Types of buffets

[Montegut]

I know there are many table service restaurants at Disney, where you sit down, a waiter takes your order, and brings you your food and drink.

But there seem to be two types of buffets.

One is what I generally think of as a buffet: where you have a waiter take your drink order and refills your drinks, but you go up to an area and fill your plate yourself.

The other "buffet" is one where a server brings you plates of dishes, and each individual picks from these plates.

Which restaurants have which kinds of buffets, and do any have a combination of the two?

Or am I totally wrong and they're all the same, where you go up and fill your plate yourself and your waiter only takes care of your drinks and dirty dishes?

Thanks for the info!

 

[angierae]

The second one you're thinking of is referred to as "family style", since the family is serving themselves from trays on the table, like you would at home.

 

[tndisneyfan]

I know there are many table service restaurants at Disney, where you sit down, a waiter takes your order, and brings you your food and drink.

But there seem to be two types of buffets.

One is what I generally think of as a buffet: where you have a waiter take your drink order and refills your drinks, but you go up to an area and fill your plate yourself.

The other "buffet" is one where a server brings you plates of dishes, and each individual picks from these plates.

Which restaurants have which kinds of buffets, and do any have a combination of the two?

Or am I totally wrong and they're all the same, where you go up and fill your plate yourself and your waiter only takes care of your drinks and dirty dishes?

Thanks for the info!

You're not wrong. There are two different kinds. Ohana is one of the places that is all you can eat, but not a traditional buffet. They refer to it as family style. They bring the different food out to your table in large size bowls and or platters and everyone serves themselves. If you want more you tell your server and they will bring you more of whatever you want.

Right now Ohana is the only place i can think of that serves this way. There's probably more but i just can't think of them. I know Whispering Canyaon Cafe has an all you care to eat skillet as well as other entrees.

 

[artnerds]

Liberty Tree Tavern (MK), Garden Grill (Epcot), and the various dinner shows are all family style too. I'm sure there are others I'm not thinking of.

 

[Edgehopper]

The other two family style restaurants, I believe, are Liberty Tree Tavern dinner (MK) and Garden Grill (Epcot, character). The list of regular buffets is longer, but here's what I can put in from memory:

Crystal Palace (MK, character)
Chef Mickey's (Contemporary, character)
The Wave (breakfast only)
Trail's End (Fort Wilderness)
Biergarten (Epcot)
Akershus (Epcot, character)
Hollywood & Vine (DHS, character)
Tusker House (AK, character for breakfast only)
Boma (AK Lodge)
Cape May (Beach Club)
1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian, character)

Also, among the dinner shows, Hoop Dee Doo is served family style, Mickey's Backyard BBQ is a regular buffet, and I'm not sure about the Luau.

 

[artnerds]

Also, among the dinner shows, Hoop Dee Doo is served family style, Mickey's Backyard BBQ is a regular buffet, and I'm not sure about the Luau.

Yep, Spirit of Aloha dinner show is served family-style.

 

[MicRac]

Arkerhaus in Epcot has a combination of the two meals. They serve the warm food items family style and have a cold buffet that you can go up to and get things.

 

[artnerds]

Arkerhaus in Epcot has a combination of the two meals. They serve the warm food items family style and have a cold buffet that you can go up to and get things.

I miss Akershus. I haven't been there since it went to princess dining because...well, I just can't.

 

[chartle]

I know there are many table service restaurants at Disney, where you sit down, a waiter takes your order, and brings you your food and drink.

But there seem to be two types of buffets.

One is what I generally think of as a buffet: where you have a waiter take your drink order and refills your drinks, but you go up to an area and fill your plate yourself.

The other "buffet" is one where a server brings you plates of dishes, and each individual picks from these plates.

Which restaurants have which kinds of buffets, and do any have a combination of the two?

Or am I totally wrong and they're all the same, where you go up and fill your plate yourself and your waiter only takes care of your drinks and dirty dishes?

Thanks for the info!

Others have explained what the difference between buffet style and family style but there is one that does have a combo of family style and regular service.

At Whispering Canyon Cafe they have an All You Care to Enjoy Skillet and a regular menu.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Arkerhaus in Epcot has a combination of the two meals. They serve the warm food items family style and have a cold buffet that you can go up to and get things.

This isn't 100% accurate. The cold appetizer bar is a traditional buffet and the desserts are served family style (yes you can order more) but the entrees are ordered off the menu brought out to each individual. You do pay a flat price regardless of what you order just like at any other all you can eat restaurant but the entrees are not placed in the middle of the table to be shared; they're each placed in front of the individual who ordered that entree.

 

[MicRac]

Sorry I have only experienced breakfast at Arkerhaus and its served family style.

 

[cigar95]

Breakfast at CRT is also "semi-family-style", in that it's all-you-care-to-eat, and the server will bring out whatever on the menu you ask for.

(For instance, I always start with the traditional breakfast there because I love the stuffed French toast, and then I ask for the yogurt/granola dish along with seconds of one or two the things on my first plate. Yes, I do indeed overeat at CRT, but I don't worry about it since I only eat there about once every four or five years.)