Are Disney food prices really over the top?

el_super

Well-Known Member
Well yeah -- I thought basically all of that goes without saying. Of course table service is going to cost more for a variety of reasons. That didn't really seem relevant to the discussion because it was a comparison of Disney to non-Disney.

It's absolutely relevant, for the reasons I mentioned. Table Service at Disney is going to be more expensive than a comparable experience outside of Disney, due to increased demand to be inside and away from crowds. It's not similar to the Olive Garden at the mall, where you can just drive somewhere else if you think it's too expensive.

Although honestly, Olive Garden is pretty expensive for what it is too.
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
It's absolutely relevant, for the reasons I mentioned. Table Service at Disney is going to be more expensive than a comparable experience outside of Disney, due to increased demand to be inside and away from crowds. It's not similar to the Olive Garden at the mall, where you can just drive somewhere else if you think it's too expensive.

Although honestly, Olive Garden is pretty expensive for what it is too.
Olive Garden has standard fare but in NJ/NY , there are some mom and pop pizza places that serve dinner items that make OG inedible.
 

el_super

Well-Known Member
Olive Garden has standard fare but in NJ/NY , there are some mom and pop pizza places that serve dinner items that make OG inedible.

OH yeah ... definitely Olive Garden isn't all that bad food wise, I guess. But considering my most recent take-out order for Alfredo (without chicken) was $16.49, that $11.99 for Chicken Fusilli at Pizza Port doesn't seem so bad.
 

mdcpr

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone, I dont usually find myself in this part of the forums but do have a question for anyone who knows.

I booked a reservation at be out guest restaurant for my whole family of 7. I went there years ago and really liked it and wanted to show them. But then I just saw something about it being prix fixe now for a whopping 60+ dollars? That can’t be right is it?

I remember it being an open menu because I only had a french onion soup back then. Any advice of info would be appreciated!
It is prix fixe now.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
It's absolutely relevant, for the reasons I mentioned. Table Service at Disney is going to be more expensive than a comparable experience outside of Disney, due to increased demand to be inside and away from crowds. It's not similar to the Olive Garden at the mall, where you can just drive somewhere else if you think it's too expensive.

Although honestly, Olive Garden is pretty expensive for what it is too.

You're arguing a different thing.

The reasons why Disney's TS costs what it does is irrelevant to the discussion of value for food quality. Everyone knows why it's more expensive -- it's partially the same reason F&B pricing is more expensive at sporting events and movie theaters, although there are some other factors too (location for things like California Grill and Cinderella's Royal Table, for one). That doesn't mean the value is automatically there for what they charge, though, which is the only thing we were discussing (or at least it's what I was discussing).
 
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correcaminos

Well-Known Member
I find Disney's F&B pricing to be wildly inconsistent. Be Our Guest for $62 is borderline offensive. Satuli Canteen chicken bowl for $13 is extremely fair. I find very little value in most TS dining at WDW these days.
I think it depends on the sit downs too. We won't do anything like Be Our Guest (Prix-fixe and food allergies kind of suck), but some of what I'd call more casual (Plaza, Whispering Canyon, Sci Fi, Beaches & Cream, Olivia's) feel entirely reasonable. I don't even feel ones like Skipper Canteen or SH 71 feel bad either. It's kind of hit or miss IMO.
 

el_super

Well-Known Member
Olive Garden really is sad.

I mean it's not my favorite but it's still not as sad as Macaroni Grill.


That doesn't mean the value is automatically there for what they charge, though, which is the only thing we were discussing (or at least it's what I was discussing).

Yeah but it really depends on what you mean by value, and that's what I was trying to point out. You really shouldn't try to determine value by food quality alone, when others are weighing other factors like ease of access, overall experience (for like Be Our Guest or Sci Fi Dine In) or even simple things like guaranteed seating and air conditioning. If a person really wants their photo with the Beast, that could easily tip the scales in favor of Be Our Guest over Casey's for a hot dog.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Yeah but it really depends on what you mean by value, and that's what I was trying to point out. You really shouldn't try to determine value by food quality alone, when others are weighing other factors like ease of access, overall experience (for like Be Our Guest or Sci Fi Dine In) or even simple things like guaranteed seating and air conditioning. If a person really wants their photo with the Beast, that could easily tip the scales in favor of Be Our Guest over Casey's for a hot dog.

Oh, of course -- I think Cinderella's Royal Table is a better value than Be Our Guest for breakfast because I think the setting is better (Be Our Guest just didn't really impress me), even though the food is not very good at either location and neither are actually good value.

I was solely talking about price with regards to food quality, because so much of the rest is subjective. Not that food quality isn't subjective too, but it's generally not quite as subjective as other things.
 

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Olive Garden has standard fare but in NJ/NY , there are some mom and pop pizza places that serve dinner items that make OG inedible.
Yep but Olive gardens draw is the same as Disney, location location location. Lol you know, I'm in the Philly area, great Italian restaurants every where. Yet OG is always packed. It's convenient, always has parking and rarely requires reservations.
I'm always amazed that they have 60, 90 minute waits.
I've seen the same thing when I go home to nyc. My friends and I will go to see a play and they want to eat in TS!! Seriously?? Lol I can't get them downtown or uptown 🤣 TS is convenient. I try to explain that most of the restaurants are touristy and there are much tastier and less expensive meals to be had but it never sways them
 
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Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Ahhh...your just a spoil sport.
Even back in the day when I was a poor college student anything hot, plentiful etc that filled up my belly was good enough for me. When I got older I started to branch out and be more open minded instead of going to the standard poor to average quality chain restaurants. I know one thing when college fare was poor, we could always visit the girls dorm rooms that we were friends with, where we knew they were continually supplied by their parents with food care packages they were willing to share.
 

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