They Even Reduced The Food Amount.. Yup

[missy28]

If it's that big of a deal, I have some frozen chicken fingers in the freezer... I could mail you one...they are probably the same kind Disney 'unfreezes' and serves.

 

[YoHo]

Again, I'm gonna skip reading a couple pages just to point out that Disneyland still gives you 4 chicken fingers. or a cheaper 3 finger meal if you prefer. And the portions at the barbeque/Mexican place are huge and they still have Bengal Barbeque......
[RASPBERRY] PTHBBBBBBBBT!!!!

Sounds like a Disney WORLD problem, NOT a DISNEY problem.

 

[HB2K]

My area manager did not choose the type of chicken served, and niether did Mr. Eisner. Someone in Food and Bev purchasing made that choice (I can't pretend to know the reasoning, but I do know that in the past, what has been percieved as a greedy entertainment 'cut' here on the boards was a result of talent agencies violating contracts and other behind-the-scenes things that guests and our experts here on the boards are not privy to.)

Seven degrees of management...

Ei$ner decrees to his minions he wants costs cut at the theme parks because he wants another cable network, Power ranger re-runs, an extra slice of cheesecake with his expensed lunch (Bet he gets the fourth chicken finger).

So Ei$ner's minions then go to their minions, and tell them to start thinking of ways to make Mr. Ei$ner's dreams come true. So these second level minons make decisions.

Then these second level minions go to their employees and tell them the changes and expect them to be implemented.

Then we get to the CM's....these poor people. They get the brunt of the public's response to these decisions.

Ei$ner may not be hovering over the minimum wage CM slaving over the fry o later to make sure there are no "extra" chicken fingers making it into your basket, but he set the wheels in motion to make it happen.

And Steve, while I enjoy your posts as much as the next person, you're working at a job which requires you to interact with the public as a representative of the WDC. What do you expect customers to say to you....they love getting one less piece of chicken for the same price they paid for last years larger portions?

 

[raidermatt]

Steve, I don't think anybody considers you a minion. We all have different perspectives from which we form our opinions.

Its clear when you post info it is from a genuine desire to pass the information along, and you rarely, if ever, use it as "proof" that things are ok. I know some don't always catch on to that somewhat subtle differentiation, but I think most do, and certainly we appreciate the contribution you make.

As for why a CM would seem to be passing on "bad news" with glee, it's probably because that's how they conduct ALL of their guest interactions. I doubt they are trained to tell guests "I know it stinks, but I can't do anything about it". In these cases, there's a fine line between empathizing with the customer and "bad-mouthing" the company, so my guess is most CMs err on the positive side, and understandably so.

 

[C.Ann]

I've never had a bad interaction with a CM.. Given the conditions they work under (extreme heat, grumpy visitors, low wages, job uncertainties, etc.) I think they go above and beyond - at least in the parks anyhow..

The problems are a result of the decisions that are made much higher up the ladder.. When will Eisner and the likes of him realize that they are running Disney World into the ground?

If they want people to come - and return - they need to make it worthwhile.. Giving "less" (of anything) isn't going to cut it..

 

[Planogirl]

If they want people to come - and return - they need to make it worthwhile.. Giving "less" (of anything) isn't going to cut it..

C. Ann, I love your comments!

I noticed earlier that a few posters mentioned customer surveys justifying the lost chicken strip. I can hear the question now, "when you order a chicken finger meal do you eat three strips?" Not to be cynical but experience has shown me that questions can be easily phrased to suit someone's needs.

Safari Steve, I have had TWO bad experiences with CM's. That is in 12 visits dealing with countless CM's in all areas of the resorts. CM's are definitely not the problem, it's the higher ups that make these lame-brained decisions.

 

[GeorgeY]

I have some first hand experience from this weekend on the Chicken Fingers issue. The 3 strips are very large, I'd say twice as large as they used to be. I am pretty familiar with them, because my 9 yr old and myself would sometimes just ride out to Epcot just to have a Chicken Finger meal at the Electric Umbrella. So now in my experience they are actually giving you more food now. The devils advocate in me says They may just be serving the large size now since there was actually media attention on the portion decrease, and will slowly decrease the size as the furor goes away.

George

 

[DisneyKidds]

So now in my experience they are actually giving you more food now. The devils advocate in me says They may just be serving the large size now since there was actually media attention on the portion decrease, and will slowly decrease the size as the furor goes away.

You know, I don't recall if anyone in this thread even considered the possibility that this wasn't a cut at all. Thank you for your first hand, very relevant report. Maybe, just maybe, Disney did consider portion size (people get paid to do this in the restaurant biz all the time) and adjusted the number of fingers based on the fact that fingers from a new supplier were larger.

Sometimes people only see what they want to see...................and if someone were looking for a cutback to point out or complain about this may have provided an opportunity to find something that wasn't really there. I wonder how often that is done around here .

As for the 'media attention', I doubt Disney is temporarily going to a supplier of larger fingers in order to quell the uprising.

 

[raidermatt]

Sometimes people only see what they want to see...................

How true, DK.

You know, if the fingers really are bigger, making the portion size the same, its "curious" that the CM who responded to the question from the OP only said that yes, the number of fingers were reduced, along with the number of fries.

One would think that the CM would have also pointed out that the fingers, and I guess fries too, are bigger than before, making the portion size the same. (Actually, if George's description is accurate, the portion size would have increased 50%.)

 

[BRERALEX]

I am very familiar with the chicken fingers. Especially at Columbia harbour house, and the portion was smaller and honestly i thought the size was smaller too. there is no way the fingers at CHH are double the size now, no way. They used to be a nice decent size and to say they are double now is nuts.

MAYBE just MAYBE at the electrical umbrella it's a different story

 

[TDC Nala]

i just got back from shoveling snow and while i was shoveling was wondering if AV you think that Ei$ner is Sauron and some of the board members are like the Urak hi** and then everyone else are orcs with a couple of cave trolls thrown in?

Who wants to be Gollum? Okay, I will...

"Aaargh, they've TAKEN my precious chicken finger..."

"But they're Disney! Disney loves us! Disney will take care of us!"

"They've TAKEN the chicken finger! They must pay!"

 

[Another Voice]

"...wondering if AV you think that Ei$ner is Sauron..."

Nope.

He's just a man whose ambition is far greater than his talent and with a greed that blinds him to the damage he inflicts onto the future.

You can find these petty people in businesses all throughout the country. Sadly, he ended up at a company a lot of people care about.

 

[crusader]

[

He's just a man whose ambition is far greater than his talent and with a greed that blinds him to the damage he inflicts onto the future.

The key to success is surrounding yourself with top talent - and learning the true meaning of humility. Execs have been stroked to believe there is an entitlement simply because they got there. It's not entirely their fault. They are heralded upon recruitment and begin to reap the rewards before investing one minute of their time. This is not a unique industry practice - it is standard.

 

[C.Ann]

Didn't I read on these boards several months ago how Disney had reduced the cost of their beverages? Perhaps they're trying to make up the cost difference by turning around and reducing the size of the food portions..

Wouldn't be the first time they manipulated their customers in this way..

 

[Planogirl]

I heard about the reduced costs for beverages too. I didn't find them at WDW but I had heard about them. Maybe these reductions haven't kicked in yet?

 

[YoHo]

Considering all of their coke products are completely free, I can't imagine that reducing their cost put that big a strain on thier profits.