PreciselyPenny
New Member
I think I'll put that on a Tee shirt!
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Food portion cuts to increase profits?
- Thread starter Mark48
- Start date
mysto
Well-Known Member
I'd like to see appropriately sized quality meals at whatever price they have to charge.
But that's somewhat rare, I'm caught between penny pinching corps and complaining customers slowly driving everything in America towards gigantic portions of cleverly flavored inexpensive gruel. Over the years this has been a bit of a bright spot at Disney, at least the food is good. I sense maybe that is changing.
What happens is the expensive eateries only serve steak and fish because it's the only thing they can charge a lot for. Where can you go for a great hamburger or taco? Pizza? You won't be able to find that since those aren't "the best" food, since those are lowbrow, you'll have to settle for quantity.
But that's somewhat rare, I'm caught between penny pinching corps and complaining customers slowly driving everything in America towards gigantic portions of cleverly flavored inexpensive gruel. Over the years this has been a bit of a bright spot at Disney, at least the food is good. I sense maybe that is changing.
What happens is the expensive eateries only serve steak and fish because it's the only thing they can charge a lot for. Where can you go for a great hamburger or taco? Pizza? You won't be able to find that since those aren't "the best" food, since those are lowbrow, you'll have to settle for quantity.
Living the Life
Member
This is what I've been saying for a long time now.... Disney is taking away so much from their customers and giving back the hefty price tag. The more Disney takes the more the customers will pay. Where's the magic? where has it gone? These executives don't give a reds rats about the customer... they know if one family decides not to return a few more will come in and take their place. Once again, I say ... Disney is on the fringe..........
tagoofy
Active Member
Is it just me, or does this look like a Disney villain smile and makeup?
Columbia Harbor Mouse
New Member
Just wanted to say that Columbia Harbor House used to have big fried fish fillets, much like Long John Silver's. But sometime in the last decade they changed them to a big fish stick. They look like a fried breadstick now. I don't know if they chose a slimmer shape that would cook faster but it's always disappointing to get the fried fish now. At least the Lighthouse sandwich is still good.
Phil12
Well-Known Member
I like to see the menu change. I think we should all strive to eat a healthy diet even at WDW but unfortunately the giant turkey legs contain 5,284 milligrams of sodium and they're expensive. Now is the time to bring trail mix and beef jerky while in the parks. It's also possible to bring self-heating backpacking meals and get water from a park vendor.
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
spock8113
Well-Known Member
They shouldn't have said anything like all the other companies who sneak reduction in product size and don't change the packaging usually during times like this when there is inflation. It's happened time and time again:
1941 9.9% World War II
1946 18.1% Recovery from World War II
1950 6.0% Korean War
1969 6.2% Nixon takes office
1973 8.7% End of Gold Standard
1974 12.3% Watergate
1979 13.3% OPEC oil embargo, Iran Hostages and 13% mortgage rates
1981 8.9% Reagan Tax Cuts
1990 6.1% S & L crisis
2007 4.1% Mortgage/Bank crisis
2021 6.5% Pandemic?
Look at everything in the super market that is smaller or lighter but you still get charged the same price.
Disney's no different, especially now.
1941 9.9% World War II
1946 18.1% Recovery from World War II
1950 6.0% Korean War
1969 6.2% Nixon takes office
1973 8.7% End of Gold Standard
1974 12.3% Watergate
1979 13.3% OPEC oil embargo, Iran Hostages and 13% mortgage rates
1981 8.9% Reagan Tax Cuts
1990 6.1% S & L crisis
2007 4.1% Mortgage/Bank crisis
2021 6.5% Pandemic?
Look at everything in the super market that is smaller or lighter but you still get charged the same price.
Disney's no different, especially now.
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
The way they calculate inflation now is not how it was calculated during the Carter administration if it were it would be much higher than 6.5%
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JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
IT used to be Disney strove to be different.......
MarvelCharacterNerd
Well-Known Member
It's already happening at DLR. My last eats there consisted of dishes I'd previously had there that were all noticeably smaller this time. From sides to desserts, items were thinner, lighter, smaller, less spoonfuls of them, etc. 
It took an extra food order more than I'd usually eat just to finally feel sort of full. I spent more than I normally would in a day and got less food for the money and then ate a snack when I got home because I was still hungry.
Also there seem to be less of the items in each portion than previously sold (i.e. used to be 6 of something, now 5 or used to be 5 of something, now 4, etc.). Also feeling more and more of "haven't I seen that at Costco in the freezer section?" when I see some of the food, rather than made there in the kitchens.
It took an extra food order more than I'd usually eat just to finally feel sort of full. I spent more than I normally would in a day and got less food for the money and then ate a snack when I got home because I was still hungry.Also there seem to be less of the items in each portion than previously sold (i.e. used to be 6 of something, now 5 or used to be 5 of something, now 4, etc.). Also feeling more and more of "haven't I seen that at Costco in the freezer section?" when I see some of the food, rather than made there in the kitchens.
Well said.
And not gloat in the fact that they have to take such a measure. The way it was said was quite boisterous that they were going to give less and charge more for it.
Nubs70
Well-Known Member
When did the change to substitution effect happen?
bubbles1812
Well-Known Member
I’m gonna be honest, mate. While I generally stay away from the turkey legs, “self-heating backpacking meals” does not exactly sound appetizing. Disney is not the Yukon
Wait, what? Trail mix is high in fat, and even more curious, beef jerky is LOADED with sodium. 1 ounce of beef jerky (and let's be honest, no one eats one ounce) has 22% of the daily recommend allowance of sodium -2,300 milligrams
Which is why the comment was such a joke. We all know they've been doing it all along.It's already happening at DLR. My last eats there consisted of dishes I'd previously had there that were all noticeably smaller this time. From sides to desserts, items were thinner, lighter, smaller, less spoonfuls of them, etc.
Also there seem to be less of the items in each portion than previously sold (i.e. used to be 6 of something, now 5 or used to be 5 of something, now 4, etc.). Also feeling more and more of "haven't I seen that at Costco in the freezer section?" when I see some of the food, rather than made there in the kitchens.
Disneyson
Well-Known Member
Comment and current discussion aside, isn’t it smart of Disney to make “meals” smaller in order to promote more “snacks”? Snacks are probably easier to make, and as we’ve seen, they’re HIGHLY marketable. I’ve never seen a Le Cellier steak on a dress before.
Snacks have become as much of a must-do at Disney as Haunted Mansion and Small World. By making portions smaller, you get more people to try a dole whip or a Mickey premium. People will probably mistake that hunger from smaller portions as a “wow, that looks really good. I could eat more. And that lady has a dress that has a bunch of churros on it! They must be incredible. Maybe I’ll buy a churro magnet.”
You can’t buy churros if you’re already full. It’s a sinister move, but very smart for not only Disney’s wallet, but also to boost marketing of the “Disney Snacks”, which may as well have their own official brand umbrella like the Princesses.
Again, this CFO’s comment was a mistake, but at least she didn’t say “we’re giving you smaller portions to convince you to buy more churros”, which I think is exactly what’s happening.
Snacks have become as much of a must-do at Disney as Haunted Mansion and Small World. By making portions smaller, you get more people to try a dole whip or a Mickey premium. People will probably mistake that hunger from smaller portions as a “wow, that looks really good. I could eat more. And that lady has a dress that has a bunch of churros on it! They must be incredible. Maybe I’ll buy a churro magnet.”
You can’t buy churros if you’re already full. It’s a sinister move, but very smart for not only Disney’s wallet, but also to boost marketing of the “Disney Snacks”, which may as well have their own official brand umbrella like the Princesses.
Again, this CFO’s comment was a mistake, but at least she didn’t say “we’re giving you smaller portions to convince you to buy more churros”, which I think is exactly what’s happening.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
They (and other locations around WDW) also used to have really good chicken tenders. Then they changed to nuggets.
As a corollary, Disney would know how many snack credits are unused from dining plan participants. Obviously, meal sizes are too big if snack credits are going unused (and with the number of posts here and elsewhere on how to use up snack credits at the end of a trip, they are). Decreasing restaurant portions should help decrease labor and ingredient requirements while increasing table turn. More snacks mean people are consuming more easy-to-prepare, cheaper items, and dining plan participants are feeling like they got their money's worth since they used all of their credits. Win-win for Disney.
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
Fair assumptions. $$$ wise it is a win for Disney, but, not the guest. Me. Myself and I plus my family, both nuclear and otherwise, have not and will not use Disney meal plans. We eat what we want, where we want, when we want without calculations or measuring, its a whole lot more fun and enjoyable that way.