Quick Service Food Quality/Variety Rant

[imaswede78]

I am a former cast member who just returned from visiting Disney on a family vacation. I am a very, very laid back and easy going person - go with the flow. But, after eating quick service food once a day for 4 days (we stayed in a cabin at Ft Wilderness) I had had enough.

Ok, here goes.....Disney needs to up the quality of its food. There is no reason why a person should need to pay on average $30 per person for a higher quality meal. Yes, quick service is meant to be quick and easy but why not offer more fresh sandwiches and salads? I walked into a handful of quick service restaurants, looked at the menus and thought "Where is Panera Bread when I need them?!" I love french fries and chicken strips as much as the next person but to pay $9 for a mediocre fried meal is unacceptable. I am not a health nut but Disney could set a new standard for theme park food by being a good example on how to eat healthy AND on the run. I had great sushi at Epcot, an amazing meal at Boma and had to settle on crap otherwise. I love Disney but left probably needing a bypass.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

You can find them, you just have to look. Columbia Harbor House has some decent food that's different than the standard quick service. Same with Main Street Bakery, Yak & Yeti, Sunshine Seasons, Starring Rolls, and best of all, Wolfgang Puck Express.

But, in general, I know how you feel. We had the quick service dining plan last trip and got sick of it really fast. Especially when it came to picking one of three standard desserts. Which reminds me, does it drive anyone else nuts that they can never seem to get the Mickey sprinkles even over the chocolate cakes? They also seem to be clumped together on one side of the cake.

 

[kaybird]

We have been more than 40 times, and I have yet to have a burger or chicken strips! Suprised when I see these posts, this last trip we even did QSDP as there are so very many great options out there. Rarely even eat sandwiches at WDW. Flatbreads, Chines, Morrocan, Mexican, ribs, chicken, african soups, I can't think of anyplace with the variety we find at WDW. Hope your next trip is better!

 

[tony67]

I am the last one to defend Disney, but I have to agree with the others.

There are many good and healthy options all you have to do is look.
I spent 11 days there and never had a burger, hot dog or chicken fingers.

I did have lots of quality sandwiches, salads and pastas.

You just need to know where to eat.

 

[squirrel]

I also have eaten a lot of CS meals over the past two years (14 nights each). I haven't eaten chicken strips at WDW. I don't eat hamburgers or hotdogs either.

 

[cymbaldiva]

Variety is there if you look.

Quality....? Ehhh, not so much.

I guess to each their own; I personally didn't find any of the counter service particularly impressive.

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

Variety is there if you look.

Quality....? Ehhh, not so much.

I guess to each their own; I personally didn't find any of the counter service particularly impressive.

We were there for 10 days and I did come across some great counter service without looking TOO hard. After 2 days of lunching on ribs, and the ever found QS stupid chocolate cake that is

Disney Quest had an AMAZING chicken grilled blt - the best food of our trip overall. All Star Music counter service was shockingly good and the food changed each day - make your own steak salad was my daughter's favorite and my ten year old said that the turkey dinner was great. But if you are trying to catch food on the fly, the easiest to FIND is the eversickening chicken nuggets or ribs. Ew. I'm killed off carrot cake for life. But at least my 10 year old has been cured of her chicken nugget addiction

I really liked the taco salad at ASMu. And the turkey sandwich at Tycoon Lagoon was pretty great too

 

[cymbaldiva]

We must have eaten at different places....everything we had was at best "ehhhhhh" and at worst......? Well, you've heard I'm sure....

 

[2Tiggies]

We have been more than 40 times, and I have yet to have a burger or chicken strips! Suprised when I see these posts, this last trip we even did QSDP as there are so very many great options out there. Rarely even eat sandwiches at WDW. Flatbreads, Chines, Morrocan, Mexican, ribs, chicken, african soups, I can't think of anyplace with the variety we find at WDW. Hope your next trip is better!

I can only report the same experiences as you Kaybird. I don't like fried food. I don't eat red meat, or pork. I am not a huge fan of starches either. However if I can spend 16 days on the QSDP, have my fill and not have to eat anything I prefer not to, then I think they must be doing something right - for me at least. I have yet to find a CS restaurant that serves entrees and does not serve a salad. Sure, some are better than others and I once had a horrible one at Liberty Inn, but considering the number of CS meals we have done I really can't complain. There is salmon, plenty varieties of salads, grilled chicken, ribs, asian food, gourmet sandwiches .... I guess it depends what you are looking for when if you want something different but I am doing 2 weeks on the QSDP again.

I do agree that the food is not what it used to be, but it could be a whole lot worse. We have a theme park fairly nearby to where we live and I have to pack my own food if we ever go there. And I won't even start on their prices

 

[disfan07]

We've never had a problem finding variety for CS at Disney. I never touch chicken strips while there (mainly because I'm allergic to them).

You can go to Disney and never have chicken strips, burgers or fries. Those just happen to be the standard menu items at basically every CS places but there ar edefinitely other options.

 

[bluejasmine]

I agree there is variety but it takes some time and effort..

EOS great sandwhiches and salads

Tangerine Cafe-no burgers here

China and Japan-no burgers

Mexico has a kiosk I hear their portions are huge

WGPE has amazing food and no burgers

CHH-tuna and hummus sandwhiches and salad

Cosmic rays-great turkey wrap and soups, ribs and roasted chicken

Pecos Bills also has a great chicken wrap

Sunshine Seasons has the mother load of grilled porkchops, salmon and fresh veggies,
salads, asian food, gourmet sandwhiches, sushi

Starring Rolls-gourmet sandwhiches and I hear sushi

Capt Cooks-amazing grilled cheese, noodle bowl, aloha porksandwhiches with alot of fixings on it.

PVH-has a good mediteranean salad from what I hear

Im sure there are more but thats all I can get off the top of my head! I watch what I eat so I am always on the look out for healthy but good tasting food, I splurge on vacation and eat burgers and fries and dessert but not daily..

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I've never had a problem finding something good to eat. I like Sunshine Seasons and Tangerine Cafe at Epcot, Flame Tree BBQ at AK, Columbia Harbor House and Pecos Bill's at MK, and WPE and Earl at DTD.

 

[francie57]

I have to agree with others, there are many other choices. I don't eat burgers and we have not have any trouble finding lots of good things. We love Sunshine Seasons, the Boardwalk Bakery, Flame Tree BBQ, Columbia Harbor House, and even Pacos Bills has a great make your own taco salad.

 

[tami82]

There are many great places you just have to know where they are or possibly look at the menus beforehand. Columbia Harbour House is a great one at MK as is Earl of Sandwich at downtown disney. Also the resort counter services are great and have nice selection. Havent tried CS at Epcot but heard great things about them.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Variety is there if you look.

Quality....? Ehhh, not so much.

I guess to each their own; I personally didn't find any of the counter service particularly impressive.

I agree! There's plenty of variety, but it's mostly mall food court quality. Yes, we eat at the mall food court on occasion, but every day. No way... not even every month.

I think I've tried everything at Sunshine Seasons looking for the incredible meals everyone's getting. I guess they must have a bad day every time I'm there. Their desserts are good though. We think Flame Tree give BBQ a bad name. Epcot does have some good CS, (just not SS, IMO), & Columbia Harbor House has some good options. I also agree that the resort food courts are pretty good, esp. the values & mods. I definitely don't think I could eat all CS at WDW though.

 

[tkgdisney]

We have gathered a list of places that we can eat when we do the counter service trips. We are going to do a cs trip shortly and have more good places to eat, than days we are going to be there, so we have to make choices based on where we are at the time we are ready to eat. Research and planning make it all fun with good meals. It takes time and patience to check out the menus and find what we all like to eat.