I have read these message boards for some time and it seems to me that alot of people have lofty and often times unrealistic expectations when dining at certain places at WDW.
Now please don't get me wrong, there is no excuse for lousy service, and there are more than enough places on property that are consistantly excellent or very good in terms of food and service. Le Cellier, Victoria and Alberts, Artist Point, Narcoossee's, Flying Fish, Jiko, Bistro De Paris just to name a few all immediately come to mind.
But I scratch my head sometimes when I read people's complaints about the food at places like Tony Town Square, San Angel Inn, Sci-Fi Dine In, Mama Melrose, Yak and Yeti, Maya Grill, Boatwrights. Do they forget that they are at a theme park? Or simply at a hotel? Why would anyone walk into Tony's or Mama Melrose and expect authentic gourmet italian food? (It's a theme park! Not a 5 star italian place.) Why would anyone walk into Sci Fi Dine In and expect to have an excellent steak? (You are sitting in a car for cryin out loud, you're not at a fancy steakhouse!)
My wife and I have been annual pass holders for years, so we've eaten at alot of different places on property. We've always walked into those restaurants with realistic expectations and we've never left upset over the food. We've always just adjusted our expectations accordingly.
When we eat at Le Cellier, Cali Grill and Jiko, we expect a solid meal. But when we eat at counter service places or the moderate table service places, we make sure to look around and remember that we aren't at an authentic gourmet chinese bistro, instead simply Nine Dragons which is inside of a theme park. We never walk into the Pepper Market and say it's time for a authentic freshly prepared burrito or pizza... it's a hotel food court, nothing more.
Again, there is no excuse for poor service, but WDW food has never been terrible to us considering it's nothing more than theme park or hotel food. As I stated above, there are obviously those exception restaurants.
Are your expectations too high? Are mine too low? :shrug:
Does the fact that food at WDW costs more naturally mean that people will expect to get more (better food)? Because when I go to Orlando Magic games and pay $8 for a pre-made six inch Subway sub, I don't think to myself and get angry that I should be getting a footlong with extra meat and melted cheese instead... and then complain about how bad Amway Arena food is.
It's all about having a realistic expectation. Right?
Thoughts?
Now please don't get me wrong, there is no excuse for lousy service, and there are more than enough places on property that are consistantly excellent or very good in terms of food and service. Le Cellier, Victoria and Alberts, Artist Point, Narcoossee's, Flying Fish, Jiko, Bistro De Paris just to name a few all immediately come to mind.
But I scratch my head sometimes when I read people's complaints about the food at places like Tony Town Square, San Angel Inn, Sci-Fi Dine In, Mama Melrose, Yak and Yeti, Maya Grill, Boatwrights. Do they forget that they are at a theme park? Or simply at a hotel? Why would anyone walk into Tony's or Mama Melrose and expect authentic gourmet italian food? (It's a theme park! Not a 5 star italian place.) Why would anyone walk into Sci Fi Dine In and expect to have an excellent steak? (You are sitting in a car for cryin out loud, you're not at a fancy steakhouse!)
My wife and I have been annual pass holders for years, so we've eaten at alot of different places on property. We've always walked into those restaurants with realistic expectations and we've never left upset over the food. We've always just adjusted our expectations accordingly.
When we eat at Le Cellier, Cali Grill and Jiko, we expect a solid meal. But when we eat at counter service places or the moderate table service places, we make sure to look around and remember that we aren't at an authentic gourmet chinese bistro, instead simply Nine Dragons which is inside of a theme park. We never walk into the Pepper Market and say it's time for a authentic freshly prepared burrito or pizza... it's a hotel food court, nothing more.
Again, there is no excuse for poor service, but WDW food has never been terrible to us considering it's nothing more than theme park or hotel food. As I stated above, there are obviously those exception restaurants.
Are your expectations too high? Are mine too low? :shrug:
Does the fact that food at WDW costs more naturally mean that people will expect to get more (better food)? Because when I go to Orlando Magic games and pay $8 for a pre-made six inch Subway sub, I don't think to myself and get angry that I should be getting a footlong with extra meat and melted cheese instead... and then complain about how bad Amway Arena food is.
It's all about having a realistic expectation. Right?
Thoughts?
