Price Increases for Restaurants! Just Be Aware!

[SurfinTX]

Oh well...back to the Vacation calculator.

I'm really tempted to eat offsite as much as possible now that we are driving in. Use the Club for breakfast...CS lunches, snack then go offsite. I'll probably save enough money to include Universal Studios and see Harry Potter.

The problem I have is the last time I went was in '07 and DDP included tips and apps. I was resisting the dining plan but had to do it since we wanted to fly in. Instead of higher prices wanting to make me use the DDP more I think I will entertain offsite eating. Gotta crunch the numbers first.

 

[Tikitoi]

But are these price increases being done to make purchasing the DP seem a better choice?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

But are these price increases being done to make purchasing the DP seem a better choice?

It's a no lose scenario for disney anyway you slice it....

First, they want guaranteed revenue in all areas....so prepaid dining plans are their preference as always (the reasons are probably a very long list...but a widely accepted theory is that taking the dining cost out of the day to day activities of a vacation will loosen up the purse strings for merchandise purchases...which is where the majority of WDW profits come from) And as others have mentioned: many of the meal credits go unused and are therefore - easy money in the bank.

Second, by eliminating the appetizer from the beginning of the meal...and the gratuity from the end of the meal....they eliminate two things to their advantage:
First, hungry customers are most likely willing to spend additional money out of pocket at the beginning of their meal than for a 10 dollar chocolate cake at the end (a theory...but a plausible one...and one they undoubtedly did tons of research on). Second, waiters were making tons of money under the dining plan when the tip was included...and disney had to divide a portion of their proceeds to pay them the gratuities...so elminating that little headache is great. it's no secret that disney loathes high gratuities and have made efforts for years to curb them when they happen. it raises employee expectations and causes disgruntlement amongst the low paid management.

Lastly, They jack the prices up for the food. First as a subliminal PR message to those on the dining plan that they are "saving money"...which is debatable at best if it's a decent deal at all. Second, they pummel those that pay out of pocket....specifically Florida residents that are weekend/ one day visitors and those that have gone to WDW religiously for years...and are just ingrained in the "old" ways.

 

[ppony]

You can rent a car for a week for less money than one meal for a family of four at Cape May. We ALWAYS have a car.

Us too! And this if the first time I'm making plans to dine off site and eat in the kitchen we will have. I'm SOOOO done w/ paying those prices for food that is meh. Cheesecake Factory, here we come!