Mobile ordering newbie, questions

[Debbie Jean]

We've never done this either. Since you can't charge to your room I'm wondering about paying since I don't want to carry credit cards during the day. Is there Apple Pay?
Also I'm curious if people have found their hot food, hot? I feel like if we order as usual when we get there we'd get the food asap when it's ready but this might be tricky to gauge when you order mobile? Does it let you know how many minutes until its ready?
Thanks

I charge to the credit card on file when I check in. But I believe you can select other methods of payment as well… have heard of folks using gift cards, keeping the numbers in a note on their phone so they don’t have to keep typing them in…just copy and paste when doing mobile order. Haven’t done it myself but I may try that next trip.

There is no difference in whether your food is hot. Your order is not submitted to be filled until you press the “I’m here” tab which really is no different than if you ordered at a cash register… you’re just doing the input. You wait for the notification “your order is ready” then go to pick up at the designated window. I’ve never waited more than 10 minutes.

 

[sjlogghe]

We've never done this either. Since you can't charge to your room I'm wondering about paying since I don't want to carry credit cards during the day. Is there Apple Pay?
Also I'm curious if people have found their hot food, hot? I feel like if we order as usual when we get there we'd get the food asap when it's ready but this might be tricky to gauge when you order mobile? Does it let you know how many minutes until its ready?
Thanks

Yes, there is Apple pay. You can also just store your credit card in the app, and charge it to that when you order. If you go up to a kiosk and order instead of using mobile order, you can still use your magic band and charge it to your room.
You choose a pick up window for your order. Then when you're on your way, or already there, you go to the app and select "I'm here prepare my order." Your order isn't just sitting there waiting for you, they prepare it when you get there. So food is fresh and hot, we've never had an issue!

 

[Anna131517]

There are allergy friendly menus at some places. Depends on the allergy but for milk, peanut/tree nut, shellfish, etc. it’ll show what is available. We order allergy friendly and non-allergy friendly on the same mobile order. No need to go into the location to order in person unless you have an allergy that isn’t one of the ones shown, or want to customize the order. View attachment 748840

This. We’ve used mobile ordering when one member of our party has egg, milk, and tree nut allergies and it worked fine. It just depends on whether the location you’re using has allergy friendly menus.

 

[Elephantay]

Okay starting to get it lol!
I thought the reason this was so well received was that you didn't need to order when you were there, and then wait while it was prepared. Sort of like Starbucks here at home- you use the app, go right to the pickup counter, and go.
So I was wondering if it says how many minutes it will take, so you know I need to be there in ten minutes, or 30, etc.
Also, where do you wait? Are you allowed now to grab a table before you get your food? I was told by recent visitors that they couldn't bring there outside food inside and sit indoors at a CS place without a purchase, (and this was a change for them since their last trip.)

 

[loves to dive]

Okay starting to get it lol!
I thought the reason this was so well received was that you didn't need to order when you were there, and then wait while it was prepared. Sort of like Starbucks here at home- you use the app, go right to the pickup counter, and go.
So I was wondering if it says how many minutes it will take, so you know I need to be there in ten minutes, or 30, etc.
Also, where do you wait? Are you allowed now to grab a table before you get your food? I was told by recent visitors that they couldn't bring there outside food inside and sit indoors at a CS place without a purchase, (and this was a change for them since their last trip.)

Here is how it works:
Open MDE and click on the plus sign in the circle at the bottom of the home page. A menu will pop up, click on order food. Find the restaurant you want to order from. It will show times that are available to place your order. Find the time you think you want to eat and click on it. A menu will pop up. Click what you want to eat, next window choose a quantity of that item. Click add. Rinse and repeat until you have ordered everything you want. Click View your order. You can either modify it or review it. I'm not signed into MDE right now and don't want to bother but you will go to payment screens. Now all you have to do is wait until the time window you picked. If you change your mind, you can still go in and cancel or change it. You will get a push notification when that time comes. If you are sort of close to the restaurant or close enough for the app to see you are close enough, you click on the prepare my order and go to the restaurant. You will get a little picture of a guy cooking and it will say preparing your order. When your order is ready, you will get a push notification or you can just check your order and it will say the order is ready go to window x. Sometimes you have to show this to the person at the door, sometimes you just go on in. You go to window x, show them your order # and get your tray and find a table. Some of the restaurants didn't allow you inside during the trying times unless you could show you had an order ready. Now since you can still go in to order in person, in theory you can go in and do whatever. I say in theory because you might get stopped if you are just bringing in food from elsewhere and taking up table space and not actually eating anything from there or you may not. They may or may not let you in while you are waiting for your order to be prepared, just depends on how crowded the place it. Most people just sort of mill around outside the restaurant. I just sort of go to the general area and shop or explore until I get the notification my food is ready. I don't like standing around outside the restaurant and as long as I'm close enough it's fine.

 

[Elephantay]

Thank you very much!

 

[dreamscometrue47]

Can i modify my order for something like no tartar sauce on fish sandwich at Columbia harbor house? Or no tomatoes on burger? Have no allergies..

 

[unrequited23]

Can i modify my order for something like no tartar sauce on fish sandwich at Columbia harbor house? Or no tomatoes on burger? Have no allergies..

Some menu items have the ability to be customized when using mobile order...just scroll past the picking your side section and there will be a drop down menu "customize your selection". For example, at Cosmic Ray's 1/3 lb Angus Bacon Cheeseburger you can choose to omit, the bacon, cheese or sauce, but not the lettuce or tomato shown in the pic. The fish sandwich at CCH doesn't give an option to omit the tarter sauce--you would have to order at the counter for that modification.

 

[fla4fun]

Okay starting to get it lol!
I thought the reason this was so well received was that you didn't need to order when you were there, and then wait while it was prepared. Sort of like Starbucks here at home- you use the app, go right to the pickup counter, and go.
So I was wondering if it says how many minutes it will take, so you know I need to be there in ten minutes, or 30, etc.
Also, where do you wait? Are you allowed now to grab a table before you get your food? I was told by recent visitors that they couldn't bring there outside food inside and sit indoors at a CS place without a purchase, (and this was a change for them since their last trip.)

I usually click the I’m Here button when I am about five to ten minutes from the restaurant when ordering regular food, to give them a head start on preparing the order. Most times they send me the pick up message as I am arriving, unless it’s super busy.

If I’m mobile ordering ice cream or similar, I wait until I get to the restaurant. I don’t mind if my regular food is ready a minute or two before I get to the restaurant but I don’t want ice cream to sit and melt.

The app does not tell you how long it will take to prepare your order, just that they are working on it, and then the message that it’s done.

Rules for sitting in advance or sitting without ordering can vary depending on the restaurant and the time of year. When it’s busy, they want to be sure people with food have the ability to sit and eat right away, so they can be more strict. I know Regal Eagle at Epcot has someone posted at the exit to keep people from entering that way, and sometimes they have someone posted at the entrance checking mobile orders - and sometimes they don’t.

 

[Elephantay]

Thanks for the info!