Restaurants cutting selections

[snackyx]

I noticed a disturbing trend in several of the Downtown Disney restaurants last week--cutting the number of menu selections.

RAINFOREST--I swear the menu has been cut in half. It used to be like a small phone book, now it is just a fold out with limited number of selections for each catagory.

PUCKS CAFE--Ate here New Year's Eve and the selection was shocking. I have been a regular since the days when Wolfgang actually owned the place, and the food quality and selection were far better. The restaurant has been sold, the food quality has gone down, and the menu has been streamlined. Disappointing.

PUCKS EXPRESS--Even here the selections have been cut--far fever options in all catagories. I'm sure this was done to speed things up in the kitchen and be able to store less food items, but this is slowly losing the "Puck" charm it originally had. My son insists even the mac & cheese receipe is not what it used to be.

Has anyone visited anywhere at WDW where the food/selection have actually gotten better?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I noticed a disturbing trend in several of the Downtown Disney restaurants last week--cutting the number of menu selections.

RAINFOREST--I swear the menu has been cut in half. It used to be like a small phone book, now it is just a fold out with limited number of selections for each catagory.

PUCKS CAFE--Ate here New Year's Eve and the selection was shocking. I have been a regular since the days when Wolfgang actually owned the place, and the food quality and selection were far better. The restaurant has been sold, the food quality has gone down, and the menu has been streamlined. Disappointing.

PUCKS EXPRESS--Even here the selections have been cut--far fever options in all catagories. I'm sure this was done to speed things up in the kitchen and be able to store less food items, but this is slowly losing the "Puck" charm it originally had. My son insists even the mac & cheese receipe is not what it used to be.

Has anyone visited anywhere at WDW where the food/selection have actually gotten better?

I think a lot of people have noticed that since Disney started offering the dining plan, the menu's in general, have gone down hill

first, since restaurants only get a set amount of $ per guest they are often cutting the more expensive options.

Second, since now people are trying restaurants they normally wouldn't try, they are making the menu's a little "safer" to try an appeal to more people.

Certainly doesn't mean there isn't good food out there - but as long as the DDP exists (and people on the DDP get the same menu as those who aren't) don't expect the menus to get more lavish

 

[Cinderella94]

Don't get the DP haters started on another one of these threads.

 

[ElizabethB]

Yeah, we don't even bother with Wolfgang Puck Cafe now that it is the designated DDP restaurant for the restaurant group that includes Fulton's and Portabello Trattoria.

And, we used to love, love, love Wolfgang Puck Cafe. But, our last visit was a disappointment and we won't go back.

 

[Hootch]

of RFC, it may be better to shrink the menu. Oftentimes a large menu signifies a lack of focus and can lead to overall poorer quality food.

I guess I'll see this summer. We did T-Rex last trip and the kids want to do RFC this trip.

 

[snackyx]

of RFC, it may be better to shrink the menu. Oftentimes a large menu signifies a lack of focus and can lead to overall poorer quality food.

I guess I'll see this summer. We did T-Rex last trip and the kids want to do RFC this trip.

We did T-REX last week, and it was, quite honestly, terrible. I understand the noise level--you really go so the kids can see the dinosaurs--but the food was mediocre at best, utterly passable at worst. A real disapointment.

Surprisingly, Portobello was one of the better outings we had. Had lunch, and with the 20% DVC discount was actually a good deal--and the food was fine!

I have certainly heard the DDP complaints--we have never used the DDP, but Disney should be careful that those not on the plan will start looking elsewhere--like "off property". I don't mind paying premium prices if the dinner lives up to it, but $35 for mahi-mahi (Narcossees) just seemed like an awful lot for a very average dinner.

A restaurant that is NOT owned by Disney, Shula's @ the Dolphin, is quite expensive, but always delivers the goods every time I have eaten there, which now numbers in the twenties.

 

[disfan07]

we went to rainforest cafe at Animal Kingdom this past december and it was teh best meal we had ever had. We all left there completely stuffed.

Between the 5 of us we had fish, burgers, steak, and chiken. All was excellent and teh service was amazing. I have sevre food allergies and teh chef was awesome. So while, RFC menu might be getting smaller, the food was excellent

 

[Uncleromulus]

You can add Paridiso 37 to the DD places that have cut their selections...

 

[Colleen27]

I'd just like to point out, since the DDP always takes the blame for this, that neither Rainforest nor Paradiso 37 accept the plan...

 

[tobikaye]

Also, most of the restaurants at DTD are not owned by Disney so unless they have a separate menu for those on DP, the menu reductions would be chain wide and not specific because of Disney's DP. I know that if you look at the RFC website and menu (not locations specific), it looks like they either cut back their menu, which was almost too extensive at one point, or made the print smaller.

 

[MelissathePooh]

I'd just like to point out, since the DDP always takes the blame for this, that neither Rainforest nor Paradiso 37 accept the plan...

See...that's just how evil that DDP is! Its messing with places that don't even use it.

In all honesty I do hate what the DDP has done to Disney dining. I think every restaurant though - regardless of whether or not they are part of the DDP - has trimmed as much as they can and increased prices as they could.

As one poster said - sometimes the more varied the menu the less likely it is to do things consistently well. I don't think that has been the case since the DDP. They've gone to mass production for mass profit.