Trails End lunch buffet gone?

[si-am]

I just read that Trails End is trying out an a la carte menu for lunch-- the menu looks awful! WHY would they do this?

Trails End buffet lunch is a long standing tradition for my family that we'd make an effort to get to every trip. I can't believe it!

 

[Pats Dragon]

waffles and chicken??? what is that?

 

[gillenkl]

I saw this too - the prices are crazy. Hop over to the "Camping at Disney" forum - they're discussing it on there. Better to go to Wilderness Lodge Roaring Forks if you ask me.

 

[chartle]

waffles and chicken??? what is that?

It's a southern thing and its normally called chicken and waffles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_and_waffles

 

[si-am]

It's a southern thing and its normally called chicken and waffles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_and_waffles

I'm a Georgia girl, born and bred, and I had never heard of chicken and waffles until a Diners, Drive Ins and Dives on the Food Network a few years ago. I can't say I've ever tried it-- doesn't sound very appealing.

For Trails End to take a signature dish and turn it into.... that. Why?!

 

[chartle]

I'm a Georgia girl, born and bred, and I had never heard of chicken and waffles until a Diners, Drive Ins and Dives on the Food Network a few years ago. I can't say I've ever tried it-- doesn't sound very appealing.

For Trails End to take a signature dish and turn it into.... that. Why?!

I'm pretty sure that's how Alton Brown described it on a Good Eats episode and he's from Georgia*.

Here's a section from "The Waffle Truth" on the Good Eats Fan Page

Although butter and maple syrup—Amber, Grade B—are darn fine waffle toppings, they're not actually my favorites. Nope. My favorite waffle topping is, absolutely, fried chicken. Just make up some waffles and cook up some fried chicken, hopefully from a recipe you got off of this program.

CHICKEN: Fry some more.

Exactly. Then, here's the secret: you toss the chicken in your favorite hot sauce, then you put it on the waffle, and then you smother the whole thing in Grade B Amber syrup. Now this is a southern thing; sometimes it's a, you know, Pennsylvania Dutch thing. And if it's a Pennsylvania Dutch thing for you, then you'll probably want to use brown gravy. I don't see why you'd ever want to do that, because this is good eats. Mmmm.

ETA:* Wikipedia says he was born in Los Angeles, but went to the University of Georgia. Can't find any info but I guess he moved to GA at an early age. His mother and Ma Mae both sound like they come from GA. Just wanted to add this for full discloser.

 

[TDC Nala]

Cost cutting is the likely reason.

 

[chartle]

Didn't they also play around with it being a soup and sandwich place about a year ago.

I'm wondering, even though a lot of people call it a "must do", that they just aren't getting enough people. Hence all the fiddling around.

 

[si-am]

It has always been pretty busy when I go for lunch. Not CROWDED, but I think that's part of the appeal. I hate buffets where you actually have to wait in a long line (this often happens at Cape May) to get food.

 

[RumpleMom]

We have gone to Trail's End twice for the fried chicken. Fried chicken is hard to find on any restaurant menu at home.

I will return for the fried chicken, but will be asking them to keep the waffles and syrup. The thought of it just sets my teeth on edge.

 

[LilyWDW]

1) Don't knock Chicken and Waffles until you try it. Unless you are allergic to something, I believe in trying everything just once... otherwise who knows what you will miss out on.

2) My guess is they were not making enough of a profit on lunches. Disney is a business and if they were losing money, then it doesn't make sense to keep things as is. If you are not busy with a buffet, then you waste a LOT of food. With a set menu, you don't have as much sitting there and waiting.

 

[sssteele]

Chicken and waffles is considered comfort food where I grew up. Much like an open-faced hot chicken sandwich on waffles instead of bread. My Maw-Maw did this with leftover trukey after the holidays. Always served with cranberry relish and veggies. Some of us then enjoyed a small waffle with maple syrup for dessert. Hence my struggle with the numbers on the scale.

 

[Pats Dragon]

I am a UGA graduate from a family of Uga graduates and have lived in georgia all my life and I NEVER heard of chicken and waffles at all. I know they didn't serve it at UGA or in Athens. Of course it could be a family tradition and both dishes are good, just not together!I wish that they would just turn it into a food court with fried chicken.

 

[hsbigboy]

Have to admit that I was a little leery of this dish, but then a Southern style restaurant opened at home, and gave it a try. Awesome. Also, throw a little Tabasco on for that extra kick.

 

[tony67]

Chicken and Waffles: No one is quite sure where it started, but it is very popular in many palces.

This is the one I tend to hear the most:
"The Wells Supper Club in Harlem started selling the chicken and waffles dish to late-night patrons of their club in 1938 "as it was too late for dinner, and too early for breakfast"; so Wells Supper Club served both dishes on the one plate."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_and_waffles

 

[Pugmalion1]

If you love fried chicken, and you love waffles, I see no reason why, like me, you shouldn't adore them together.

It's a pretty simple menu, but I think it's a nice one. I don't know if it's going to stick around, though. Seems like this is a trial-basis kind of thing.