dining plan. Why? Disney knows, the restaurant owners know. There's a reason why you don't see park attire and out of control children at Shula's and BlueZoo, but see a fair share at Yachtsman or Flying Fish - those in tank tops and park clothes usually don't go upscale back home. Servers always assess the diners and see what type of night they're going to have at work, from their appearance to their demeanor. The dining plan isn't an issue when the guest is dressed presentably, but if you're in park attire at Narcoossee's on the dining plan, I'm already thinking my tip is going to lack as compared to the table OOP or on plan, dressed to the code.

I agree with you on pretty much everything.

If i'm going to a fancy restaurant at home I dress accordingly. As I stated at WDW it's really more of not having room to pack dress clothes for a couple dinners on a 16 night stay. Personally, I don't need to see people all dressed up at WDW, even in a signature restaurant. However some discretion would be nice, tank tops and knarly feet should be saved for the QS counter! lol

"Free Dining" definately will see people eating at places they normally wouldn't, but I wouldn't assume a lower income level because they have FD.

 

[saskdw]

Eh... DH will be in shorts and a t-shirt, maybe with flip flops, for our signature meals (Le Cellier and Yachtsman). We will be coming straight from the parks, so there is nothing we can do about it.

I have eaten at Le Cellier in a t-shirt and shorts, but I do make sure that i'm wearing a pair of dressier shorts that day and a nicer shirt. Also I would be wearing a nice pair of hikers, not flip flops. Actually not sure why anyone would want to wear flip flops to walk miles in the parks all day.

We ate at the Yachtsman for the first time last trip. The atmosphere is a little more upscale there. You will feel out of place in flip flops at the Yachtsman. I wore my best jeans and a nice golf shirt there. At least half the restaurant was wearing dress clothes that night.

 

[nat8199]

I have eaten at Le Cellier in a t-shirt and shorts, but I do make sure that i'm wearing a pair of dressier shorts that day and a nicer shirt. Also I would be wearing a nice pair of hikers, not flip flops. Actually not sure why anyone would want to wear flip flops to walk miles in the parks all day.

We ate at the Yachtsman for the first time last trip. The atmosphere is a little more upscale there. You will feel out of place in flip flops at the Yachtsman. I wore my best jeans and a nice golf shirt there. At least half the restaurant was wearing dress clothes that night.

I don't know why my DH likes to walk in flip flops either. It would kill my feet, but it is what he likes. We don't have time to change before dinner, so whatever he wears to the park will be it. I can get him to wear a collared cotton shirt for the day, but he will probably still be in khaki shorts and flip flops. He isn't the type to be bothered by being the only one in flip flops. It is an early dinner (5:30) and we are going to have three little kids with us.

 

[saskdw]

I don't know why my DH likes to walk in flip flops either. It would kill my feet, but it is what he likes. We don't have time to change before dinner, so whatever he wears to the park will be it. I can get him to wear a collared cotton shirt for the day, but he will probably still be in khaki shorts and flip flops. He isn't the type to be bothered by being the only one in flip flops. It is an early dinner (5:30) and we are going to have three little kids with us.

With LC I think pretty much everyone is in the park and wearing their park clothes, so no worries there. At YC we had a 7:30pm ADR and the atmosphere there was significantly different. There was not a just came from the park vibe there. Many people were wearing sports coats, dress shirts, nice dresses, etc. Maybe at 5:30pm it's different.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

With the exception of V&A, we just go to the restaurants wearing whatever we happen to be in from a day at the parks. We've never felt out of place. But then again, neither DH nor I wear, or even own, graphic T-shirts, or ripped/frayed shorts or pants. DH typically wears nicer khaki shorts and a polo (he doesn't own a single sleeveless shirt). I usually wear black shorts, a Tommy Bahama shirt (tank or short sleeve), and low wedges or flip-flops (nice ones; I also don't own any tennis shoes). I keep my feet well groomed (so does DH) - and I'd NEVER take my shoes off at a restaurant.

I think the biggest issue in any restaurant, let alone signatures, is misbehaving children. We would never let our kids be loud, get out of their seats, throw things, make messes, etc, in ANY restaurant. (I've been thoroughly embarrassed by friends' kids on several occasions.) There are plenty of times we've gotten worried looks when going into nice restaurants with our kids (I guess bad behavior is the norm?), and we've always gotten compliments (and sometimes even free food) from other diners and restaurant employees.

 

[SouthJersey]

I agree with you on pretty much everything.

If i'm going to a fancy restaurant at home I dress accordingly. As I stated at WDW it's really more of not having room to pack dress clothes for a couple dinners on a 16 night stay. Personally, I don't need to see people all dressed up at WDW, even in a signature restaurant. However some discretion would be nice, tank tops and knarly feet should be saved for the QS counter! lol

"Free Dining" definately will see people eating at places they normally wouldn't, but I wouldn't assume a lower income level because they have FD.

I'd never assume lower income level because of free dining or saving money. Waiting for a free dining announcement is dictating our December trip, yet I probably donated four vacation club's worth of chips to the blackjack table the last three months . Saving money is saving money regardless of financial standing. I was just saying servers do judge on appearance and that in addition to free dining, gives servers even more to assume.

 

[slp87]

My avatar pic is what my husband and I wore to Yachtmans' Steakhouse.

 

[Sparrow624]

We have been to Yachtsman's 3 times. The first time, my wife and I went full on dress. Suit, tie, etc. We fit in pretty well, back in 2006...

The next time we went, we were very over dressed. Most people in khaki's and polos.

Joined the khacki/polo crowd for the third trip and will probably do the same this summer.

Just a change in the times I guess.

 

[Felipe4]

A little help! The signatures I have reservations for are: Jiko for wine tasting, Boathouse for dinner (same day), Monsieur Paul, and CRT.

The issue is that I'm going to AK in the morning of the Jiko/Boathouse day and I'm concerned about possibly showing up to Jiko all wet from Kali so I had been thinking of utilizing athletic attire, but athletic tops are often tank tops. I'm also Disneybounding as Aurora that day, so I'm kind of stuck on what I can do that's A.) Good for Jiko/Boathouse B.) Athletic material/fast drying and C.) Pink. I contemplated just wearing a pink dress, but I don't think I have any that would dry super quick unless I brought the dress in a bag with me to change for Jiko.

I plan on doing Belle for Monsieur Paul and Cinderella for CRT - these shouldn't really be issues with the shirts I plan for them.

 

[Hopefully]

A little help! The signatures I have reservations for are: Jiko for wine tasting, Boathouse for dinner (same day), Monsieur Paul, and CRT.

The issue is that I'm going to AK in the morning of the Jiko/Boathouse day and I'm concerned about possibly showing up to Jiko all wet from Kali so I had been thinking of utilizing athletic attire, but athletic tops are often tank tops. I'm also Disneybounding as Aurora that day, so I'm kind of stuck on what I can do that's A.) Good for Jiko/Boathouse B.) Athletic material/fast drying and C.) Pink. I contemplated just wearing a pink dress, but I don't think I have any that would dry super quick unless I brought the dress in a bag with me to change for Jiko.

I plan on doing Belle for Monsieur Paul and Cinderella for CRT - these shouldn't really be issues with the shirts I plan for them.

This is a months old thread
I would bring a dress for Jiko and put it in a locker until close to dinner. Wet athletic wear is really out of place.
I think your others are fine, as they are in park restaurants.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I've never seen dress code enforced. Last trip, I left my nice shirt at home and had to buy one I'll probably never wear again for a hefty price at wdw to meet the dress requirement. Once at the restaurant a bunch of people walk in with t shirts with no attempt to look presentable have no problem getting seated. Kind of annoying...

I bet you looked great.

I always see people trying to actively fight a dress code but why...? Isn't it nice to have nice meal out and feel good about yourself too?

It's not like you go out fancy everyday ...or do you