Food portion cuts to increase profits?

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
I agree completely. I think at this time he can afford to sacrifice the company long term competitive superiority to build cash reserves. Inflationary fears are boosting the US dollar and these measures advanced by Chapek tend to help minimize damage by inflation pressures to the company while still allowing the company to prosper. Considering how devastating the pandemic has been to both WDW and Disneyland (as well as all other theme parks), and the fact that everyone is still in an economic recovery process, I'm pleased and surprised with the speed and health with which Disney has come back from the abyss.
I am one who's not impressed with how Disney has come out of the pandemic. I get every park has suffered during the Covid. IMO the best to do it is how Universal has done it. Back to business as usual and back to working on their new park. Even regional parks are back to adding new attractions and new things to draw people back. Cutting things is not the way to do it.
 

EPCOT-O.G.

Well-Known Member
I am one who's not impressed with how Disney has come out of the pandemic. I get every park has suffered during the Covid. IMO the best to do it is how Universal has done it. Back to business as usual and back to working on their new park. Even regional parks are back to adding new attractions and new things to draw people back. Cutting things is not the way to do it.
Disney coming out of the pandemic is like the Joker fighting Batman in the 1989 film. When Batman’s about to punch the Joker back he puts on a pair of eyeglasses and says “You wouldn’t hit a guy with glasses, would ya?”

Disney raised prices extensively across the board, have never brought back many things that were part of the overall experience (attractions, entertainment, Magical Express, FastPass, a normal dining experience sans technology, routine housekeeping, full access to various pass holders) but hide behind “but the pandemic!” every time these moves are questioned — despite virtually every other public accommodation business and organization having returned by and large to how it operated before.
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Disney coming out of the pandemic is like the Joker fighting Batman in the 1989 film. When Batman’s about to punch the Joker back he puts on a pair of eyeglasses and says “You wouldn’t hit a guy with glasses, would ya?”

Disney raised prices extensively across the board, have never brought back many things that were part of the overall experience (attractions, entertainment, Magical Express, FastPass, a normal dining experience sans technology, routine housekeeping, full access to various pass holders) but hide behind “but the pandemic!” every time these moves are questioned — despite virtually every other public accommodation business and organization having returned by and large to how it operated before.
Disney coming out of the pandemic seems to have their numbers moving in the upward direction as TWDC reported their Q3 earnings to Wall Street. Parks , experiences, and product segment was $4.34B up from $1.06B from last year and operating income in parks was $356M compared to a loss of a loss of $1.88B the year before. Q4 earnings in parks segment grew 26% to $5.4B. There however is no question prices are higher everywhere one looks and not just in WDW. Credit card debt in the USA is at record levels also. One category which is at record setting levels are the Dow Jones and Nasdaq which investors like myself is loving it!
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Disney coming out of the pandemic is like the Joker fighting Batman in the 1989 film. When Batman’s about to punch the Joker back he puts on a pair of eyeglasses and says “You wouldn’t hit a guy with glasses, would ya?”
Would have gone with a better reference to what guests think..
a4023dcb6a17e7a2980e09cd170eb642.jpg
 

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
Disney coming out of the pandemic seems to have their numbers moving in the upward direction as TWDC reported their Q3 earnings to Wall Street. Parks , experiences, and product segment was $4.34B up from $1.06B from last year and operating income in parks was $356M compared to a loss of a loss of $1.88B the year before. Q4 earnings in parks segment grew 26% to $5.4B. There however is no question prices are higher everywhere one looks and not just in WDW. Credit card debt in the USA is at record levels also. One category which is at record setting levels are the Dow Jones and Nasdaq which investors like myself is loving it!
It's great they are back to making a profit. Cutting things and not bringing things back to save money has helped in making a profit. Look at Universal, they have pretty much gone back to normal and due to that had one of the highest profitable quarters ever.
 

Chi84

Premium Member
If Disney wants to cut food portions, my family will just eat somewhere else. It's that simple. Try making a profit off of that.
Honestly, I don't think they're worried about that. There are tens of thousands of people in the parks every day who are going to eat there and probably not even notice a reduction in portion sizes. Or maybe they will notice and respond by ordering more food. By all means, people should do what is right for them, and if eating off-site is it, then go for it. I would caution against making decisions based on "sticking it to Disney."
 
The CFO of the Walt Disney Company brought up " Cutting portion size " to increase profits. Also stated this would
" Be good for some peoples waistlines " . This profits are all that matters has reached the ultimate . So get ready
for the end of Boma buffet-Ohana will become Prix fix-and all other buffets will be gonzo. I am tired of the Take
take take and never give back.
To me, it doesn't matter the amount of food on the plates, it's this CFO having the audacity to say it would be "good for some peoples waistlines" If I pay for, you shouldn't care how much I eat or not eat. Who made this bozo the food portion police? Sorry, I'm just tired of disney wanting people to pay more money for less... once again I ask...what happened to the magic? It's gone!
 

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
Honestly, I don't think they're worried about that. There are tens of thousands of people in the parks every day who are going to eat there and probably not even notice a reduction in portion sizes. Or maybe they will notice and respond by ordering more food. By all means, people should do what is right for them, and if eating off-site is it, then go for it. I would caution against making decisions based on "sticking it to Disney."
It's that reason that Disney can do what they are doing. They don't feel any consequences for anything they do.
 

Chip Chipperson

Well-Known Member
To me, it doesn't matter the amount of food on the plates, it's this CFO having the audacity to say it would be "good for some peoples waistlines" If I pay for, you shouldn't care how much I eat or not eat. Who made this bozo the food portion police? Sorry, I'm just tired of disney wanting people to pay more money for less... once again I ask...what happened to the magic? It's gone!

She doesn't really care about what guests are eating, she was trying to spin a negative into a positive and was woefully inept at doing so. There were a number of other things she could have said to try to spin it that wouldn't have been insulting to their guests (but still would have set off many people's BS detectors) - things like, "We want to reduce food waste," or "We don't want to raise prices as a result of increasing supply costs, so we're considering cutting portion sizes to keep prices the same or with a smaller increase than would otherwise be necessary." If she was going for a joke then she missed badly and someone should tell her to either never make another joke during one of these calls again or to head over to the Laugh Factory for mandatory Jokester training.
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
It's that reason that Disney can do what they are doing. They don't feel any consequences for anything they do.
Consequences??? See appetizers and desert orders increase. Guests knowing meal sizes are decreasing will just add more to their order to fill up on. And see the snack carts profits immediately increase. Guests coming out of dining who are still hungry will appease that grumbling stomach with a Disney snack.
 

Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
Consequences??? See appetizers and desert orders increase. Guests knowing meal sizes are decreasing will just add more to their order to fill up on. And see the snack carts profits immediately increase. Guests coming out of dining who are still hungry will appease that grumbling stomach with a Disney snack.
I was responding more to the comment about sticking it to Disney. All the cuts they have done and now cutting portion size, many have complained but they are still filling the parks. That was the point I was making. They can get away with what they are doing cause there is no consequences.
 

Chi84

Premium Member
It's that reason that Disney can do what they are doing. They don't feel any consequences for anything they do.
That’s absolutely true. They don’t feel any consequences because there aren’t any. Do what’s best for your family (in the general sense, not you specifically) because thinking your actions are going to change Disney is fanciful.

If it’s not worth it to you to eat onsite or to continue going, that’s your call. When enough people feel that way Disney will notice and change. Right now that’s not the case. It’s sad that the company has strayed so far from what it was originally, but it is what it is.
 

Redhawk

Well-Known Member
In my opinion, meal sizes are too large. I can’t finish most meals at WDW. Making the portions smaller has no impact on me. I’m paying the same and eating the same amount.
I agree with you, however, what most of us are objecting to is not the portion size decrease but the decrease plus the stupid comment. Portion sizes are large, and I'd be surprised if they shrank so much that people would still be hungry after a meal in the park. My husband and I always split our meal when we do quick service and on the one day out of 4 or 5 that we do a full-service meal, we each order only an entree knowing the portion will be large. We don't need appetizers and desserts, we don't want to get overfull and then walk around uncomfortable.

But some people, while realizing that she was maybe speaking for herself or making a remark that can be acceptable in other contexts, in this situation came off as crass and unprofessional, and it also could seem to some that she was making a dig at the fact that Disney guests have been increasing in size over the decades.
 

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member
In my opinion, meal sizes are too large. I can’t finish most meals at WDW. Making the portions smaller has no impact on me. I’m paying the same and eating the same amount.
I find the dish sizes to be standard. Both my country and Dis have similar sized dishes.
To call something "Big" Id have to look at Houston's texan sized dishes.
Where "cup" of soup is bowl size and "bowl" is salad mixer-sized bowl.
 

Communicora

Premium Member
In my opinion, meal sizes are too large. I can’t finish most meals at WDW. Making the portions smaller has no impact on me. I’m paying the same and eating the same amount.
I feel the same way, but this was still a boneheaded comment on the part of the CFO. It's not great to make your disdain for your customers this visible.
 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
And many will continue to go to WDW. When the Epcot Candllelight packages were announced a few weeks ago , all of the dinner / reserved seating at the American Gardens shows were sold out - within minutes it went on sale. So, raise the prices and people will continue to come.
Totally agree. There is still pent up demand. It doesn't matter the offerings or the prices. Folks are really missing the Candlelight event! Folks will purchase this not matter what is offered as the 2021 reduced version of this event.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom