How do you split between counter service and sit-downs?

[Dallas_Lady]

Inspired by the on or offsite dining thread... How do you split your meals between counter service and sit-down?

I find that the counter service at WDW as a whole is very good. Or at least much better than your average mall foodcourt stuff. I am rather content to do CS primarily and throw in a few sit-downs as much for the experience as the actual meal.

How do you do it?

 

[SamanthaL]

I said 1/2 and 1/2. It is usually not planned like that but once we all pick our must-dos it turns out pretty even between the two.

 

[BethC1952]

We do mostly counter-service, with a few sit-downs (Boma is a must, and Boatwright's for breakfast, too).

We don't go to WDW to eat fancy meals or to eat at fancy restaurants, and usually enjoy not only the food but the people watching at counter-service places and at the food courts. We really enjoyed the food court at Pop Century in December. I thought the variety was great, and so was the quality! We also enjoy the food court at PO Riverside when we're there, and I'm even looking forward to the food court at All Star Music in May.

We're planning a meal at the Tangerine Cafe at Morocco in Epcot (another favorite spot), a dinner at Boma and the rest will be whatever we want, when we want it!

Beth

 

[jel0511]

I said 50 - 50. We always eat a sit down dinner every night, I need that relaxation. Lunch is almost always a counterservice place, I don't like a huge meal during the day. Breakfast is split between going out to a character breakfast, or in the villa.

 

[peanutzmom]

We do a max of one sit-down a day. Usually the sit-down is lunch, and we do resort food court for breakfast and counter service for dinner. In the past we've usually only gone for a couple of days. Our November trip will be for 8 days, and I think we may do *exclusively* counter service 2 or 3 of those days. We don't find ourselves terribly hungry while we're touring the parks, and even when we do sit-down DH & I usually split an appetizer and an entree. Epcot in particular has so many great counter service places that it's easy to eat from them all day long!

 

[jacksmom]

We love eating at Disney!!! We usually eat at a sit-down for Bkfst. and Dinner, and a counter service at lunch to save some park time!

 

[madalex]

Disney has some of the finest restaurants we have ever been to (probably made even better by the fact that they at WDW), so we try to take advantage of that. Thus, dinner is always sit down. Lunches are split 50/50 between the more casual restaurants and counter service stuff. Breakfast is usually in the concierge lounge, so no sit down there.

 

[tjmw2727]

We eat breakfast in the room, bagels, cold cereals and fruit. Its easier, more convenient and quick as the kids don't eat to much breakfast anyway.

We usually do a ps - sit down meal once a day but generally a late lunch. This is a bit of a money saver and we find we really need and appreciate the break around 1-2pm. We have also found most places less crowded and had great service at off times. 50's P/T, San Angel and LeCellier are favorites.

Our counter service meals are usually dinner and often at Epcot, many of the countries have great counter serve meals. Our favorites are Mexico and Morroco with China a fav of dd's.

TJ

 

[dznyntnh]

I said 50/50, but it really depends on which resort I'm staying at.

Usually, I'm at POR and I have most breakfasts at the food court (one or two at Boatwrights). Lunch is usually counter service (or skipped all together) and then a sit down dinner.

When I stay in a deluxe, I have more sit down meals, because the 'snack bars' are usually too crowded or lacking in their offerings.

 

[CamColt]

We usually do 1 sit down meal a day, occasionally 2. But we are also the type that if we have a big meal we dont really need another big one, let alone 2. We can eat a lot and stay full, then just snack.

 

[yecats]

We usually do the 50/50 every day as well. I like variety and you don't get to much of that with the counter service restaruants (only so many hamburgers, chicken strips and pizza that I can eat). So usually we do a sit-down rest. for lunch and a counter service for dinner. We do switch up occasionally to have a nice dinner at Le Cellier, etc. but that is usually only once or twice a trip.

 

[AdventurerKat]

I usually end up doing mostly counter service with some sit-downs so I voted for that. But the trip with my DH, it works out to about half and half, just because there are so many places we want to eat and so little time.

 

[4greatboys]

We made many more ps this time than in the past since we are going as a large group--11--our first family trip. I made 1 ps on almost every day. The first week we will have several meals in our room since we are staying at BWV. Our second week we are staying concierge level so we will have breakfast in the lounge, and one big meal out--the other meal will be counter service or if we arent very hungry snacks from the lounge.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

I said "All sit-down," as that is the closest to how we do it. DD(14) and I go by ourselves now, so we get to do whatever we want!! We rarely ever eat breakfast, but every once in a while we do grab a danish on our way into the park. We almost always do a sit-down lunch, as we always do EMH, and it's nice to take a break in the rest. when everybody else is just entering the park. Then, we have a nice dinner in the evening, and head back to the parks for the night-time.

We have grabbed a hot-dog for lunch and canceled our PS, but this is few and far between! We usually only go for 4-5 nights, and there are so many rest. we still haven't tried!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We do about half and half. This time dh and I have a few sit downs just for the two of us. There are just so many hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers and pizzas that you can eat in 9 days. I want the ds to have at least 1 good meal a day. Its usually a lunch as its cheaper. I also picked a few buffets because I figure they can all find something they want and not go away hungry. Littlest ds has some food issues and I find this the least confrontational way of trying to get him to eat something healthier. He does try the salad etc.

 

[jl3614]

I voted "mostly counter service". Our dining expectations/experience are similar to what BethC1952 posted.

In fact if you do not count character breakfasts or sit down meals offsite, I'd say we are "all counter service/food court".

We go to one character meal (usually breakfast) a trip. On our arrival day and the one non-park day we have each trip - we usually go to casual sitdown dining spot off site.

This trip ( we leave in 3 hours !!!!) we may try Trails End. Maybe when the kids get a little older we will go to more sitdown places, but right now now they only have about a 45 minute tolerance for meals, you just can not get in and out of a "nicer" sit down place in that amount of time.

 

[nana2tots]

We probaly do 50 - 50 , gotta have a big break sometime!!!!!!!disneykid

 

[Barb0829]

we normally do sit down dinners 7 counter service for lunch. breakfast is either something in the room or something quick from a vendor or food court.

 

[karemore]

We have the complimentary breakfast at the hotel each morning, then snack at the counters.

We may do one sit down meal every two days, or we may not even do any while at the parks.

It all depends on how tired we are.

I can't spend park touring time eating in a sit down restaurant, but it can be a great break if everyone is tired and needs a break.

Karen

 

[arizonacolbys]

I voted for 1/2 & 1/2. It doesn't always work out that way, but we generally like to eat one sit down meal every day, one counter service & some snacks around the parks.

On occassion we end up with 2 sit downs if we do a lot of breakfasts on our trip, but we are usually still too full from big breakfasts to eat another sit down on those days.