Is Mobile Ordering still being pushed and Large Party advice

[AdamsMum]

Reading through this post makes me wonder what happened to Disney's exemplary customer service. These changes aren't in favour of the customer experience. Pecos Bills had a system of not letting people sit who weren't carrying food. This was prior to the shut down. Making people mobile order or not letting them buy food, is not enhancing the guest experience. Anyone who tells you it's so you can get a table when you get your food, is lying to you, and having cast members lie to guests by telling them no other option is available is abhorent. This is not being done for the enhancement customer service.

 

[Sandisw]

Reading through this post makes me wonder what happened to Disney's exemplary customer service. These changes aren't in favour of the customer experience. Pecos Bills had a system of not letting people sit who weren't carrying food. This was prior to the shut down. Making people mobile order or not letting them buy food, is not enhancing the guest experience. Anyone who tells you it's so you can get a table when you get your food, is lying to you, and having cast members lie to guests by telling them no other option is available is abhorent. This is not being done for the enhancement customer service.

I have a different view. I love the mobile order feature and now use it exclusively on our trips. So, for me, it has been a major enhancement for all of our trips and we liked not having to wait snd search for tables…which always happened in the past.

Just last week, I ordered on the Skyliner on my way back to RIV and food was ready to go when I got there.

Now, I do agree they need to at least allow people to pay via cash and order right there. But, it has definitely made our trips nicer.

 

[Best Aunt]

Reading through this post makes me wonder what happened to Disney's exemplary customer service.

The Cheapak regime. It's all about the $$$.

 

[J-Dog]

We went way back in October 2021, and attempted to mobile order 3 different times - but the app had IT issues all 3 times, for 3 different problems, so we gave up on that.

After that, we went to at least 8-10 different QS places, and never had any problem with us ordering via walk-up.

Didn't go to Satuli Canteen, though.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Reading through this post makes me wonder what happened to Disney's exemplary customer service. These changes aren't in favour of the customer experience. Pecos Bills had a system of not letting people sit who weren't carrying food. This was prior to the shut down. Making people mobile order or not letting them buy food, is not enhancing the guest experience. Anyone who tells you it's so you can get a table when you get your food, is lying to you, and having cast members lie to guests by telling them no other option is available is abhorent. This is not being done for the enhancement customer service.

I completely disagree. I'm thrilled that they no longer let freeloaders unpack their coolers full of ham sandwiches in Pecos Bill's while I'm juggling three trays trying to find a table as my fajitas go ice cold in the air conditioning. This is a HUGE upgrade to the guest experience, regardless of whether you're mobile ordering or ordering at the counter. People who buy food from a restaurant should be able to sit and eat at that restaurant. This was a particular problem at Peco Bill's and Satuli Canteen.

I have a different view. I love the mobile order feature and now use it exclusively on our trips. So, for me, it has been a major enhancement for all of our trips and we liked not having to wait snd search for tables…which always happened in the past.

Just last week, I ordered on the Skyliner on my way back to RIV and food was ready to go when I got there.

I love it when it works, but the tech isn't perfect. At Docking Bay 7, despite a good wifi connection, my app never alerted me that my order was ready. Eventually I got a notification that I was marked as a no-show and my order would be thrown away, but I'd still be charged. The CMs fixed it when I pointed out the issue, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place.

Now, I do agree they need to at least allow people to pay via cash and order right there. But, it has definitely made our trips nicer.

They do, you just have to be persistent if you really want to.

 

[iteachlit]

I was there at the end of April with a school group (about 250 of us in total). We were given meal vouchers, which cannot be used in the app. Before we left, I told the students that should a CM turn them away without a mobile order they should explain that they have a voucher.

Those who say "it's 100% mobile order" are wrong. Sorry.

Guests simply need to (politely) tell the CMs at the door that they cannot use MDE to order. It's that simple. Disney isn't going to turn down money.

When I still had TiW, I had to plead with CMs to let me order inside at the few CS locations that take TiW. Otherwise, there was no way to get my discount. At Restaurantosaurus, a manager came out to take my order. When I told her why I had to order in-person, she said that the managers had been asking IT to figure out a way to allow for discounts in the app. This was in July 2020 when the parks reopened.

 

[AdamsMum]

I completely disagree. I'm thrilled that they no longer let freeloaders unpack their coolers full of ham sandwiches in Pecos Bill's while I'm juggling three trays trying to find a table as my fajitas go ice cold in the air conditioning.

Part of my point was, Pecos Bill's was controlling that by having staff posted indoors prior to the shut down. People were only allowed to go to a table once they had purchased their food. The guest experience with staff only letting people go to a table with food was made better, but it didn't require you to mobile order.

 

[AdamsMum]

Guests simply need to (politely) tell the CMs at the door that they cannot use MDE to order. It's that simple. Disney isn't going to turn down money.

But they do turn down money. After telling a CM outside Flame Tree that my phone wasn't working for mobile order, he told me "well that's the only way to order". It isn't as simple as politely telling the CMs.

 

[disney-inspired]

Yep, and one of the best things they do nowadays.

Tired...hot...feet hurting...kids cranky? So are the people who are walking around with a tray of food that's getting cold while you're taking up a table without food for God knows how long.

We went in January and really appreciated that they had this process in place. We were a party of 9 so groups of us were mobile ordering and when it was ready, there was nice table waiting for us.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm thrilled that they no longer let freeloaders unpack their coolers full of ham sandwiches in Pecos Bill's while I'm juggling three trays trying to find a table as my fajitas go ice cold in the air conditioning.

FWIW they were not doing any of this sort when we were just there. There was no patrolling by the CMs for tables at Pecos Bill. IDK about packed lunches but people were def. finding tables while doing mobile ordering.

I suspect different experiences may vary on staffing levels and the crowd level. We found the crowds there but not so so packed and when we ate at Pecos Bill on 5/11 around 4ish there was no such patrolling inside OR outside.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Part of my point was, Pecos Bill's was controlling that by having staff posted indoors prior to the shut down. People were only allowed to go to a table once they had purchased their food. The guest experience with staff only letting people go to a table with food was made better, but it didn't require you to mobile order.

They don't require you to mobile order.

 

[Smugpugmug]

But they do turn down money. After telling a CM outside Flame Tree that my phone wasn't working for mobile order, he told me "well that's the only way to order". It isn't as simple as politely telling the CMs.

I agree that it's not that simple. While I was waiting for my mobile order to be ready at Satu'li I overheard CMs turning away people without mobile orders. They were insistent that if you didn't have one you couldn't enter. When I went to pick up my food they turned every register into a mobile order pickup area. I bet if you have a really specific circumstance they would let you order at the counter but that restaurant in particular was super strict about it. I bet at other places it's easier to do.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Part of my point was, Pecos Bill's was controlling that by having staff posted indoors prior to the shut down. People were only allowed to go to a table once they had purchased their food. The guest experience with staff only letting people go to a table with food was made better, but it didn't require you to mobile order.

I think most of the patrolling has been shifted away from what it was before, i.e. allowing more open tables for incoming guests.

It sorta seems to be just less people crowding up the QS locations. With mobile ordering being the more predominant way of doing QS it does allow less guests to be inside milling about at the counter ordering, milling about waiting for their food and encourages people to really be in these locations for when they plan on eating and not sitting down then 20mins later going up to order. And the lines to order have been drastically reduced which in theory should speed up when someone's food is ready which probably helps turn over tables more quickly.

But I don't think they are necessarily patrolling the actual tables the same that they did when mobile ordering was first introduced. I think like I mentioned in my most recent comment staffing and crowds may have something to do with it, but in this case of what you were mentioning I also think it's a shift away from their end goal of before.

 

[Sandisw]

Part of my point was, Pecos Bill's was controlling that by having staff posted indoors prior to the shut down. People were only allowed to go to a table once they had purchased their food. The guest experience with staff only letting people go to a table with food was made better, but it didn't require you to mobile order.

Except, with mobile order, they do keep tabs on things so they don’t have more people ordering than can fit into the places. I find that tables, including at Pecos Bill we’re easier with the mobile order than in the past when we waited in line.

Plenty times we walked around with food to fine no tables, even with CMs there.

No way Is going to be best for everyone.

 

[disney-inspired]

FWIW they were not doing any of this sort when we were just there. There was no patrolling by the CMs for tables at Pecos Bill. IDK about packed lunches but people were def. finding tables while doing mobile ordering.

I suspect different experiences may vary on staffing levels and the crowd level. We found the crowds there but not so so packed and when we ate at Pecos Bill on 5/11 around 4ish there was no such patrolling inside OR outside.

Yes, different times of the year as well a different times of the pandemic.
Jan 2022 - there were CMs blocking entries for Cosmic Ray's asking for confirmation that order was ready to pick up. It was chaotically busy for end of January, same or worse than when I've gone in June pre-pandemic.

 

[mistysue]

They don't require you to mobile order.

The catch is that is hit and miss. There are absolutely CMs turning people away if you don't mobile order. We certainly weren't allowed in to order places last year, and this year didn't try in the parks because it was so stressful. We have allergies so can not use mobile order, meaning when they turned us away even after explaining, it meant we don't get to eat at all not just that we had to figure out the app.

Yes, different times of the year as well a different times of the pandemic.
Jan 2022 - there were CMs blocking entries for Cosmic Ray's asking for confirmation that order was ready to pick up. It was chaotically busy for end of January, same or worse than when I've gone in June pre-pandemic.

Cosmic Rays was the same way all last Spring too. We ordered a snack and forgot to order one of our drinks, it was a nightmare because we couldn't order an extra drink unless we waited an hour due to no times being available. That is definitely not how that was intended to work! (THAT time we did convince someone to let us just order a drink at the counter, but they made us feel uncomfortable doing it)
Pecos Bills was actually the worst one we saw last May- one day there was what looked like a mob standing outside all trying to get to the CMs. Almost the entire place was empty because they were having some sort of fulfillment issue. Nobody could get in to order, and by the time people were getting notifications and allowed to get in their food was cold from sitting. CMs at both locations told us that people weren't coming back at the right time so those with food ready couldn't get past them to get in, and others couldn't order meanwhile nobody was inside eating.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The catch is that is hit and miss. There are absolutely CMs turning people away if you don't mobile order. We certainly weren't allowed in to order places last year, and this year didn't try in the parks because it was so stressful. We have allergies so can not use mobile order, meaning when they turned us away even after explaining, it meant we don't get to eat at all not just that we had to figure out the app.

As others have said, if you insist, they will absolutely let you order at the register at every location, and that's been the case all along. You shouldn't have to make a stink to get them to let you, I agree, but if you do, they will.

Most people have phones. Not everyone does. Not having a phone isn't a condemnation to starve to death.

 

[mustinjourney]

Nothing is 100% mobile order only. They're lying to you. If you tell them you don't have a phone, they'll let you order in person anywhere.

I seem to recall there not even being any CMs at the registers of Satuli Canteen when I was there in October. But I could be wrong about that.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I seem to recall there not even being any CMs at the registers of Satuli Canteen when I was there in October. But I could be wrong about that.

There weren't any early-mid May either. Every register was a mobile order pick up area.

 

[mustinjourney]

I have a different view. I love the mobile order feature and now use it exclusively on our trips. So, for me, it has been a major enhancement for all of our trips and we liked not having to wait snd search for tables…which always happened in the past.

Just last week, I ordered on the Skyliner on my way back to RIV and food was ready to go when I got there.

Now, I do agree they need to at least allow people to pay via cash and order right there. But, it has definitely made our trips nicer.

that's what I do everytime we come back to RIV for lunch from DHS. I place the order on the first leg of the skyliner...and then say I'm present halfway on the second leg.