Service has gone down

[BANNISTER]

We just returned from a 10 day trip. Does anyone else feel that restaurant service is not up to par? We were on the dinning plan this time and my husband and I are wondering if this might have played into the bad service we received. Once you tell your server you are on the dinning plan they know they have their tip already. We received bad service at O'hanas - our cousins were just not friendly like we expected-had to track her down for refills, etc. Felt rushed to get out so that they could fill table again, Tony's - our waiter was just terrible-constantly forgot things we asked for, also had to track him down for items we needed-seemed busy at other tables, Chef Mickey's - 3 kids and myself went out to lobby area to wait for DH to receive bill and pay, after waiting over 1/2 hour we went back in to find him-waiter charged us 5 adults and 3 children credits off our plan (instead of 5 TS meals altogether- 2A 3C. This miss up took FOREVER to clear up with assistance from the manager after waiter kept blowing us off. 50s Prime Time Cafe & WCC not really bad service as much as totally not in character. We would not have known the difference if not for reading up on things before booking ADRs and seeing what went on around us at other tables. Not that we expected every server to go out, but at these themed restaurants I do expect a little bit of the character in the wait staff. We ate at 50s our last trip and the kids loved my husband getting yelled out for not eating his green beans and then having then feed to him - "Open up here comes the little airplane".

 

[missypie]

We weren't on the dining plan and spent plenty of money on food and can't really say we had great - or even very good - service any where. We ate at Cape May, CRT, Ohana, Le Cellier, Teppanyaki, LTT, Brown Derby and Mama Melrose.

There was NEVER a time at ANY of these restaurants where our drinks were refilled without our asking. Never. Not once.
The waiter at Cape May was flip.
The waitress at Le Cellier was surly and rude.
The waiter at LTT practically threw our food on the table, avoiding eye contact to discourage us from asking for anything. We'd have to follow him from the table to ask for things.
The waiter at Mama Melrose was super friendly and talkative, but the actual service was not great.
At Ohana, the waiter brought out one serving of pineapple for our family of 5 (when I saw other tables of 5 getting two servings)- he brought our check with the pineapple. When we asked for more pineapple, we could tell he wasn't our cousin anymore - he was visibly irritated.
At Teppanyaki, the waitress brought us our check as soon as the chef left...we had barely started eating our food! She came back for payment a few minutes later and then again a few minute later, all while we were still eating our entrees. I refused to stop eating to pay the check. The funny thing was, the place was over half empty.

We were not trying to find fault at these places - believe me, for what I was paying for these meals, I wanted to love each and every one of them.

A week or so after we returned from WDW, we ate at a local Mexican restaurant. The high school girl waitress was terrific and kept our tea glasses full and was otherwise very attentive. After our experience at WDW, we complimented her heavily, and left a very large tip!

 

[wshupnastar]

From what I can tell, the service at 50's PTC is somewhat hit and miss as far as the waitstaff being in character. On our last trip, we ate there and saw all of the fun going ons around us...but our "Mom" was a waitress and nothing more...no antics at all. Of course, the food was good and we still had a good time. I just wanted to mention that it may not have been the dining plan that was the problem at that particular establishment. We were not on any sort of plan and, like I said...still nothing.

We are going back on our next trip...my DH really liked the food and decor, so we figured we would give it another shot.

As for everywhere else you mentioned, this really worries me...we are on the plan on our upcoming trip and I hope we are treated the same as anyone not on the plan...I guess I have to wait and see!

 

[nukeantz]

We were not on a dining plan and got horrible service in July.

Italy never did anything but take order got food /from a runner and had to search waiter for our check. No drink refills on a very hot day. Food was horrible, cold and expensive.

Ohana breakfast , never got refills on anything , waitress finally came by asked for refills and never received she said oh they never brought out we got check and left. we were there a long time, it was late breakfast many empty tables.

Wolfgang Puck apparently we were inconviencing our waiter by just being there as he couldn't flirt enough with the guys at the table next to us. He rolled his eyes and snickered with the guys when he saw us wave him over for check. He never came back for dessert order or drink refills

Mamma Melrose great service Rainforest & Crytal Palace

Like smucks we leave 15% for bad service and more for good service.

 

[emememem]

We were ther in July..Had excellent service at Boatwrights,Citricos, Prime time(Cindy was excellent! really played the part) and Ohana's......

 

[beccasmom]

IMHO, service trends down when crowds are up. We've had great experiences at "off" times, somewhat mediocre during summer, Easter and Christmas. Not every place....but enough to make one wonder.

We haven't used a dining plan in many years, but I did notice a few blips in attitude when we did. And we were eating three huge meals every day....I don't know how we even moved! I remember the days when a miserable cast member stood out like a sore thumb.

Now, we tend toward our favorites - Olivia's, Earl of Sandwich, Le Cellier, Crystal Palace, Puck's, the Mara, a few more. We try a new spot or two on every trip...just tried Spoodles in June.

 

[janets]

and I really felt that the service was not what I have come to expect at WDW restaurants.

We ate at O'Hana's, LTT, LeCellier, WCC and Cape May (bkfst). We have been to WDW several times and eaten at many table service restaurants over the years. This time, the service was just mediocre. Perhaps it was the dining plan, perhaps not. At O'Hana's, while I got refills on my drinks before I even needed them, our server never came over to offer us more from some of the skewers or refill our lazy susan. Last December, we had such a wonderful server here that my then 2.5 yo son was ready to go home with her.

At LTT, our server was okay, but again, very difficult to find for refills and seconds. We really enjoyed the food at LeCellier, but our waitress was just okay, nothing more. I don't think we got any refills that night.

We went to WCC specifically so that I could show my family all the fun and goings on that occur in this restaurant. While we had a very good waiter, we really didn't get the "fun" that I expected and saw going on at other tables. So many other servers tied the bandana napkins around the patrons' heads, dozens of ketchup bottles, etc. but we just didn't get that. The boys did the horse race around the restaurant but not much else. We enjoyed it but I think it could have been so much better.

We did Cape May buffet our last day and our server was just a server. No more, no less. Our main issue with this place was character interaction. Very, very slow. We never got to see 1/2 the characters that were there before we just had to leave.

On the opposite side, my sister and her family are in the world right now. They ate at San Angel last night on the meal plan and had a wonderful experience. Used 3 credits (for 4 adults) and their server was terrific. They ordered the queso fundito, which is a 2 person appie, and their server was fine with it. They had drink refills promptly, she got coffee too, and their server timed the meal perfectly, telling them not to rush at all. So her first sit down experience was a great one. I'll hear more from her today or tomorrow and I'll see if I can post any updates she experiences.

My husband and I used to be in food service and we are regularly 20% tippers. But frankly, I saw very little reason to tip beyond the guaranteed 15% to any of our servers while we were there. And believe me, I would have been happy to do so if I felt I was getting service equal to what I would expect at a restaurant at home where the entrees are between $25 and $40 a piece.

 

[missypie]

I will say that WDW isn't the only place where I've seen service go downhill. I eat at lots of nice restaurants in Dallas with the same problem. Does ANYONE clear the dirty dishes at the end of a meal anymore? I've certainly eaten my share of desserts with dirty dinner dishes still on the table. I've frequently handed them to waitstaff when they've come and gone previously without taking them. Like may other service professions, many folks are in them just because it's a job and don't take pride in offering good service. I think they'd be surprised at how much their tips would increase if they actually gave good service.

 

[ceecee]

I hate to hear that. I hope it's not because they already have a tip and don't care if they get extra.

 

[helenk]

I was in WDW 7/16-7/20 and I had great service. I was concerned because I was by myself and sometimes solo diners kind of get lost in the shuffle.
I had dinner at SciFi, service was good, my soda was refilled several times without my asking. I had dinner at Tony's, again good service and recommendations from the waitress and again I never had to ask for refills. I had dinner at Trails End, a great waitress, kept my plates cleared and the soda filled, Dinner at Beaches and Cream, the waitress was very nice and friendly, I had to stop her from refilling my soda the 3rd time, and finally breakfast a Boma, very nice waiter, helped me with the press pot coffee, and kept the table cleared.
Sometimes it does seem to be hit and miss, but I consider myself lucky.

 

[PatriciaH]

I just wanted to note that all the bus staff at WDW have been laid off. Servers now have to clean and bus their own plates. I am sure this affects service when it is packed. Please write to WDW to tell them about your service. Maybe they will re-think this move! I wonder if this is at the fine dining restaurants as well!?

 

[grinningghost]

I just wanted to note that all the bus staff at WDW have been laid off. Servers now have to clean and bus their own plates. I am sure this affects service when it is packed. Please write to WDW to tell them about your service. Maybe they will re-think this move! I wonder if this is at the fine dining restaurants as well!?

That's crazy! With restaurants as busy as WDW's, bus people are not a luxury, they're a necessity. And it's not like bus people get paid alot of money (I know, I was one once). There has to be other ways to cut costs.

 

[Taratink]

At Ohana, the waiter brought out one serving of pineapple for our family of 5 (when I saw other tables of 5 getting two servings)- he brought our check with the pineapple. When we asked for more pineapple, we could tell he wasn't our cousin anymore - he was visibly irritated.

Thats funny!
Tara

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

That's crazy! With restaurants as busy as WDW's, bus people are not a luxury, they're a necessity. And it's not like bus people get paid alot of money (I know, I was one once). There has to be other ways to cut costs.

Why pay 4 bussers busser minimum wage when you can hire 3 extra waiters sub minimum and then make all the waiters bus their own tables and give them fewer tables each accordingly? It's an industry trend and not one I like to see because service is declining. Disney certainly isn't the first to do this. Very few of even the true upscale places (I'm not talking Outback here either) have bussers any more. It's usually another waiter who's station isn't so crowded helping out. And I never see a true busser at any of the standard places here any more.

 

[Ilovestitch]

This past May we ate at Ohana, Boma, 50's Prime Time, Kona Cafe and Teppanyaki and I have to say our servers were all outstanding. Really attentive and all great personalities. Especially 50's Prime Time- we had an awesome server! I couldn't stop laughing from the moment we sat down til we left. I just had to get my picture taken w/him.

We were not on the dining plan.

 

[suzannews]

That's crazy! With restaurants as busy as WDW's, bus people are not a luxury, they're a necessity. And it's not like bus people get paid alot of money (I know, I was one once). There has to be other ways to cut costs.

Amen.

 

[k5thbeatle]

"Service has gone down "

On a larger scale I believe that this is a trend that extends well beyond the realm of Disney, but as this is a Disney site I tend to agree that the problem also occurs within the kingdom.

 

[pdchris]

Why pay 4 bussers busser minimum wage when you can hire 3 extra waiters sub minimum and then make all the waiters bus their own tables and give them fewer tables each accordingly? It's an industry trend and not one I like to see because service is declining. Disney certainly isn't the first to do this. Very few of even the true upscale places (I'm not talking Outback here either) have bussers any more. It's usually another waiter who's station isn't so crowded helping out. And I never see a true busser at any of the standard places here any more.

And service will continue to be mediocre or worse because people put up with it. I've seen this so often in all kinds of industries. The corp. heads decide to cut costs and we, the people, put up with it and continue to give them our money. The only time I've seen the people react was with Krispy Creme donuts. The jerks that bought the company decided to save money by, of all the stupid ideas, changing the ingredients in the donuts! Then, they wondered why in heck sales dropped precipitously. When they did realize their bone-headed play, sales had tanked so bad, the company is still trying to recover.

 

[nasmith]

Of course people will continue to put up with it - They're giving away FREE dining!

I wonder if Disney underestimated the popularity of the dining plan and is understaffed because of it - I mean - How many more WDW TS restaurants are people going to than they would otherwise (without the plan) --- That WAS the whole point of them offering it in the first place, wasn't it?

 

[YourMajesty]

Poor service was my main complaint on our Dec 03 trip(before free dining). We did CM's dinner on our first night and our server was terrible(I can still see the frown on her face and the name on her tag). . We also had poor serive at Kona (and bad food for breakfast), Concourse Steakhouse (breakfast), and just OK serivce at CRT. We had good service at Prime Time , Rain Forrest Cafe (AK) and San Angel. I'm really nervous about the service and food quality this trip. We going to take Grandma with us for her first trip and will not be on the dining plan. It's too expensive for bad service and quality. At least at the character meals we were distracted from the grumpy wait staff.