Just Back - Observations

[jackal]

We just got back from our first ever Adult only trip. What a difference two people make! We were always seated immediately when it was just the two of us - sometimes an hour early but once we got seated, that is where the good service ended. Nobody (few exceptions) wanted to wait on a party of two. I am guessing because of the smaller tip. We had waiters disappear for a long time. Especially at 'Ohana - our normally favorite restaurant. We were seated by bigger parties and our servers completely left us hanging.

We did get great service at Tony's - great job Bruce!!! and Narcosses (I am guessing because Narcosses is used to two adults) but everywhere else you could tell we were putting the servers out by being just a party of two. Maybe signature restaurants with parties of two get just as good of service as bigger parties but the other places, I felt like we shouldn't have even been there. I never got that feeling when the kids were with us.

 

[Juliegirl1]

It's even worse if you are an adult with one child. Many many times I've been seated at a table for four with my son and it takes the waiter forever to get to us - I think they must think we are waiting for more people. O'Hanas was the worst though as far as service goes - it's like two people are not worth the trouble.

However, it is much easier to dine without reservations with only two people. I've walked up to Le Cellier, Tony's, Chefs de France, Yak and Yeti, Liberty Tree Tavern and others and been seated either immediately or with a very short wait without reservations.

 

[Kit'smommy]

DH and I have frequently dined as a couple for the last 14 years in many different Disney restaurants and this has never been our experience. I can count on two fingers the number of times I have been unhappy with a server (Brown Derby and Coral Reef) and I don't think those servers wanted to wait on any table, regardless of party size.

Sorry, you had a bad experience, but I have never felt we have been neglected or ignored due to party size.

 

[OhThePain]

My girlfriend and I were talking about this last trip. Its hard enough to get good service for 2 people, but it is even harder when your younger, I'm 26 and she's 23 (although, I think Juliegirl1's scenerio is probably tougher than ours). It is like the wait staff thinks we are just going to stiff them so they don't even bother. However, we have always gotten great service from signature restaurants. I think they are the exceptions to the rule.

 

[jackal]

I believe you better service at signature restaurants because they are used to two people. A lot of adults go there without the kids. They also are more expensive so they are getting a good tip.

We have always had great service when it was the four of us (Me, DH, DD15 and DD7). We just got a really bad vibe this time around from wait staff at the non-signature restaurants. Like we weren't worth it.

 

[topmonkeygirl]

There is only 2 of us and we're never had a problem either, hopefully you just ran into some bad luck with servers. The only time I can remember having anything like bad service was waiting so long for our check at Rainforest, but then again doesn't everyone wait too long for checks everywhere. I always feel like I'm being held hostage.

 

[tony67]

I would think you would get better service with two adults than say two adults with two kids.
The tip on kids meals is not all that large and for the extra work you have to do with children (lots of refills, spills, clean up etc...) would not make it worth it in my experience.
(I have kids and have worked in the service industry many years ago.)

Also I think two adults alone are more likely to order drinks bringing the bill up and increasing the tip.

Maybe this is just the level of service in Disney now with the DDP and auto tipping.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Hmmm... this was not my experience when DW took our first-ever "adults only" trip last January. Like OP, we were seated promptly at all restaurants. But I remember only excellent service at all locations. 50's PTC and Tony's were particularly good.

 

[prttynpnk]

We've had the 'ignorable- party of 2' on several occasions- the worst in memory being at Concorse Steakhouse, where we had the disappearing waiter and this tiny table right behind the hostess stand. Our enchanting view was several staff emmbers purses and many staff back ends!

 

[notaclue]

We had the same experience at 'OHana last year with just the 2 of us. I just figured it was bad service at that particular restaurant because we had no problems anywhere else. Come to think of it, the service was better with just the 2 of us than this year when there were 6 of us.

 

[PaulaSB12]

That is odd because as a solo diner I have never (apart from Tony's) been made to feel unwelcome by any waiter.

 

[Lowillian]

My DH and I have been going to WDW for 13 years and it's just the 2 of us and we have never been made to feel like they didn't want to wait on us. Quite the opposite. We've eaten at a variety of restaurants over the years. I'm sorry you had a bad experience.