Sharing meals while using the vouchers?

[crazymomof4]

I have read so much about saving $$ by sharing the large amount of food that you get with one voucher. When I proposed this idea to my DH he gave me a funny look.
We are a family of 6. We would be using the Lunch vouchers at Le Cellier and RFC. here's how we would do it:
Using 2 vouchers, DH and DS11 share one meal. DS14 and I share another. DS6 and DD2.5 would share a kids meal (not using a voucher). We would leave extra tip to cover the inconvenience of sharing and also the kid's meal.

Tell me how I can convince my DH that people do this in WDW.

 

[ducklite]

While the portions at both places are on the generous side, I'm not sure that a single entree would feed what are basically two adults. I think you'll need to supplement with extra appetizers and/or desserts.

The little ones should be able to share the kids meal though.

Anne

 

[4greatboys]

Why dont you go to the menu sections and print out menu's from the places you want to eat. Highlite the items you think your dh and ds would eat. Maybe you could say ds gets the appetizer, dh gets the meal and they share dessert. At many resturants I could eat the appetizer for a whole meal--maybe dh thinks he is going to leave hungry.
It might help him to actually see it in black and white instead of just hearing about it. Good Luck.

 

[crazymomof4]

Originally posted by ducklite
I think you'll need to supplement with extra appetizers and/or desserts.Anne

I'll tell my DH about that option.

At many resturants I could eat the appetizer for a whole meal

That's me! A salad and a roll and I'm done! Then I wonder where I'm gonna put the dinner I ordered, much less dessert.


I paired my DH with the DS11 because DS11 is not a really big eater, yet. I'm not a big eater but my DS14 is. I just think about how much food we usually bring home in "Doggy Bags" when we eat out. Since we won't have that option in WDW, I would rather only buy the amount of food that we will actually eat. Like Ducklite said, we can always order more food or get something at a snack stand after eating at the restaurant if someone is still hungry. I don't want to be a cheapskate or have anyone go hungry but I at WDW food prices I hate to see the food go to waste.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I am just starting to learn about the vouchers so this may be a silly question but here gos. Are the lunch vouchers the $11.25 ones? Are they good at other sit down places? LeCellier is a favorite for us and I think it would be quite a deal at $11.25 each. The last time we ate there it cost us $63.58 (I keep track ), and that was for 3 as DD was just 2. Thanks for the info!

 

[frannn]

He has not expressed any distaste for sharing yet, but we go out to eat (usually diner) once a week, and we always get our own meals. I usually take half of mine home. I would like to do RFC twice during our trip. I have figured in doing three meals each day, which we have never done in the past at WDW. We are taking DD1, so I figure it is bext to go and eat according to her schedule. Therefore, I figure we will not be starving at dinnertime. If we are still hungry, there's always the food court at the AS for a personal pan pizza to share. I'll also bring some (not a lot) of snacks to the park, and micro meals for DD.

 

[dgaston]

For Disneycrazymom: The Quick and Casual vouchers ($11.25) work only at counter service restaurants. The Kingom Lunch Vouchers ($30.50) are the ones you can use at full service restaurants. For our August trip, I have one KLV which I want to share with DH. Haven't pinned it down, but thinking of revisiting 50's Prime Time, Le Cellier, or maybe RFC at AK. I've read on the boards about people splitting lunches (and walking away stuffed) at all of these places.

 

[crazymomof4]

Disneycrazymom Here's a thread that has a lot of info on the vouchers. Beware....it's LONG!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=337245&goto=newpost

 

[DMRick]

Hubby and I always share at AK RF. With our Kingdom lunch certificate ($30.50) we buy the stuffed lobster and steak..and they upgrade (no charge) the steak to the primal..which is a decent size. Sometimes we order that and ask them to substitute the coconut shrimp (you get a lot more this way, than if you just order the shrimp and steak from the menu..you won't see the stuffed lobster on the menu..guess it's a secret). It comes with a hugh serving of rice and beans and a veggie..usually zucchini, etc.
We usually get the chips and crab dip, and the banana foster for dessert (included on the certificate).
They bring it out on one plate and an extra dish (we tell them we are sharing). We are good eaters, and this more than fits the bill.
Doris

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thanks Crazymomof4 I read the entire thread! Does anyone know how they figure the tip on the vouchers? Is it on the price of the meal or do you leave extra if the voucher is less?

 

[crazymomof4]

The server's tip is 15% of your total food bill, NOT any percentage of the cost of the voucher. So it is to the server's advantage for you to order THE MOST while using your voucher.

 

[Mic]

We are a family of 6, and on our last trip we had 3 of our 4 kids with us(13,10, & 9)at RC. With 2 vouchers we ordered the top-secret Surf and Turf(but no steak upgrade) and my favorite, Maya's mixed grill. With the 2 appetizers(wings and quesadillas, I think) and 2 desserts, that easily fed at least 4 of us. I ordered 2 more kids meals(like I usually do), but without my 14-year-old there to share my entree with me, we did not need the extra meals. We ended up wasting A LOT of food(half the surf and turf and my ribs), and we did not finish the desserts. Sometimes DH and I order a side salad each(@$5 each), but I'm glad we didn't on that trip! So I think you will be fine with 2 vouchers, especially if you add a kids meal.

 

[off2disney]

Do the restaurants frown on guests sharing meals? My 6 y/o grandson just picks at his food, and my daughter recently had surgery and can't eat a lot at one time. She's also very picky but I like just about everything. I was thinking a kids meal for him and a shared entree and appetizer for us ans maybe a dessert shared three ways. This would let us do more restaurants without wasting food that we won't be able to carry "home".

 

[Lewisc]

Most restaurants don't care if you split meals. Obviously not in buffets or other all you can eat type of places. Frequently the kitchen will split the meal in the kitchen and bring it out on 2 plates. You should tip extra since you're spending less and the waiter is doing more work.

Originally posted by off2disney
Do the restaurants frown on guests sharing meals? My 6 y/o grandson just picks at his food, and my daughter recently had surgery and can't eat a lot at one time. She's also very picky but I like just about everything. I was thinking a kids meal for him me".

 

[crazymomof4]

Originally posted by Lewisc
You should tip extra since you're spending less and the waiter is doing more work.

I used to work in food service and I second this!

 

[off2disney]

I manage a restaurant and I firmly believe in this, too! I see how hard my staff works and how CHEAP some of our customers are! It has to be horrible service before I react, and even then I don't stiff them. But I will tell management about poor service. I think it is managements responsible to weed out bad servers and not inflict them on innocent customers.

 

[frannn]

We will be using one RFC voucher for the two of us. I would like to add the extra tip into my food "allowance" so it's already budgeting for. Thanks!

 

[DMRick]

I see how hard my staff works and how CHEAP some of our customers are!

If I don't use a voucher at Rain Forest, my bill is usually (for two) around $30. If I do use a voucher and we share, my bill has doubled that (not what I pay, but what the tip is based on), since we get an appetizer and dessert (since if we don't finish either, it doesn't bother me, since the price fo them both is included). So even if the only tip the waiter gets, is what is covered by the voucher, they do much better when I use the voucher and share. Unless I get really exceptional service (and then in any case I tip more), I do not tip over the voucher amount, even when sharing.
The waiters at RF must not mind..they always ask us to ask for them when we come back..and we do try to.
Our food came to $80 last time (when there is four of us, of course it's 2 vouchers and double the amount)...we were there for just under an hour, and the waiter got about $12 from our table. He was taking care of several tables, of course during that hour.

 

[madge]

I am seriously thinking about getting one of the VKL vouchers when I place my order in a few weeks. we were planning on eating at the RFC anyway

one voucher for us to share....DH & I will share the mojo bones (full rack) more than likely, or the surf & turf, with one of our DS eating the appetizer. I know we are going to have to supplement this with some other food, which is fine. How much hassle do you think it will be to pay the separate portion of the bill with a GC? I earned a $25 gift cert. through mypoints (so it was free )

has anyone done this? is it hassle?

does the AP/DC discount apply at the AK Rainforest Cafe?

Thanks!

 

[DMRick]

It's no hassle at all, we have gotten extra drinks, a salad here and there..and you can apply your AP/DC discount to the items you are actually paying for..non voucher, of course. We tip sep for extras, of course.