Tinkanddonaldfans,
We too are from the UK. We always take the attitude that while we are on holidays we are there to have fun and eat where we enjoy. This usually leads to Yatchman's steakhouse, Cali Grill etc. but we also enjoy the cheaper places like Bennigan's, Perkins etc.
This last trip (we returned last week) we were on a bit of a budget but we still managed one evening at YMSH. We achieved this by eating at bennigan's a few times more and not doing lots of the WS restaurants, in fact we ate at the Rose and Crown just once (we have to as DGF used to be a server there).
You could take a trip to the MofM and convince your BF its a visit to the cheese cake factory rather than for shopping. When infact you get the best of both worlds: great food, great shopping. My girlfriend always gets me to go shopping by promising lunch there.
We didnt count but i can guarantee that we spent less than $800 on evening meals including alcohol and DGF and i enjoy our alcohol alot. We were there for 15 nights we ate at Captain Jacks, YMSH, Rose and Crown, Bahama Breeze (a couple times), Bennigans (a few times), Olive Garden, House of Blues, Outback Steakhouse, Planet Hollywood and the new restaurant at Pointe Orlando - Red Rock Canyon.
To be honest when you consider the money you're paying for CS at lunch in the parks the sort of figures we spend on evening meals isn't unjust.
My advise is eat wherever you like as long as you enjoy it.