Rainforest Cafe in DTD, WORST service ever

[hbg4]

We had a late lunch just me and my DD on Sunday at the RFC in downtown disney.
We had a 3p ADR and was actualy seated within 10 minutes of our arrival.

The selection was not bad, but the service was the WORST I have ever had in my life. Our server seemed to have Attention deficit in the worst way, he kept running back and forth from our table to god knows where.
He did not take our drinks order or provide any menu until after we'd been sitting down for 30 mins. When they did arrive the sprite with no ice hidden in a kid's cup with a lid turned out to be coke with ice. After 40mins of sitting down he eventually returned back to take our meal order. Because of the delay I ordered the appetiser, entree and dessert simultaneously.
After 1 hr our food eventually arrived , luke warm, and the fries tasted as though they had been cooled and then reheated up in a microwave.
When he returned to see how we were doing, I had to point out to him that another server had to provide us with the napkins and utensils since he had left none on our table. We then had then had to start on our meals while waiting for the replacement fries.
The cesar salad appetiser was ordered as a side dish to our entree. This was brought 20 mins before our main course. Then half way through it he showed up with another salad which looked as though it had been a special order for another table.
He then brought the bill without me even asking him for it forgetting my DD's dessert "dirt and worms".
He then proceeded to run away and return 5 times to sort out my annual Passholder discount on the bill and provide us with a container to take away DD dessert and then again for the extra salad that was given to us. After 2hrs of this I was literally standing up with the cash in my hand ready to run out the door when he arrived back and asked how I was going to pay, whereupon I told him if he stopped running away he would have received the cash payment ages ago.
I think I was too generous in leaving an extra dollar more than just the copper change for him as a tip.

 

[Phillygrl23]

I had a bad experience with this place last year. We didnt have ADR's since it was a last minute trip to DTD. We knew we would probably have to wait awhile, so we asked the hostess how long the wait would be. This was still pretty early in the late afternoon and she said about 20 minutes. We decided to go there and began waiting. 20 minutes went by and nothing, I didnt say anything because I know there can be something that comes up to delay our time. So I waited. 30 minutes, then 40 minutes went by. I had seen a family WITHOUT (I heard them) ADR's of the same party size being seated before us. When I confronted (nicely but mad) to the hostess, she goes "oh"...and it turned out we were "skipped" on the list by accident. Then instead of taking us next, she tells me it will be another 40-50 minute wait for our party size (5). I didnt get that part but I was so angry we just left. I have been to Rainforest Cafes before, so I knew it wasnt anything special but the people I was with wanted to go. I will never go back there, especially after reading this post means its only WORSE once you get inside.

 

[OKW Lover]

Your experience is actually pretty much the usual at RFC. For the life of me I don't understand why people continue to put up with this.

 

[suzimar57]

it seems to be the norm, whichever RFC we go to as well (whether disney, new jersey, or vegas) - you'd think with all those people walking around with headsets on, the food would arrive faster and communication would be better - which is probably why DH doesn't like going to RFC as much anymore

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Sorry you had a bad experience there. My family and I enjoy going to the Rainforest at DTD and everytime we have had great service.

 

[rcortese711]

Yeah. The RFC in Chicago is equally as bad. We go there several times a year (more to enjoy the ambiance than the service and food) and always walk out with an interesting story.

I believe one time we even had a stoned waiter. He sat down next to me on a chair to take the orders. It was really strange. After he gave us our food, he came back to check on us a couple minutes later and asked if we needed any boxes.... It was ridiculous to the point of being funny.

But yeah, with the downtown RFC, we've been quoted 2.5 hour wait times. Just ridiculous.

 

[KatMark]

We have gone to the one in downtown Chicago, Woodfield Mall and Las Vegas. They are all terrible for service and the food is mediocre at best and overpriced.l We won't even bother with the ones at Disney.

 

[ASDFG]

We've been going to WDW regularly for about 11 years now. I can't say as I've ever had an issue with the service but IMHO that quality of food that is served should only be commanding, at best, 1/2 what is being charged or it.

It's the only WDW restaurant that I can safely say that I refuse to eat at. I simply don't understand why it's so popular.

 

[DisCopper]

We've eaten there a few times, and only as a last resort. The food isn't anything special, and the service has never been great.

My one good service experience: we had reservations for Cirque and waited forever to get into RFC. By the time we were seated, we had 1 hour until show time. Assuming a 15 minute walk across DTD, I told the waitress we had to be served and done eating in less than 45 minutes. She said, "It can't be done." I said, "Your tip depends on it." She then went to work- told us what we could order and what we couldn't ("You can't have that, it will take too long..."). We ordered, got our drinks imediately, and got our food almost immediately. We were out in 40 minutes. Not exactly a relaxing experience, but the waitress went way out of her way to make sure we made it to the show.

 

[Minniespal]

Sorry you had a bad experience.

 

[TDC Nala]

I've been to an RFC once. Well, twice, but the second time was in San Antonio and I didn't go in, just sat at the bar. (I've been to the bar at AK too but ordered no food)

This was the now closed location at Tysons Corner, VA. When it came time to order, was informed that someone had lit a cigarette in the restroom and triggered the fire alarms, and when the fire alarms go off all the gas ovens and stoves are shut down, and it takes so long to prepare them to cook again that they were accepting orders only for salads and other items that did not require cooking.

So I ordered a salad which came drowned in a mayonnaise-based dressing, while the menu said nothing about mayonnaise in the dressing. I hate mayonnaise.

I am not sure I will go to another one unless it's just to visit the bar (I did like the bar).

 

[danalee]

We went a couple years ago to the one in DTD and never again! i think we had the same waiter! We kept stating that something really interesting must be going on over there" because he was always heading away from us!

We havent been back and dont plan to, we wanted to try, we did, end of story for us!

 

[bytheblood]

I agree about the service at Rainforest Cafe in DTD. It is terrible and I will never go back. The food is awful, especially for what they charge for it.

 

[emh1129]

That sounds really frustrating. Sorry you had such a bad experience! Write them a letter if you get a chance. It sounds like they need to address some issues!

 

[buzz1fan]

We must have been lucky, 2 times. Both times we went to Disney, we have eaten there, and had a great meal and service. It is one i have listed for our trip next summer.