not a fan of mobile ordering food

[Dznypal]

a few weeks ago we finally made the hard decision to cancel our trip--we were to leave the end of the month

it wasnt to much the rise in cases--mostly because of all the hoops you have to jump through--getting there and home again but

even while your there

prices are higher then when everything was normal and now less things and places to do

the eating seems to be the worse--even before we cancelled I was playing with the mobile order and seeing whats open for table service

Hate to say it but Im not a fan-now for counter service you cant just go to a stand and get food--sit down its much worse then before--since we cancelled-- for fun I was checking different restrauants and unless you wanted to eat dinner at 8 or 9 at night you were out of luck

as far as mobile you now have to decide not only where youll be at a certain time but hope you can get food where and when you want it

also the choices seem really cut back--I looked at contempo for lunch beginning of feb and there were like 3 choices looks like if we do get to go next year we might lose weight

which actually brings me to the point of this rant is has anyone ever had any issuses getting food when where and what they wanted

this was going to be a resort trip so we just wanted to be one our own--go where we wanted eat where and when we wanted

 

[GBBTomorrow]

I actually love the mobile order for counter service. I use it all the time and prefer it to standing in line to order. It's so much easier to just hand the phone around to everyone in my party than it is to all crowd into the line (often behind groups that never seem to look at the menu until they actually get to the front of the line) and have everybody try to say their order to the cast member.

With mobile order, I'm also more likely to get exactly what I want, including special requests, because I can see precisely what I wrote down and not have to rely on the understanding between me and the cast member, which doesn't always translate.

I also think mobile order is WONDERFUL for helping to find seating in counter service dining areas. My pet peeve is when there is a single kid sitting at a giant table holding it for their family ordering food, while people who actually HAVE food are walking around desperately trying to find somewhere to sit down. The restaurants are designed for a certain throughput, and when people do that me-me-me table-saving routine, they gum up the works for everyone. With mobile order, not as many people are accessing the dining areas until they have their food, so there's a better chance of actually having somewhere to sit.

When it comes to whether I can get what I want, over Labor Day in Disneyland there were long waits for mobile order, but I learned my lesson pretty quickly and started putting orders in well in advance, and then I just planned my touring so I'd end up in the right place when the food was ready.

So in a nutshell, I love it!

 

[Micca]

I'm not a big fan of mobile ordering either, but I do it. What happens if you tell them you don't have a phone? "No soup for you?!?"

 

[k5xs]

What happens if you tell them you don't have a phone? "No soup for you?!?"

Just got back from a trip. Found that many counter service places will allow walk-up orders despite signage saying mobile ordering was required.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I dislike mobile order but realize it is the future for corporations.
Makes me realize it is much easier to bring groceries to hotel room , or cook at home for the entire Covid experience.
Some thing I never ever did or thought I would do.
I was in line at the Contempo during the holidays and they no longer have a menu posted for their quick service and have replaced it with the QR Code(?) …. Guess what ! Disney tech crashed, long line formed at cash register to ask for paper menu, only one available so guests all had to read menu, place order , & pass it down to the next guest…

Mobile Order and Disney Tech is not reliable and it is not the solution !
plus steamed food in a bag is gross and trash in room even grosser and worst of all trash piling up in hallways.
Stay classy Disney in your empty resorts!

 

[Micca]

Just got back from a trip. Found that many counter service places will allow walk-up orders despite signage saying mobile ordering was required.

On our last trip we couldn't get on the app to order at Columbia Harbour House, they switched right over to taking in-person orders. It was like it happens all the time(and with the quality of IT at WDW it probably does.)

 

[DL1WDW2]

I expect Disney tracking will conclude we only want hamburgers or chicken strips because everybody gives up and orders the easiest thing.
Enjoy your future

 

[Disney.Dreamin.Dee]

Mobile order has been one of the best changes IMO.

 

[1GoldenSun]

It took me a trip or two to get used to it, but I really like mobile ordering now.

Today I was in MK and was on my way to People Mover and wanted a little snack. I opened the app, clicked "Order Food," the nearby restaurants popped up at the top, I clicked on "Lunching Pad" and the menu popped up. I ordered and paid and walked right up and picked up my pretzel. I did it all while I was walking over to ride People Mover and didn't have to get it a line or get out my wallet. Easy peasy.

 

[Disneylover99]

I’m not a fan, but I use it sometimes.

 

[DL1WDW2]

It took me a trip or two to get used to it, but I really like mobile ordering now.

Today I was in MK and was on my way to People Mover and wanted a little snack. I opened the app, clicked "Order Food," the nearby restaurants popped up at the top, I clicked on "Lunching Pad" and the menu popped up. I ordered and paid and walked right up and picked up my pretzel. I did it all while I was walking over to ride People Mover and didn't have to get it a line or get out my wallet. Easy peasy.

I don’t think that place ever has a line normally.
Surpised tech was working…

 

[mco65]

Not every counter service required mobile ordering back in Aug.. some did, some did not. I am also not a fan of mobile ordering but its not something that would deter me from going to WDW... I think it is something i could and will get used to and probably even eventually enjoy...

 

[Skywalker3]

LOVE mobile ordering and hope it's here to stay. Have used it since they rolled it out, pre-pandemic

The only times it didn't work great was when we were using it to just order snacks at busy lunch times. We do tend to eat meals at off times, so ordering at 10:30 AM, is fine with us. I HATE standing in long quick service lines, so anything that helps me not do that is a wonderful change.
As far as limited menus, I don't really remember much missing from menus.
we don't do many table service places any more, and had no problems getting the few we wanted. Mobile ordering from Sanaa was great too. I hope mobile ordering is here to stay, but ...
I also hope though there are options if you just don't want to do it. My FIL would never be able to figure it out, so he would need some option to just order at the counter.

 

[k5xs]

I dislike mobile order but realize it is the future for corporations.
Makes me realize it is much easier to bring groceries to hotel room , or cook at home for the entire Covid experience.
Some thing I never ever did or thought I would do.
I was in line at the Contempo during the holidays and they no longer have a menu posted for their quick service and have replaced it with the QR Code(?) …. Guess what ! Disney tech crashed, long line formed at cash register to ask for paper menu, only one available so guests all had to read menu, place order , & pass it down to the next guest…

Mobile Order and Disney Tech is not reliable and it is not the solution !
plus steamed food in a bag is gross and trash in room even grosser and worst of all trash piling up in hallways.
Stay classy Disney in your empty resorts!

I agree with you. I'm 70 years old, but am reasonably tech savvy (just retired from running a national cyber program). I don't care for mobile ordering.

And from a broader perspective, driving more guest WDW functions to mobile devices is I suppose where things are headed. But despite propaganda to the contrary, I don't think it's to "enhance the guest experience." It's about leaning out Disney staffing and business processes.

And from a social perspective, I think having people nose-down on their mobile devices instead of taking in the sights and sounds of the parks and interacting with CMs diminishes the WDW experience.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I don't mind mobile ordering it's the:

$15 for fast passes
$10 for a Magic Band
$25 for resort parking

that irks me.

 

[Brian Noble]

I haven't been since the Before Times, but back then mobile order for CS spots was usually great. When I ordered the "old way" I always seemed to get in the line behind the groups who had no idea they could look up at the menu board and decide what they wanted before they got to the register. With mobile order, things were much faster.

I think the broader issue is less about mobile order and more than the parks are running right at the edge of what is possible given their staffing levels---and that's easy to see in the way the restaurants are operating. Menus across property have been slimmed down and simplified, probably because the kitchens are finding it hard to hire and keep back-of-house staff. Simpler, shorter menus are easier on the kitchen.

Every report I've read mentions that none of the restaurants are full, but they are fully booked. That's not because Disney hates taking my money; it's because they just don't have the staff to operate them at full-tilt. They might even be having trouble getting ingredients and materials. But they've been aggressive at hiring, including offering some pretty nice bonuses both for new hires in some roles and for current Cast who help recruit to those roles. Right now they have the following posted on Disney Careers: "Culinary ($3,000) & Dishwasher ($1,000) New Hire Bonus Job Fair Jan 18" For jobs that pay $15-20ish an hour, that's real money.

And, that's not unique to Disney. I don't do a whole lot of dining out at home, but all the grocery stores in town have long lines and have trouble keeping the shelves stocked. All of the takeout places can be backed up and are clearly running a few employees short. Everyone is having trouble with staffing and supplying, because waves-at-all-of-this.

 

[aboveH20]

I'm not a big fan of mobile ordering either, but I do it. What happens if you tell them you don't have a phone? "No soup for you?!?"

I was there in April and was never able to use my iPhone 6 to order. At first I approached the gatekeepers and said my phone wasn't working, but that ended up being a waste of time as they tried to show me how to do it. My phone was just too old. Eventually I just said I couldn't order and they let me approach the one cashier who was taking "live" orders.

I planning to go in March and am adding the cost of a new phone to the cost of the trip.

 

[x93nelson13]

Mobile order has been one of the best changes IMO.

This is the truth. We were apprehensive about it, but wow. The quickserve at GF became an easy pickup point for us during out stay. Never waiting. It was great. The parks were the same.

 

[CynBeth]

We did some mobile ordering at CS during our Thanksgiving week trip and it was great. Mostly for breakfasts at the resort food court but a few times in the parks for a lunch or dinner and was pretty fast.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I like it everywhere except for Docking Bay 7, where there's not nearly enough room around the restaurant and where it's impossible to navigate of you have a stroller, a wheelchair, or a large party.