Restaurant Advice - 5 Days in the park with a picky eater

[Sea of Progress]

My family (myself, DH and DS6) will be heading to DL in late August for 5 nights. We frequent WDW but this will be our first trip to DL. I am concerned that we are going to get bored with the typical park food. What do you recommend both sit down and quick service that can provide some fresh options? We are staying club level at the Grand so I don't think we want to plan a lot of reservations as we may be filling up there during the day with some snacks but I am looking to make 2 or 3 dinner reservations. Thanks!

 

[ktlm]

The All Ears website has all the disneyland menus. You can go through them all and see what you think your picky eater will eat.

We go to both WDW and DLR and we find that the quick service at DLR is far superior to what you find at WDW. I think historically that is because DLR has so many AP holders that eat quick service. I have a picky vegetarian child (the rest of us are not vegetarian) and she has done fine at DLR. I always go through the current menus on that website before our trips, to make sure I find places that have stuff that she will eat and that menus haven't changed.

 

[Huskerpaul]

Well Blue Bayou to me is a must do in my book. You should check the menu because there aren't that many selections, but you don't really go for the food anyways. We love Carthay Circle in DCA. Georgous room and the food is good.

 

[shosh1530]

If your picky eater will do mac and cheese you are set! (Mine unfortunately won't.)

Many of the sitdown restaurants have a picky eater-friendly kids menu with chicken tenders as well. (and mine won't eat those either).

We often do quick service and just mobile order from more than one place. Pizza is my kid's staple food (Alien Pizza Planet in DL and Boardwalk Pizza in DCA).

He did try some new things on our last visit, so you might also share the menus with your kiddo and see if anything spark their interest.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

My family (myself, DH and DS6) will be heading to DL in late August for 5 nights. We frequent WDW but this will be our first trip to DL. I am concerned that we are going to get bored with the typical park food. What do you recommend both sit down and quick service that can provide some fresh options? We are staying club level at the Grand so I don't think we want to plan a lot of reservations as we may be filling up there during the day with some snacks but I am looking to make 2 or 3 dinner reservations. Thanks!

I am not sure if you’ve browsed the menus yet either via the app or on the website but if all the theme parks I’ve been too DLR has the best theme park food in terms of variety and taste. Yes, you can find burgers and chicken strips and fries but there are soooooooo many yummy food options including many different cuisines and special food offerings.

My personal favorite sit down places are Lamplight Lounge and Craftsman Bar (in the GCH, nachos are amazing and I’ve had other great food there). I also like Carthay Circle (might be hard with your picky eater). Hearthstone Lounge in your hotel is also excellent (no reservations but it’s sit down). Carnation Cafe is pretty good for lunch/dinner.

Quick service, it’s hard to choose because I like different items at different places and things are always rotating. But Ronto Roasters is definitely my favorite plus Docking Bay 7, Bengal BBQ and the Mexican places are good (RDZ in DL and CC in DCA). Award Wieners has really good hot dogs and fries and their specials are usually really good. Studio Catering usually has a tasty items that rotate frequently.

 

[AprilsZoo]

Well Blue Bayou to me is a must do in my book. You should check the menu because there aren't that many selections, but you don't really go for the food anyways. We love Carthay Circle in DCA. Georgous room and the food is good.

ETA: oops, misread post #2 as being #1. So my first sentence stands…
I wouldn’t do either with a truly picky eater…