Husband's a VERY picky eater...looking for recommendations

[Sulwen]

Hi everyone, first post! I just need a little bit of advice.

My husband is an INCREDIBLY picky eater. This is the list of things he'll eat:

Bread and butter
Chicken
Steak
Burgers
Pizza
Fries/mashed potatoes
Chinese (just plain chicken and sauce)
Most desserts (especially brownies and ice cream)
Some fruits (strawberries, apples)
Some breakfast foods (waffles, bacon)

For the most part, he has to have these things completely plain - nothing but cheese on his burgers, very few sauces on his meat, etc etc.

Now, here's the catch - he really does appreciate quality. There's not much that makes him happier than REALLY GOOD examples of the things he does like. I know we'll be able to keep him happy at the quick service locations (that's what we stuck to last time we were in WDW), but I'd like to know which of the nicer restaurants we could try to find the BEST bread, the BEST chicken...know what I mean?

I'm a very adventurous eater myself and will try anything, so that's not a factor, but we are on a little bit of a budget (might be able to swing ONE signature, but that would be pushing it).

If anyone could help me out, I would really appreciate it! Thank you!

 

[TwoCortWort]

My dad is the same way and we all found the Plaza a favorite and offers a good variety. I am anxious to see what other suggestions come up.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Hi everyone, first post! I just need a little bit of advice.

My husband is an INCREDIBLY picky eater. This is the list of things he'll eat:

Bread and butter
Chicken
Steak
Burgers
Pizza
Fries/mashed potatoes
Chinese (just plain chicken and sauce)
Most desserts (especially brownies and ice cream)
Some fruits (strawberries, apples)
Some breakfast foods (waffles, bacon)

For the most part, he has to have these things completely plain - nothing but cheese on his burgers, very few sauces on his meat, etc etc.

Now, here's the catch - he really does appreciate quality. There's not much that makes him happier than REALLY GOOD examples of the things he does like. I know we'll be able to keep him happy at the quick service locations (that's what we stuck to last time we were in WDW), but I'd like to know which of the nicer restaurants we could try to find the BEST bread, the BEST chicken...know what I mean?

I'm a very adventurous eater myself and will try anything, so that's not a factor, but we are on a little bit of a budget (might be able to swing ONE signature, but that would be pushing it).

If anyone could help me out, I would really appreciate it! Thank you!

I'm pretty much the same way. No sauces, very plain eating.

The restaurants I stick to have been these ones and I'll list why I like them.

50's Prime Time- even with the antics, they're pretty good about accommodating picky eaters. I've gotten the fried chicken and the steak there, and they have mashed potatoes. However, I was pretty disappointed with the food this past time so I might venture elsewhere on my next trip.

Artist Point- delicious bread and desserts, entrees can be a little hit and miss. I skipped it this time because I didn't like any of the side dishes they were featuring at the time. They will leave sauces off and you can usually sub in another dish's sides if you don't like what's offered with your own.

Narcoossee's was a new adventure this time. I had the filet and it was amazing but it did come with a red wine sauce. It wasn't strong or weird tasting, just a little sweet. I had asked to sub out roasted potatoes from another dish and was told they only make enough for what they expect to use for the dish it actually came with. I ended up with what the waitress said were mashed potatoes but they were some odd mashed white sweet potato. They were just too sweet for me but I probably could have gotten something else if I was more assertive over it.

Garden Grill can be good if not a little bland, as well as Sunshine Seasons. Rose and Crown has a lot of classic homey type food (oh what I wouldn't do for a yorkshire pudding) Paradiso 37 has some plain food but I wasn't a huge fan. Wolfgang Puck Cafe or Express are usually pretty good. But really, just cruise through the menus and see what appeals to you. I've been able to find something I can kind of...alter...at most places.

 

[Safari Queen]

Plaza and Crystal Palace are good. The Prime Time in DHS has really good fried chicken, pot roast, and other comfort-type foods. The steak is excellent at the Yachtsman at YC and LeCellier at Epcot WS.

 

[ramsfootball92]

For a wonderful steak and mashed potatoes, I love Le Cellier. The pretzel bread is very good but may not be to your hubby's liking.

 

[Edgehopper]

Sounds like me! Well, a little pickier than me, I'm OK with most kinds of meat and non-cheesy/creamy sauces. But you shouldn't have much of a problem here. Recommendations from my last trip:

Les Chefs de France, dinner: One of your best picks for bread service, and the steak is very good. The potatoes are cheesy and au gratin, though, which could be might be an issue. The apple crepes are excellent for dessert.

Raglan Road: My favorite steak from my last trip, and also an excellent bread service with their olive oil/Guiness dip. The mashed potatoes were also very good.

Hoop Dee Doo Revue: One your best picks for fried chicken in the parks, good cornbread, mashed potatoes, BBQ ribs if he likes those, strawberry shortcake for dessert, and it's all you can eat.

50's Prime Time Cafe: If he has a good sense of humor, this could be a fun choice. The fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and milkshakes are great, as is the Smores dessert...but everything comes with a vegetable, and the servers will make fun of you for not eating your vegetables. Especially if you're an adult male. You can warn the server that you don't want that treatment and you should be able to avoid it, but it is a fun restaurant.

Cookes of Dublin: Fries in WDW aren't generally very good, and the Yorkshire Chip Shop's frozen fries were the biggest food disappointment of my last trip. Cookes's chips are the real thing, though, plus they have fried candy bars. This is a DTD counter service spot.

Best Pizza: I've heard its Via Napoli in Epcot, but I don't eat pizza so I don't actually know.

Beaches and Cream, at the Beach Club resort, should be a good choice for you with excellent burgers and ice cream.

I haven't gotten to try it yet, but I've heard the steak and frites at Be Our Guest is excellent. MK doesn't have much good table service, so that's probably your best bet there.

For good counter service rotisserie or bbq chicken, try Cosmic Ray's in MK and Flame Tree BBQ in AK.

Your best signature restaurant choice would probably be Yachtsman's Steakhouse at the Yacht Club resort. Other places I've heard have great steaks but have never tried include the Coral Reef restaurant at Epcot (where you can get seafood!) and Kona Cafe at the Polynesian Resort.

The only Chinese table service restaurant is Nine Dragons in Epcot, which usually gets criticized as too expensive. The orange chicken at the counter service Lotus Blossom Cafe, however, is good and has an interesting, unusual taste. I really liked it.

Breakfast food: Most breakfasts will be about the same everywhere; make sure to get Mickey waffles!

 

[Sulwen]

Oh my goodness, you guys are fast - and VERY helpful! *takes notes*

Thank you so much!

 

[RSHale]

Does your husband like pineapple at all? I'm kind of picky about my food too, and I had a great bacon and pineapple burger last weekend at Parasido 37 (Downtown Disney - Pleasure Island). It comes with cheese (smoked gouda), bacon, and a slice of grilled pineapple. I ordered it well done, and it came out just the way I like it. No pink and not too dry. The server said they use 100% Angus beef. The burger is served with a side of fries. If the pineapple is outside of your husband's comfort zone, I bet they would be willing to leave it off.

I also tried the Triple Pepperoni pizza at Splitsville (Downtown Disney - West Side). I liked it quite a bit better than what Disney has been serving recently at most of their counter service locations. It was also large enough that I could have split it with someone. I can't remember if it was a 12" or a 14", but it was eight slices, and I ate a little less than half of it.

 

[budafam]

I wish my husband would eat all that yours does! Mine is MUCH pickier than that! Take that list and cut it down to pizza (only cheese), grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni & cheese, french fries & some breakfast food (no meats, fruits or veggies). He's been to Disney twice and he likes The Plaza, Pizzafari and Tusker House for breakfast. Based on your hubby's other likes I would suggest Sci-Fi, 1900 Park Fare for breakfast, Hollywood Brown Derby for steak... I like the chicken at 'Ohana but not sure it's worth the pricetag and it's not the best I've ever had. Good luck!!! I know how it is!!!

 

[tstidm1]

Hi everyone, first post! I just need a little bit of advice.

My husband is an INCREDIBLY picky eater. This is the list of things he'll eat:

Bread and butter
Chicken
Steak
Burgers
Pizza
Fries/mashed potatoes
Chinese (just plain chicken and sauce)
Most desserts (especially brownies and ice cream)
Some fruits (strawberries, apples)
Some breakfast foods (waffles, bacon)

For the most part, he has to have these things completely plain - nothing but cheese on his burgers, very few sauces on his meat, etc etc.

Now, here's the catch - he really does appreciate quality. There's not much that makes him happier than REALLY GOOD examples of the things he does like. I know we'll be able to keep him happy at the quick service locations (that's what we stuck to last time we were in WDW), but I'd like to know which of the nicer restaurants we could try to find the BEST bread, the BEST chicken...know what I mean?

I'm a very adventurous eater myself and will try anything, so that's not a factor, but we are on a little bit of a budget (might be able to swing ONE signature, but that would be pushing it).

If anyone could help me out, I would really appreciate it! Thank you!

I've heard lots of good things about Yachtsman Steakhouse and am considering that on my trip in March. I've heard they are among the best steaks on site. Plaza is probably the best Table Service in magic Kingdom and it's not much more than Tomorrowland Terrace 200 feet ahead.

 

[Brook1099]

My DH is kinda of a meat and potato, seafood man, so he has favorites but I have to insist on some I want to try....its give and take.

His Disney World favorites

For Burger kinda of places:
Sci Fi
Beaches and Cream
ESPN he loves there wings
Ragland Road forced him last year, and he enjoyed it alot.
Trex

Buffets:
Boma
Cape May Clambake
Biergarten
Tusker House breakfast.. not his favorite meal of day but he really likes the variety here.

Family Style:
Ohana's

Signatures
Le Cellier
Yachtsmen
Jiko, had a hard time getting him here but he loved.
Artist Point
Fultons

 

[disnut8]

Hi everyone, first post! I just need a little bit of advice.

My husband is an INCREDIBLY picky eater. This is the list of things he'll eat:

Bread and butter
Chicken
Steak
Burgers
Pizza
Fries/mashed potatoes
Chinese (just plain chicken and sauce)
Most desserts (especially brownies and ice cream)
Some fruits (strawberries, apples)
Some breakfast foods (waffles, bacon)

For the most part, he has to have these things completely plain - nothing but cheese on his burgers, very few sauces on his meat, etc etc.

Now, here's the catch - he really does appreciate quality. There's not much that makes him happier than REALLY GOOD examples of the things he does like. I know we'll be able to keep him happy at the quick service locations (that's what we stuck to last time we were in WDW), but I'd like to know which of the nicer restaurants we could try to find the BEST bread, the BEST chicken...know what I mean?

I'm a very adventurous eater myself and will try anything, so that's not a factor, but we are on a little bit of a budget (might be able to swing ONE signature, but that would be pushing it).

If anyone could help me out, I would really appreciate it! Thank you!

Just about every place has chicken or steak. Now, it may be "gussied" up but all you have to do is ask for the meat "naked" with no sauces. Extremely easy to do and my husband has done it many times (and then asks for ketchup while I do a facepalm).

I'd just make sure whatever place you choose has both chicken and steak and you should be set.

 

[JZCubed]

Buffets.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

We have two picky eaters in our family.


We find we like:
Crystal Palace
Cape May
Boma Breakfast only
Le Cellier
Yachtsman
Pizza places - Via Napoli
Ohana
Liberty Tree Tavern
Rose & Crown
Hoop de doo
Trails End
ESPN club

I have convinced them to try a few new places our next trip but I had to show proof they would find something they liked and that they could order or plain.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Since he really likes quality you might try the Kobe beef burger at Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom.

And the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs is really very nice and kind of a hidden treasure with Prime Rib and a great strip steak.

 

[Ro Z]

For a wonderful steak and mashed potatoes, I love Le Cellier. The pretzel bread is very good but may not be to your hubby's liking.

I have heard no mash potatoes at LeC anymore. But they have fries. One place I would avoid is the Wave. No subs. No mash potato and no fries. And sigs except YSh, which is very good but $$. We are plain eaters too. CR, Chefs, MM, 50's (food, not antics, we eat at bar only), VN, Plaza, Trex, RFC, BRBw. Just to mention a few! LOL! Most places will do sauces on the side and sub. There are so many places us plain eaters can eat!

 

[autismmom1]

My son and I are the picky eaters in our family. No veggies or fruits. Just meat, potato(fries) and bread.

I second all the comments about The Plaza in MK. We also liked the turkey at Liberty Tree Tavern.

We enjoyed the turkey at Garden Grill in Epcot. My steak at Coral Reef was not good. We walked over to Beaches 'n Cream (Beach Club) and their burgers are the best in WDW. I didn't enjoy my ham and cheese at Les Chefs, but the bread service was great!

Animal Kingdom is low on "plain" choices, though my son was able to ask for a plain turkey sandwich (his food allergy brought the chef out and he made one especially for our son due to the potential of cross contamination on the buffet) at Tusker House. I had the chicken, turkey and steak there, but there are some sauces you kind of have to scrape off if you don't like them. Lots of breads and dessert choices. I've heard Rainforest there is better than the one in DTD, though I can't personally recommend.

Least favorite place to eat is Hollywood Studios. We just grab a burger at Rosie's and then sometimes eat at Pizza Planet. We're planning on trying Sci-Fi next time.

We definitely don't go for the food, we go for the attractions, but you gotta eat something! Good luck!

 

[Sulwen]

Yay, more recs, thank you all! I think I have a much better handle on it now - good to see he's not alone in his eating habits

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Ah see I disagree with buffets. I mean, yeah there's some stuff on them that works for picky people like the bread or fruit and some stuff out of the kids section but I find I eat better at a sit down where I can just say "please don't put the sauce on that" as opposed to picking through a dish to find the least saucy piece of meat then only eating inner part of it.

 

[Ro Z]

Ah see I disagree with buffets. I mean, yeah there's some stuff on them that works for picky people like the bread or fruit and some stuff out of the kids section but I find I eat better at a sit down where I can just say "please don't put the sauce on that" as opposed to picking through a dish to find the least saucy piece of meat then only eating inner part of it.

I agree. I like to be able to tell them to leave off the sauce or whatever. At a buffet it is already there. Swimming in sauce and been cooked in stuff I don't like!! The thing I eat most at a buffet is the mac n cheese. Or mash potatoes and gravy. $35 for the kids side of the buffet is too much! OMG reading this I can see why I am not as thin as I would like to be! Lol