How long does counter service take?

[kaceyo]

My mom and I are leaving next week for our first trip ever to DisneyWorld! I am finalizing my touring plans and I am wondering how long I should budget for counter service lunch and dinner. We are planning to eat at non-peak times - lunch around 2pm and dinner around 7pm. How long do counter service meals take you?

 

[mesaboy2]

My mom and I are leaving next week for our first trip ever to DisneyWorld! I am finalizing my touring plans and I am wondering how long I should budget for counter service lunch and dinner. We are planning to eat at non-peak times - lunch around 2pm and dinner around 7pm. How long do counter service meals take you?

Forty-five minutes or so, from in the door to out.

 

[Dsnyfireman]

Depends on which ones you eat at but for us between 25 and 45 minutes. Also depends on times and you are smart to eat at non peak times!! Have a great trip and just relax and enjoy!!!!

 

[MichiganDVC]

I'm confused. Two adults eating counter service at non-peak times? Maybe 20 minutes unless you're trying to take it slow. My last trip was July, so no such thing as non-peak. Even then, we ate dinner at Katsura Grill and it took 10 minutes door to door. Pecos Bills on Easter Sunday at noon? An hour maybe.

A little advice...we always split our CS meals. Usually we are in Epcot and want to try 2-3 CS meals throughout the day. But unless you have big appetites, try splitting meals so you're not bogged down and you can try more things.

 

[mesaboy2]

I'm confused. Two adults eating counter service at non-peak times? Maybe 20 minutes unless you're trying to take it slow. My last trip was July, so no such thing as non-peak. Even then, we ate dinner at Katsura Grill and it took 10 minutes door to door. Pecos Bills on Easter Sunday at noon? An hour maybe.

A little advice...we always split our CS meals. Usually we are in Epcot and want to try 2-3 CS meals throughout the day. But unless you have big appetites, try splitting meals so you're not bogged down and you can try more things.

Apparently people enjoy their meals at different paces. Who knew?

 

[minnie mum]

It can vary so much- there are just so many variables: Time of year, time of day, level of park crowds, which restaurant you've chosen, how many lines they have open, how easy it is to find an empty table, whether or not you've bothered to read the menus before you get to the front of the line, how much you are planning to eat, yadda yadda yadda.

We go during slow times of the year but tend to eat lunch around 11 and dinner around 7-8pm. We don't like to gulp down our food in a hurry, but nor do we linger unduly. Generally we'll take 30 -45 minutes for a counter service meal (door to door), providing the lines aren't too bad.

 

[kmb584]

For us (we go in April and October) it's roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on how crowded the CS location is. I also like to sit down and enjoy compared to eating as fast as possible as it's a nice break in the air conditioning!

 

[photo_chick]

We sit back and relax for our meals, even counter service. It's a break time for us so we tend to spend close to an hour.

 

[dpswift]

I would say 30 to 45 minutes. Even at non peak times you have 5 to 10 minutes to get through the line, get drinks and napkns etc. Also if it is hot or busy a nice break is needed.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

Anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour. We like to sit down and take a break at the same time.

 

[epcotty]

With going at non-peak times, even in more popular times for the park it should take hopefully less than 15 minutes to get your food, maybe 20 minutes to eat. Some restaurants at Epcot are random as to when you get your food and it can take longer.

 

[robinb]

I voted for 30-45 minutes. It really depends on how long we want to linger over our table. We are generally fast eaters (who don't share, BTW) so we are often done with the food well before we are done with the table. Standing in line, ordering and receiving your food at a non-peak time should take no more than 5 minutes, the rest all depends on how quickly you eat.

One thing to remember is that CS cashiers take guests from BOTH sides of their register taking turns with each side. So if you see a long line on one side, but a shorter one on the other step up to the shortest line. I have even walked up to a cash register with a line on one side and NO line on the other and then I was the next person to order.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

I voted 45-60, but that's because we typically include a bathroom break just after eating so I look at the combined time. It can get lengthy depending on the season, crowd level, time of day, popularity of the restaurant, etc.

We've been done with lunch in 20 mins at the ABC Commissary in HS but still in line after that amount of time at Casey's or Columbia HH during peak lunch times.

 

[cajunprincess]

I'd say 30 minutes, but it all depends if you are trying to hurry or not.

 

[ShayBells]

My mom and I are leaving next week for our first trip ever to DisneyWorld! I am finalizing my touring plans and I am wondering how long I should budget for counter service lunch and dinner. We are planning to eat at non-peak times - lunch around 2pm and dinner around 7pm. How long do counter service meals take you?

I'd say budget 45 minutes to an hour so you have wiggle room in you schedule. That's what I always do. It seems to work and I have a 4 year old that I have to worry about making sure he eats (which is frustrating and time consuming.) last time I was there he was two and had about the same appetite he does now which isn't good.

Happy planning

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Aljo]

We waited more on lines for food last week than we did for the rides themselves. We were eating dinner anywhere from 8-10pm...so i voted for 30-45 min.

 

[dminnie]

It will take under 15 min. for you to order and get your food. Just add on however much time it takes you to eat. Only you know if you're a fast or slow eater.

 

[wdwfan22]

Wow. I must be picking the wrong places to eat. I go only during off season, and have regularly stood in line for 20 - 30 mins to order and get food.

One trip I just did the QS dining plan and I thought never again because that took as much time as TS places do. I guess I will do more to make sure we eat at off times.

We places we have eaten the most at are: Columbia Harbor House (We have waited here the longest), Cosmic Rays, The places accross from Fantasmic and Starring Rolls Cafe at HS, England and Mexico in Epcot and Flame Tree in AK.

 

[lroger01]

I heard somewhere that the Sonny Eclipse show at Cosmic Rays is 20 minutes long by design. Disney expects people to take that long or less to eat and so not see the show repeat itself. It also helps to move people along and free up tables.

I also heard the movie clips that play at Sci-Fi Dine In are timed to the average full-service meal, but I don't know the timing on that one.

 

[Cherinva]

I'd say around 30 minutes, depending on how long the line is to order food