Silly question -- do restaurants close between meals?

[dimndgal1]

I know a lot of restaurants offer varying costs between lunch and dinner, but do they actually close to separate the two? Or is it just you come at 330 you're lunch, you come at 4 you're dinner?

I'm aware that places like CRT will usually have a time slot break, but I'm wondering about the ones that take walk-ups, specifically at World Showcase in EPCOT.

Thanks!

 

[tinka-belle]

Some do close, but they usually don't rush diners that are having a late lunch. Others close just sections as the lunch hour gets later, and fill those now empty sections with dinner ADRs.

 

[tzeitel]

Not a silly question at all! I know the restaurants in the resorts do but not sure about the parks

 

[Conan the Librarian]

I know Le Cellier does not.

Last year we got the latest seating possible for lunch, and, before we were through, they were seating the first folks for Supper.

(The way you tell there is that at the start of each meal cycle, the staff sings O'Canada to the first guests).

 

[cbg1027]

Some places actually close between meals, like Boma and Chef Mickey's. They serve breakfast and dinner, so there are some hours after the last breakfast diners have left that they're closed.

Other places like Le Cellier don't really close, but they may have times they are not seating. The last lunch seating is at 3, so people who get seated then can stay and eat their meal at any pace, even if they restaurant is prepping for the dinner crowd. They will have the lunch menu and pay the lunch menu prices. Dinner starts at 4, so people seated from then on get the dinner menu and pay those prices.

Other places, like 50's PT don't have any closing or stop in seating. When you're seated dictates which menu you get. Before 4, you get the lunch menu, after 4, dinner menu.

So the short answer is that it's different at every restaurant.

 

[POOHsie]

We ate at The Wave (Contemporary) last Fall for late lunch. Our time was the end of lunch service, around 2-2:30. We weren't hurried in the least, but our server was waiting for us to finish so she could end her shift. Our server even gave us samples of some foods we asked about but didn't order. We felt like we had a real custom meal. Dinner service didn't start until later in the day. We both were very impressed with The Wave for lunch, then an easy trip back to MK for the rest of the day.

 

[dimndgal1]

I appreciate the info! It's interesting how varied each restaurant is... I'll have to make sure to ask when making any ADRs.

I'm a big fan of eating a late lunch and then a light snack for dinner so I like to try to shoot for the latest lunch setting and get the cheaper prices... but I want to avoid hitting it 5 minutes later and paying more.

 

[POOHsie]

I appreciate the info! It's interesting how varied each restaurant is... I'll have to make sure to ask when making any ADRs.

I'm a big fan of eating a late lunch and then a light snack for dinner so I like to try to shoot for the latest lunch setting and get the cheaper prices... but I want to avoid hitting it 5 minutes later and paying more.

You're on to a good dining strategy, especially if you are paying OOP. Late lunch is a great break from the heat, and a good physical rest for your body, after hours of walking around. What I really like is the monorail resort restaurants, which are all nice, and convenient to MK or Epcot, plus bonus monorail or boat ride for the kids. Even consider MK to WL by boat, for Whispering Canyon Cafe lunch.