Is Gideon's Bakehouse REALLY Worth the Hype?

[Sparrow'sLady]

Is Gideon's worth the 15-minute wait (or longer)? The line is always long, but that really does not mean anything. Sometimes people want something because it is popular or there is a mental aspect where it becomes a "must-have" simply because it is a "must-have". (Example: Stanley drinking cup) I remember when everybody had to have Crumbl Cookies, but in actuality they really are not that great. All of their cookies kinda taste the same, just with variations....except the French Toast Cookie. I would knock my MIL over for that one.

I bake and I do it well. I am happy to wait for a big cookie or a slice of cake on vacation if it is really worth the wait....but I am curious, is it? Or do you walk out with a dry slice of cake that tastes likes the refrigerator or cookies that taste like they were made days ago?

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

Ahhhh, the monthly is Gideons worth the wait thread!

Seriously, this question has been answered multiple times and you will receive responses saying yes and others saying no. Truly, only you can decide if its worth the wait. That's a personal decision. I will add, though, to answer your specific question: everything I have ever bought there has tasted fresh. I especially like some of the cakes and the slices I have bought have never been dry

 

[BrightMorningStar]

Ahhhh, the monthly is Gideons worth the wait thread!

Seriously, this question has been answered multiple times and you will receive responses saying yes and others saying no. Truly, only you can decide if its worth the wait. That's a personal decision. I will add, though, to answer your specific question: everything I have ever bought there has tasted fresh. I especially like some of the cakes and the slices I have bought have never been dry

I do not think there is any reason be snarky about it. In this economy, the quality of everything is changing. Many restaurants we used to frequent have gone downhill to save a buck. Disney is another one that has cut corners on food and it is obvious almost everywhere. What somebody commented in October may not apply today. And honestly, it is a pain in the rear to search the Dis if you are not on a laptop. I will not search if I am on my phone or iPad.

To the OP:
I do not feel it is worth the wait if you know how to bake. Like everything at these bakeries, they are mass produced and what does not sell sits in the cabinet until it does or hits the expiration date. Nothing is awful, but for the price, you will not find that "fresh-baked-out-of-the-oven" taste. Much like Crumbl Cookie, as you noted.

 

[bakerworld]

Frankly, no but it is a cute place and it is definitely worth standing in line to see once. My SIL collects the little card menus and they limit them now to actual purchasers. So when we arrive at the Springs, before hopping on our RR bar stool, I put my name in for the VQ. If we're there when I'm called, I go and buy a cookie for my SIL to get a menu card.

 

[jimim]

Listen this is what I tell people. . .

but your name on the list before you go to dinner. If you get called you don't have to go right then and there they told us. Just come back after you eat. If you get called and you feel like it go. Buy a few things. Make the call on your own.

I feel it is what it is. my kids didn't even finish what we bought. i personally was shocked. my and my wife were not impressed. my wife can have her own bakery. she is darn good and that's not just me. her knock off crumble cookies she makes at home blow the doors off these things. we just got a crumble cookie in our area. i personally liked those better but you won't see me in there again.

again food is a very very personal experience. ya got to try it and then decide.

 

[beccasmom]

We tried it once when we lucked upon a line that was relatively short due to rain. We had just eaten at Raglan Road and were already bringing home our leftover bread pudding, so we were not at all hungry. So we bought a few things and did enjoy what we purchased. Is it worth a wait in a longer line? That is subjective, of course, but the line seems to move at a good pace. The staff is nice and the products were tasty. I would return, but IMHO, it is not a ”must-do” on every trip.

 

[gmi3804]

If I answer your question, OP, will you take my word for it?

 

[disney-inspired]

I did in August's sweltering heat because it was the ONE thing my very pregnant sister asked for as a gift. On the hand, I could take it or leave it. I'm not a huge fan of their cookies, they taste too dough for my liking.

 

[soniam]

My husband and I enjoy it. Our son hates it, but he's a very, very picky eater. Usually I get on the virtual queue. Between xmas and NYE, they weren't doing that. I waited in the line while my husband and son brought back Salt & Straw. The virtual queue is very easy, but you will still have to wait 15-20 minutes in line once you are called. If they aren't doing the VQ, the wait will be anywhere from 30-50 minutes if the line is starting in front of Morimoto. If it's just on the Gideon's side of Morimoto, near the door and the wide, weird looking fire hydrant, then the wait is probably 20 minutes at most. That's about where the VQ physical line usually starts.

 

[rdaky]

Personally, no. I don't think it's worth a wait.

But I think it's one of those things that you really have to decide for yourself.

 

[brightlined]

It's a decently-solid baked good with a god-tier promotions campaign.

I find it kinda nice as something I can bring home as a "souvenir" of sorts. Like, normally, I've eaten enough at WDW that I don't want to eat a cookie like that while I'm there. (Random pro tip: if you bring them home, for longevity, throw each cookie in a Ziploc bag, and it won't dry out around the edges.) The monthly cookie is frequently a nice something unusual - this month's Maple Walnut is really nice: mostly maple, lightly walnut.

What I genuinely hate: asking us to tip, in a "support our workers" kind of way. I mean, if I'm paying $40 for six cookies, does that warrant a 15%-20% tip? If you're charging $6 for one cookie, and frequently have 20-minute lines, you can probably scrounge enough money to pay your employees a more-than-fair wage. (Raglan Road, which is right across the walkway, uses a European approach to tipping on their receipts - suggesting like 2%-7% - and they're a full-service restaurant.)

If you want a "fresher" iteration (and maybe don't want to wait in line) and have a car, their homebase store is a little hole in the wall near downtown. I've sometimes stopped there on the way out of town.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

It is absolutely not worth the hype. No reason to wait more than 10 mins for that place. If a long line, not worth it. I am also personally getting sick of all these places now a days making those super big cookies lol If you had one, you've had them all.

That is not to say the cookies are not good, because they are, but its nothing special

 

[M23F5]

I have been lucky that the times we went, we were able to get in a shortish line and never have done the virtual queue. We even lucked out and got the hot cookie hour once which was my kids favorite time. We have never tried the cakes but are fans of cookies in general including homemade and like the ones at Gideon’s. Agree with others that it is worth it to at least experience for yourself once.

 

[gmi3804]

There are two possible answers to this question. Who are you going to believe?

 

[lowlight]

You can only make a cookie so good. It’s a very basic bakery item. No cookie in the world is worth a 10-60 minute wait in my opinion. However, their peanut butter cold brew is excellent. I would get one every time if they had a line for just coffee.

 

[Ohiostatefan606]

Do they have a Stanley Cup to go with the cookie? Because seriously, I see these as the same thing, hype.

 

[serenitynow]

And the cookies and cakes are packaged well for travel. We like to bring some home for impressive (but not terribly expensive) souvenirs. They will also freeze like a dream.

I don’t know if I would make a special trip, but if you are going to Disney Springs anyway … treat yourself

 

[elsbit]

We have only been there once and only bought a bunch of different types of the cookies. My entire family of five did not particularly enjoy the cookies and we ended up not eating them all, which is pretty unusual since we all have sweet tooths. What we did not like about it was that they seemed intentionally under baked (best way to describe it, it was not a soft cookie issue) and I think that's because of how much stuff is piled on top of it. We would not order a cookie from them again. That said, if the line wasn't bad I would try one of their cake slices.

I think we are an outlier in the opinion that they are not that great.

 

[jimim]

Do they have a Stanley Cup to go with the cookie? Because seriously, I see these as the same thing, hype.

If it wasn’t for social media a lot of stuff would be brushed under the table and for good reason. It’s amazing the junk that social media has made popular.

 

[disney-inspired]

It's a decently-solid baked good with a god-tier promotions campaign.

I find it kinda nice as something I can bring home as a "souvenir" of sorts. Like, normally, I've eaten enough at WDW that I don't want to eat a cookie like that while I'm there. (Random pro tip: if you bring them home, for longevity, throw each cookie in a Ziploc bag, and it won't dry out around the edges.) The monthly cookie is frequently a nice something unusual - this month's Maple Walnut is really nice: mostly maple, lightly walnut.

What I genuinely hate: asking us to tip, in a "support our workers" kind of way. I mean, if I'm paying $40 for six cookies, does that warrant a 15%-20% tip? If you're charging $6 for one cookie, and frequently have 20-minute lines, you can probably scrounge enough money to pay your employees a more-than-fair wage. (Raglan Road, which is right across the walkway, uses a European approach to tipping on their receipts - suggesting like 2%-7% - and they're a full-service restaurant.)

If you want a "fresher" iteration (and maybe don't want to wait in line) and have a car, their homebase store is a little hole in the wall near downtown. I've sometimes stopped there on the way out of town.

I'm 100% with you on the tipping. They didn't provide a service, they just handed me a cookie.
I'm sure they make bank so should be paying their employees more.