Splitting meals at table service

[beccasmom]

We sometimes split appetizers and often desserts as both are often too much for one of us. We’ve never had an issue.

 

[ppmcoj]

I'm confused, so they did let you split the meal but they just would not give you a second empty plate for it?

No, they didn't let us split the meal and didn't provide an additional plate. I just simply put food from husband's plate onto my appetizer plate and ate it. If I hadn't had an additional plate, I would have just eaten straight off his plate. The waitress either didn't notice or she chose not to say anything.

 

[RivShore]

No, they didn't let us split the meal and didn't provide an additional plate. I just simply put food from husband's plate onto my appetizer plate and ate it. If I hadn't had an additional plate, I would have just eaten straight off his plate. The waitress either didn't notice or she chose not to say anything.

Split the meal as in have the kitchen split if for you on to two separate plates? I could understand that being restricted but sharing as you did using a small plate, it seems like they did not have a problem with that.

 

[Disturbia]

Why not do a lounge? STK71 has a lounge. CRT charges per person and same for Space220, BOG (preteen ordered macncheese but still got charged adult prices) etc. California grill and Topolinos have walk up bar seating. We have to pay for kids even if the options are not good and they can’t accommodate allergies well.

That said, Le creperie is probably ok because they have a QS pickup window outside. It’s best to ask your waiter before ordering.

Occasionally a CM might take a meal off but that been rare.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Split the meal as in have the kitchen split if for you on to two separate plates? I could understand that being restricted but sharing as you did using a small plate, it seems like they did not have a problem with that.

I'd be shocked to hear them say they didn't have a problem with it, after the server explicitly stated it wasn't allowed. It's more likely this wasn't the hill the server was willing to die on that particular night.

FWIW, we share appetizers & entrees a majority of the time. We actually prefer a shared plate charge, so we don't need to be concerned with whether or not sharing is allowed. We've also found that a high enough alcohol bill tends to make restaurants loosen their "no sharing" stance.

 

[RivShore]

I'd be shocked to hear them say they didn't have a problem with it, after the server explicitly stated it wasn't allowed. It's more likely this wasn't the hill the server was willing to die on that particular night.

FWIW, we share appetizers & entrees a majority of the time. We actually prefer a shared plate charge, so we don't need to be concerned with whether or not sharing is allowed. We've also found that a high enough alcohol bill tends to make restaurants loosen their "no sharing" stance.

We often split too and usually don't have a problem but we always just ask for a second plate so we can split it ourselves. Once in a while we are pleasantly surprised when they split it in the kitchen but we never expect that. That's why i was wondering if the hard NO was about splitting it into two dishes for them.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We often split too and usually don't have a problem but we always just ask for a second plate so we can split it ourselves. Once in a while we are pleasantly surprised when they split it in the kitchen but we never expect that. That's why i was wondering if the hard NO was about splitting it into two dishes for them.

My guess would be it was about splitting an entrée in general. As you noted, it's common for a restaurant to bring an extra plate for sharing. Since that wasn't offered & the OP was explicitly told splitting was no longer allowed, it most likely means no sharing period.

 

[Skippyboo]

If you get the skillet at Whispering Canyon, you can share with other skillet people but you can’t share with a non skillet person who ordered something a la carte. If everything is ala carte then it’s not a problem to share.

 

[beccasmom]

We shared an appetizer at Whispering Canyon the other day and our server offered to bring us another plate. It may depend on the server, I don’t know, but it wasn’t an issue.

 

[Lesverts]

In general I find most mid-range restaurants have apps that are meant to be shared, same with desserts. I've seen dessert menus where the calorie count on each is over the daily recommended for an adult male. That is not single serving.

This is one thing I wish some restaurants would not fight on. For a couple 2 apps, 1 entree and 1 dessert is just as much or more as 2 entrees. Let people eat whoever they want. And the bonus of less food waste.

 

[Robber Baron]

Just FYI, one of our fave restaurants is Il Mulino and they offer 1/2 orders of all their pasta dishes.

 

[FriggnOdie]

I don’t want to sound cheap…we are two seniors who can’t eat a lot! Do the table service restaurants frown on splitting entrees? What about a prix fixe meal, like at La Creperie? My husband would probably go ahead and order it but I couldn’t eat all that NOR do I want to carry food around with me.

First time back to WDW in about 18 years…before we had child with us and mostly ate QS and I had more of an appetite than I do now.

I just don’t want to commit a faux pas or look stupid. Longtime DL passholder and we do things a lot differently out here on the coast. More QS, and half the time I don’t even eat in the park. Hubby hates DL, I mostly do solo trips but he wanted one more trip to WDW. He likes the food choices there and the entertainment, he feels DL is just “rides”.

TIA for feedback!

I’ve done it with no issues.

 

[Miffy]

My sister and I split entrees all the time at WDW and have never had a problem, but we've never tried this at a prix fixe meal, so I can't comment on that. Sometimes we get appetizers and/or desserts, but sometimes not. We've never had any restaurant split the meal and bring it out on 2 plates, but we always get an extra plate if we ask.

And, as other posters have said, we tip as if we had two entrees.

BTW, we're not drinkers and usually have only water, not even a soda.

 

[snowwite]

DH and I frequently split meals, because, like you, we're seniors who can't eat a lot. Disney doesn't mind it so much so that, except for rare occasions, when we say we're splitting a meal, the server brings it out already split on two plates, so that it looks like two meals. And for us it really is!

Now why didn’t I think of doing it this way? Clever. I was doing things like just having a kids meal or a salad. Splitting one would be a lot better.

 

[cedricandsophie]

My husband is not a big eater. He often just gets an appetizer or salad and then i give him part of my entree.

 

[Baldy]

Just FYI, one of our fave restaurants is Il Mulino and they offer 1/2 orders of all their pasta dishes.

This is great info. Thank you. I‘be never seen it listed anywhere. Are there other places that offer 1/2 portions?

 

[ncc1701]

This is great info. Thank you. I‘be never seen it listed anywhere. Are there other places that offer 1/2 portions?

None that I have seen. II Mulino isn't a Disney restaurant (it's located in the Swan). I have gone to other Italian restaurants were the smaller size pasta was an option.

 

[SL6827]

We share meals, I eat CS kids meals as well. But Disney will likely go in the direction of more priced fixed TS meals in the future to increase profits.

 

[kristenrice]

When I went in 2020 with my dad, we dined at Topolino's for dinner. He can be a bit of a "picky" eater (he is very "meat and potatoes") and so he really did not know what to order. I told him that the filet or the rigatoni would probably be perfect for him and I knew I was going to get one or the other...so we ordered one of each. We told the server that we planned to each split our meals and share with each other. I was so pleasantly surprised when our order was brought out to our table with (2) plates...each with filet AND rigatoni on them! They split and plated both meals separately without any request whatsoever.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Let people eat whoever they want.

If you want people to eat whoever they want, then you are on the wrong discussion board, my friend.