Sharing meals at TS restaurants???

[MickQuinn]

I have been studying (and drooling over) the menus and pictures from the different table service restaurants we will be eating at during our stay next week. Myself, DH, DS(7) and DM are all on the regular ddp.

Some of the portions look absolutely huge, plus dessert on the ddp. We are not big eaters, especially in the heat. Do restaurants allow you to split a table service meal? If so, can we just order an extra beverage and pay oop?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Haley]

I see people do it all the time at TS restaurants and the servers don't even bat an eye-- it seems like it's no big deal at all.

 

[missminniemouse]

My DH and DD have split meals many times with no problems. We usually don't buy the dining plan, however, we did have free dining in the past and for part of our trip this December we will have the dining plan for free again.

We usually like to order an appetizer as well, so there is plenty of food to go around. When on the dining plan, we just pay for the appetizer and extra beverage out of pocket. Just be sure to tell your server when you order that you wish to do this.

When we don't have the DDP, we normally order an appetizer and forget the dessert. Sometimes if dessert is too much for us to eat when we have the dining plan we'll take it with us at the end of the meal. They'll gladly box it up for you. Just be sure to order a dessert that will keep for a while.....forget anything that has ice cream on it unless you want to eat the ice cream and take the rest with you.

 

[DisneyGrampa]

Sharing is OK if you're paying OOP. It is not allowed in TS restaurants if you're on the dining plan.

 

[MickQuinn]

Now I'm confused...

I know that you can't share meals with someone that is not on the ddp. That is only fair.

But.... can they force someone to order a meal knowing that it will just go to waste????

 

[missminniemouse]

Sharing is OK if you're paying OOP. It is not allowed in TS restaurants if you're on the dining plan.

I thought DH and DD did share some of the time when we had the free dining plan. That was 2 years ago. Maybe this policy has changed. We'll find out for ourselves when we go in December.

 

[Justsyd2]

The TS meals aren't really that big. Disney serves reasonable portion sizes. Although there is no sharing when you're on the DDP, you can either pay OOP or not order an appetizer and/or dessert. Disney does its best to provide you a great meal, but if you feel that some of it will go to waste because you can't eat it all, order what you can eat, i.e., just an entrée and not appy and dessert.

 

[brp]

I have a feeling it's something like this:

Someone on the DP can't share with someone not on the DP- that's part of the rules.

If one person on DP orders a TS meal and the other does not, it is as if the person not ordering is not on the DP for that meal, since they are not using it. So, no sharing with that person.

At least that seems to be consistent.

Now, if both DP folks order a TS meal, I assume that there'd be no problem with sharing what they each got. At least I'd hope not.

Cheers.

 

[ElizabethB]

We just came back. We thought the main courses were huge. A friend and I shared main courses for all but a couple of meals. We were not on DDP. In most cases, the meal was divided and came on two plates. Very nice.

 

[TDC Nala]

The only TS (besides buffets or all you can eat places) that, according to reports we have, has consistently prohibited sharing of entrees by DDP users is Beaches & Cream. Everywhere else, there are sporadic reports of people not being permitted to share an entree, but nothing consistent that would lead one to conclude that there is a fixed policy stating you can't share entrees on the DDP. Keep in mind, of course, that any individual restaurant could easily change its policy on sharing between the time you read the experiences of others on these boards and the time you actually go to the restaurant.

There is a policy that you can't share meals you purchased on the dining plan with people who are not on the dining plan.

 

[AlohaPolynesian]

My friend and I shared an appetizer and entree at Sci Fi in May. They actually divided up the entree and just served it to us on 2 separate plates.

 

[Sugardimples]

You certainly can share a meal on the DDP. What you can't do is share your dining plan CREDITS with someone not on the plan. For example, if you and your partner are on the plan you cannot invite a third person to dine with you and pay for it with your credits.

But you can share a meal! We do it all the time (yes, on the DDP)! Once you order the food it's your food - share it any way you want!

 

[Freyja]

We were on the dining plan in December and we split quite a few TS meals with no problems at all. We too find the portions huge.

 

[brp]

You certainly can share a meal on the DDP. What you can't do is share your dining plan CREDITS with someone not on the plan. For example, if you and your partner are on the plan you cannot invite a third person to dine with you and pay for it with your credits.

But you can share a meal! We do it all the time (yes, on the DDP)! Once you order the food it's your food - share it any way you want!

We were on the dining plan in December and we split quite a few TS meals with no problems at all. We too find the portions huge.

So, in theory, if both mrs. brp and I were on DDP, we could get a TS reservation, order one DDP meal and share the whole thing, using only one credit?

Cheers.

 

[MickQuinn]

Thanks for the information. I read over the dining plan brochure again, and it really isn't clear on this. I guess I'll just ask when we order.

Anyone not been able to do this recently? Which places?