Tiffins - has become a disappointment

[gharter]

We have been to Tiffins multiple times and it has been one of our must do restaurants. Over the last 2 years, we have noticed a "dumbing down" of the menu. What used to have an exciting and unusual menu has been watered down to what you can get at any restaurant back at home.
We were excited to go back this week. I look at the menu and the first entree is chicken and waffles! Seriously!! While this can be good, what does this have to do with an African inspired restaurant. The next option, surf and turf. They also have a ribeye from Florida.
Our meal was good, but this restaurant has gone from a must do to no reason to go there.
Unfortunately, we noticed the same thing at Skippers Canteen. Started out with a very interesting menu and evolved to a more generic menu. Apparently, that is what the masses want.

 

[goofyintoronto]

We have been to Tiffins multiple times and it has been one of our must do restaurants. Over the last 2 years, we have noticed a "dumbing down" of the menu. What used to have an exciting and unusual menu has been watered down to what you can get at any restaurant back at home.
We were excited to go back this week. I look at the menu and the first entree is chicken and waffles! Seriously!! While this can be good, what does this have to do with an African inspired restaurant. The next option, surf and turf. They also have a ribeye from Florida.
Our meal was good, but this restaurant has gone from a must do to no reason to go there.
Unfortunately, we noticed the same thing at Skippers Canteen. Started out with a very interesting menu and evolved to a more generic menu. Apparently, that is what the masses want.

Yes, I think this is why they changed the menu to something more generic. The exotic items weren't selling. Its a shame really. But hey, its business. If theyre not making money with the exotic menu then changing it makes sense i suppose. But i do agree with you that chicken and waffles is very strange for an African inspired restaurant.

I had some chicken dish when i was there last November....it was good. But very bland and nothing special to be honest. I really doubt i'll go back.

 

[holden]

That’s a shame. We really enjoyed it when it first opened.

 

[RealBlast3]

It still seems exiting and exciting to me? Every restaurant in Disney, no matter how out there, always has a few items "dumbed down" to appeal to the regular meat and potatoes masses - I mean, that's just good business sense for the kind of show that Disney runs. Like, wherever you go, there is usually a burger (or in this case a steak), how could there not be? It's a theme park eatery.

And while some dishes are really out there, others just has a hint of adventure in them, like a sauce that's a little different, just a bit of fusion.

This thread is so funny because I was just looking at Tiffins menu last night and I was practically drooling looking at all options - I can't wait for my trip where I eat there next month! It doesn't bother me that there's a rib eye - I didn't even realize it wasn't "exotic" enough, I just kept thinking how delicious it sounded when I read it over! I'm probably going to order that for my main course!

 

[gharter]

It still seems exiting and exciting to me? Every restaurant in Disney, no matter how out there, always has a few items "dumbed down" to appeal to the regular meat and potatoes masses - I mean, that's just good business sense for the kind of show that Disney runs. Like, wherever you go, there is usually a burger (or in this case a steak), how could there not be? It's a theme park eatery.

And while some dishes are really out there, others just has a hint of adventure in them, like a sauce that's a little different, just a bit of fusion.

This thread is so funny because I was just looking at Tiffins menu last night and I was practically drooling looking at all options - I can't wait for my trip where I eat there next month! It doesn't bother me that there's a rib eye - I didn't even realize it wasn't "exotic" enough, I just kept thinking how delicious it sounded when I read it over! I'm probably going to order that for my main course!

The food at Tiffins is still good. My point is that what was once a unique restaurant that tried to have an African influence, is now a generic restaurant that could be anywhere. It no longer has the "out there items" that made it special.
Its a bad sign when the most unusual/unique item on the menu is an appetizer.

 

[RealBlast3]

The food at Tiffins is still good. My point is that what was once a unique restaurant that tried to have an African influence, is now a generic restaurant that could be anywhere. It no longer has the "out there items" that made it special.
Its a bad sign when the most unusual/unique item on the menu is an appetizer.

This just isn't true, though? There may not be as many "out there items" but you still have around half or so of their entrees with dishes that something about them inspired by African or Asian influences. I just looked at the menu, so you can still get the Lamb, two versions of "Sadza", their signature Whole-fried Sustainable Fish, and their Halibut all which had been made with some interesting spices or flourishes from around the world. And the apps have the bread service, the falafel, the Fig and Burrata, too.

It still looks like an international menu to me. Not strictly African, but Asia is also a feature of the park, and some of the choices can count as African and Mediterranean since parts of northern Africa like Morocco, for instance, share many aspects of cooking with Greece and Turkey. it I honestly, think it was smarter to mix it up and honestly Disney probably did so because it wasn't doing as well before. You need to appeal to everyone and it is a 2 credit eatery in a themepark, and the other menu was likely too off-putting and people were probably complaining.

 

[princesspeaony]

Yeah, par for the course, sadly. Remember how good Brown Derby used to be?...especially the kids menu used to be significantly unique. Sadly, the DDP has killed a great many exceptional dining features.

 

[Hopefully]

Yeah, par for the course, sadly. Remember how good Brown Derby used to be?...especially the kids menu used to be significantly unique. Sadly, the DDP has killed a great many exceptional dining features.

IMO using the DDP as an excuse is not valid. It had nothing to do with it. Tiffins was not doing well with their original menu.

 

[Cramden]

I ate there for the first time 3 weeks ago and it was my second favorite meal of the trip. This includes stops at Flying Fish, California Grill, Narcoossee's, Chef's de France and the Brown Derby. I thought my service was exceptional, the food prepared and presented beautifully and the atmosphere akin to eating in a beautiful museum. While the menu may not be as ambitious as it once may have been it still has somewhat of an exotic flare.

I agree with goofyintoronto. Disney is all about the $$. If a restaurant in it's current incarnation isn't turning enough covers then they'll tweak the menu to try and drive more business. It's a shame for those of us who like adventurous dining but it's smart business.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Noooo! After reading this thread, I popped over to make sure my favorite item is still on there (we have ADRs in January), but they no longer have the ramen! Such a bummer. Anyone know when they took it off?

 

[danielocha30]

are we all going to pretend the outrageous prices have nothing to do with it? Tiffins had the menu more fitting for a resort than a park, not everyone who had already spent hundreds to get in, can afford to spent even more for a exotic meal. The price/value was off, and it’s hard to keep open a place that is not making money.

 

[Nancyg56]

The food at Tiffins is still good. My point is that what was once a unique restaurant that tried to have an African influence, is now a generic restaurant that could be anywhere. It no longer has the "out there items" that made it special.
Its a bad sign when the most unusual/unique item on the menu is an appetizer.

What a shame. This was my favorite meal when I vacationed with my friend two years ago.

This just isn't true, though? There may not be as many "out there items" but you still have around half or so of their entrees with dishes that something about them inspired by African or Asian influences. I just looked at the menu, so you can still get the Lamb, two versions of "Sadza", their signature Whole-fried Sustainable Fish, and their Halibut all which had been made with some interesting spices or flourishes from around the world. And the apps have the bread service, the falafel, the Fig and Burrata, too.

It still looks like an international menu to me. Not strictly African, but Asia is also a feature of the park, and some of the choices can count as African and Mediterranean since parts of northern Africa like Morocco, for instance, share many aspects of cooking with Greece and Turkey. it I honestly, think it was smarter to mix it up and honestly Disney probably did so because it wasn't doing as well before. You need to appeal to everyone and it is a 2 credit eatery in a themepark, and the other menu was likely too off-putting and people were probably complaining.

Okay, we understand why the menu items have been dumbed down. What we are saying is that the original menu, as it stood, was aaaaaamaaaaazing. And we miss those items that are gone. I have little interest in going now.

I feel badly that there was just not enough business to generate the revenue this restaurant needed to stay completely true to theme. Rather than remove some of the items, it woudl have been nice to add a few generic entrees and appetizers.

 

[Hopefully]

are we all going to pretend the outrageous prices have nothing to do with it? Tiffins had the menu more fitting for a resort than a park, not everyone who had already spent hundreds to get in, can afford to spent even more for a exotic meal. The price/value was off, and it’s hard to keep open a place that is not making money.

There is no pretending. Tiffins is a Signature Restaurant. It is expensive. Not everyone can or wants to spend that amount. Like everything else it is a choice

 

[Nancyg56]

IMO using the DDP as an excuse is not valid. It had nothing to do with it. Tiffins was not doing well with their original menu.

I agree. The dining plan gets blamed for a lot of changes that I believe it is a scapegoat for. Tiffins was almost empty the entire time we were there. Between the price and the items, it was an overlooked treasure.

 

[Jennasis]

Menu still looks plenty interesting to me.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Noooo! After reading this thread, I popped over to make sure my favorite item is still on there (we have ADRs in January), but they no longer have the ramen! Such a bummer. Anyone know when they took it off?

We ate there on Sept. 29th and ramen was still on the menu so it was removed over the last 2-3 weeks.

When enoki mushrooms had been subbed for chanterelles in the duck entree, our server explained it was cost-cutting measures and chanterelles wouldn’t be returning. We switched to the whole, sustainable fish entree which is delicious but as the runners bring it out to our table, we see other diners rolling their eyes or looking disgustingly at our table. I believe that explains why chicken and waffles and rib-eye are now on the menu.

 

[epcotobsessed]

We always thought it was meh. Nomad Lounge, however, is consistently excellent.

 

[piccolopat]

IMO using the DDP as an excuse is not valid. It had nothing to do with it. Tiffins was not doing well with their original menu.

I also believe the DDP has had a negative impact on what the restaurants offer. Menus were made more generic and the atmospheres changed (closer tables, brighter lighting, rushed service). In my opinion, this was partly due to the larger number of people going to the restaurants as a result of the DDP, many of whom wanted the restaurant experience but with a more American menu and a children's menu that could be found anywhere. I think the bigger impact was financial. In order to stay profitable, the restaurants had to cut back on higher priced ingredients and offerings because Disney only reimburses them a fixed amount per meal. This is especially noticeable n Epcot were the World Showcase restaurants used to have much more authentic menus and a slower, more relaxed dining experience. I'll give you one example. DH and I fondly remember our first, two+ hour dinner at Les Chefs de France when Epcot first opened. The lights were dimmed, candles burned at each table, waitstaff provided excellent service in a quiet, sophisticated atmosphere with great food. Now the restaurant is too cramped, noisy and bright with a more limited and Americanized menu. We much prefer Monsieur Paul these days.

 

[Marthasor]

That's too bad. This is how I felt when we ate at Monsieur Paul in August. The menu has changed considerably. My DS's appetizer was essentially mozzarella sticks (which he loved, LOL!).

 

[nekonekoneko]

I ate at Tiffin's back in January. I was really excited for their menu. It turned out to be a major disappointment. I left saying that unless they drastically improve the technique and execution, I'm not going back. The entree portions were small and had no flavor. I had gotten the Braised Berkshire Pork Belly Ramen – Mushroom-infused Broth, Pickled Daikon Radish, Candied Pearl Onion, Sriracha-Lime Sauce, The broth had very little flavor, I wanted more salt and sriracha. The daikon lost its pickling, and I never found the pearl onions.

Now the menu has changed from south of the equator to south of Virginia. Chicken and Waffles, Surf and Turf, Shrimp and Grits, The Sazda sounds like a variant of hush puppies.

It's like Disney is trying to push the more exotic flavors over to AKL, and away from the theme park.