Eating in Epcot on Budget

[nmanning19]

I am paying OOP and have a 5 year old, husband and me. Dont want to waste a lot of time eating, any places you recommend. We are not picky

 

[robinb]

I am paying OOP and have a 5 year old, husband and me. Dont want to waste a lot of time eating, any places you recommend. We are not picky

I love the CS restaurant in The Land called Sunshine Seasons. It's one of my favorites in all of WDW. I also really like the CS restaurant in Morocco. You can also snack around the world. A churro in Mexico, school bread in Norway, an egg roll in China, a bratwurst in Germany, fish and chips in the UK, etc.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I see eating at Epcot - particularly in the World Showcase - as part of the experience, not as a waste of time. That said, if on a budget, my top TS picks would be Rose and Crown and Les Chefs de France (for lunch). I haven't eaten at Chefs yet, but the lunch prix fixe is reasonably priced. As for Rose and Crown, we had dinner there in 2009 and thought the food was enjoyable and we greatly enjoyed sitting on the WS lagoon. They also had a reasonably priced prix fixe. There are also entrees under $20.

For CS, we enjoyed Tangeriene Cafe in Morocco and Yakitori House in Japan (the combos are good for splitting). I haven't tried it but the Cantina CS in Mexico looked good. I saw a lot of people getting the nachos, which is a very large serving and perfect for sharing. Yorkshire Fish and Chips and the Boulangerie in France would be good options too. The only negative about the Boulangerie IMO is that the food is ham heavy. If you don't eat ham, the choices are limited largely to sweets and a cheese plate.

If you want to spend a bit more, I think Biergarten is a great experience. The food is good, though not amazing. I recommend it though because it would be so much fun for your DS. It has a dance floor with a live oompah band and the kids just love dancing and seeing the cool instruments (long Swiss horn, cow bells, etc.). Also, you and DH can enjoy the beers there. It is pricy, so if paying OOP, lunch would be a better deal than dinner.

 

[Nayan]

There's the Fish Shop in England (fish and chips, counter service)
Tangierine Cafe in Morocco (Gryo's and platters big enough to share, counter service)
Boulangerie Patisseire in France (best. pastries. ever!!)
Sommerfest in Germany (brat's)

 

[mellvswdw1]

If you are not big eaters you could split your meals, and the best CS in Epcot(my personal opinion) is Sunshine Food Fair in The Land. If you feel adventurous then try Morocco, or Japan. Happy Feasting!

 

[nmanning19]

Thanks so far for the suggestions, I have ruled a couple out but some I will check out the menu, just helpful to get other opinions.

 

[Bimmy56]

Be sure and stop for the free drinks at Club Cool next to the large fountain

 

[tinkandpan]

epcot is easy to eat on a budget as there are some good CS restaurants that are tasty. I agree, Sunshine Seasons in the land is a great food court (try the pork chop), morocco counter service, there is a great little french sandwich and bakery behind france. If you want to sit, the bargains aren't that great. But look at the menus and see what you would enjoy. Have heard great things about hacienda which isn't too expensicve.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) To save bucks, do Quick Service eateries.
2) We recommend
. . . Electric Umbrella (Future World, near Mouse Gear)
. . . Sunshine Seasons (Future World, in The Land)
. . . Yorkshire County Fish & Chips (World Showcase at UK)
3) We DO NOT recommend the Liberty Inn (American Pavilion)
. . . they have been having major quality problems
. . . the food is so bad, guests are staying away in droves
. . . this is busy season, and CM's can't get enough hours
. . . there is just not enough business

NOTE: I am personally very fond of Sunshine Seasons.
It has great variety, super quality and a nice pasty counter.

 

[FoundinWonderland]

Epcot has some good ways to eat on the cheap.

First there is Sunshine Seasons, which is possibly the best quick service on property. Located in The Land Pavilion it offers a huge variety and excellent food.

Next, to eat on the cheap, check out the Electric Umbrella in the main entrance area. This is average food on property, however it may be the only quick service spot that offers free refills on soft-drinks! This has come in handy many times.

-ALSO for free drinks be sure to check out the "club cool" where you can try different sodas form around the world for free-

Lastly; the quick service in the Mexican pavilion is the best if you want to have a great place to sit and eat. You can sit by the lake and look out over the World Showcase. The food is good as well.

Hope this helps you out. Have fun!

 

[Mouse's Shadow]

I think you'll find that the Counter Service portions are pretty large and good for sharing. The selections at Sunshine Seasons is phenomenal. Way above the standard counter service fare. I like the grilled salmon. It comes with two sides. I like the mashed potatoes and salad for $9.99.And I love the strawberry shortcake.

It's also fun to get a plate from different countries and share.

 

[heatherbynum]

Keep an eye on this thread for ideas

 

[JimmyV]

Sunshine Seasons is a must.
But be careful about CS meals (when not on a DDP). You can run up $30-$40 easily for three people. For the same, or not much more, you can have lunch at Via Napoli by splitting a pizza and appetizer which is more than enough food, or have a buffet lunch at the Biergarten. While it is not "fine dining", it is a good alternative over many CS options. Not sure how many days you will be there, but if I were at Epcot for a single day and wanted to do 2 meals without breaking the bank and without being overly repetitive, I would do a CS at Sunshine and a pizza at Via Napoli. Which one for lunch and which one for dinner is largely up to you.

 

[ZoZo]

Sunshine Seasons is one of my favorite CS restaurants anywhere in WDW. Lots of choices for everyone, so it should be great for a picky eater. I love the rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes! Good chicken Caesar salad, too.

 

[nmanning19]

Thanks everyone, especially about the free refills, my husband is always thirsty and so I will have to keep that in mind when I am there.

 

[Carrie772]

Sunshine Seasons is a must.
But be careful about CS meals (when not on a DDP). You can run up $30-$40 easily for three people. For the same, or not much more, you can have lunch at Via Napoli by splitting a pizza and appetizer which is more than enough food, or have a buffet lunch at the Biergarten. While it is not "fine dining", it is a good alternative over many CS options. Not sure how many days you will be there, but if I were at Epcot for a single day and wanted to do 2 meals without breaking the bank and without being overly repetitive, I would do a CS at Sunshine and a pizza at Via Napoli. Which one for lunch and which one for dinner is largely up to you.

Oh! I totally vote for this! We LOVED VN on our trip without the kids! The Arancini is fabulous and the pizza was really good!

 

[drenalin'junkie]

If really on a budget you can stuff a backpack or stroller pretty full.We always bring in a few bottles of water.We normally eat all TS but on F&W or just for giggles wewill "graze" around the countries.Look at the menu of the CS,if a member ofthe party wants to try something,we all try it.Most serving sizes are big enough for everyone to get a bite or two.Be forwarned that during F&W it would cost less to eat at Bistro than what we spend on single items.

 

[waynesgirl]

My DH and I go commando, and always OOP.

Though a PP said the American Pavillion wasn't good, we were there in Nov. and had a great lunch of burgers, salad, and chicken with my 5 year old.

We love the Moroccan cafe, Norway has great veggie tarts and School Bread, China has the great eggrolls, Japan has a quick serve noodle shop, and of course, the PP who mentioned Via Napoli is probably right- and it is a great time to sit and people watch.

ETA: Fish and Chips- my DH doesn't even like fish and he ate those. That's saying a lot, especially when they are fresh out of the grease!!!

Have fun.