Food portion cuts to increase profits?

[Lilofan]

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."

While in the parks during the summer with what feels like 100 plus degrees and drenched with sweat, bigger portions of food doesn't come to my mind however what you said is correct.

 

[GimpYancIent]

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!

Oh Boy! More debt! Woooo Hoooo!

 

[GimpYancIent]

While in the parks during the summer with what feels like 100 plus degrees and drenched with sweat, bigger portions of food doesn't come to my mind however what you said is correct.

Portion size has nothing to do with whether people eat or not nor how much they eat. Weather and activity do. To reduce portion size and project that people will purchase more portions to make up the difference is wishful thinking.

 

[Disstevefan1]

That is the perfect example of excellent business management. Some CEO's looked at the pandemic as a big problem but great CEO's saw opportunities galore. Successful people don't let such things as the pandemic set them back and cause stress and worry. They don't let such events overwhelm them. They change their perspective and utilize what's happening as a springboard to move forward to bigger and better things. And the pandemic is just one issue CEO Bob Chapek has wisely navigated.

He has taken the diversity and inclusiveness issues to heart and realized that this presents an opportunity to get rid of the toxic racist tropes in several attractions. Leading by example is the key here and the behavior of the CEO serves as an inspiration to the rest of the cast members so they can emulate such positive and forwarding thinking behavior.

Bob Chapek has done such a good job, he is afraid of attending D23…
It is truly lonely at the top, especially when everyone hates you..
But it’s whatever is good for the shareholders I guess..

 

[larryz]

I think if they had said they would look into cutting portions to reduce food waste (because imagine how much food they throw away) no one would have had an issue.

This comment is gross and honestly surprising coming from a company where the parks are known to be more size inclusive than other options.

That's exactly what she said -- she said it would reduce the peoples' waste lines, meaning there'd be less wasted food going into the lines of trash cans. /s

 

[larryz]

And, even as I am horrified by the syntax and gaffs that were given out by the company, I would not mind smaller portion sizes myself. Many single portion meals serve at least two. But hiding within this comment are indications that Genie’s price might increase, that the company may begin making cheaper and even more homogenized souvenirs, and that the entire experience will see more value-engineering. This sounds like the #1 priority for the parks. I think that there’s going to be a great reckoning. A tipping point is approaching.

It almost seems like HR conducted a headhunting raid on Six Flags' headquarters...

 

[John park hopper]

42.5 % of the US population is overweight--- she sure insulted a lot of WDW guests.

 

[larryz]

Regarding food costs at the parks in general though, I did not find them to be that unreasonable, especially compared to the local amusement/theme park, Hersheypark.

Those dome cakes found around the Disney property that generally retail for $6 or so are $10 at Hershey. The $10 for a hot dog with fries or tots is easily $15+ at Hershey as well.

And you only paid around $55 a day (undiscounted) to get into the park, or your annual pass was only around $250.

 

[larryz]

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.

Last time I looked, I wasn't being charged $125 per person per day to shop in my local Kroger.

 

[King Panda 77]

Last time I looked, I wasn't being charged $125 per person per day to shop in my local Kroger.

That may be Bob's next merger plans.

 

[DisneyCane]

That may be Bob's next merger plans.

You can pay $9 to use the ten items or fewer lane if you have 11 items.

 

[King Panda 77]

You can pay $9 to use the ten items or fewer lane if you have 11 items.

You think too cheap . More like,
$9.99 11pm-3 am
$19.99 3am - 6am
$29.99 6am-11pm

 

[Lilofan]

Portion size has nothing to do with whether people eat or not nor how much they eat. Weather and activity do. To reduce portion size and project that people will purchase more portions to make up the difference is wishful thinking.

I know some where that are up to their eyeballs in credit card debt and continue to vacation etc so buying more food to satisfy their hunger is realistic for some.

 

[Lilofan]

Bob Chapek has done such a good job, he is afraid of attending D23…
It is truly lonely at the top, especially when everyone hates you..
But it’s whatever is good for the shareholders I guess..

When Josh razzles and dazzles the loyal D23 crowd at the Contemporary , he will do fine and WDW will keep moving on.

 

[Lilofan]

42.5 % of the US population is overweight--- she sure insulted a lot of WDW guests.

Let's see the next quarterly earning conference call Chapek will have with Wall Street to see the improving attendance figures and see how those that continue to go spend their discretionary incomes at WDW are insulted.

 

[JIMINYCR]

When you pay large prices you expect large portions. If and when Disney cuts portions but keep prices high most guests will not see this as beneficial to their waist lines but taking away what they expect to be paying for. The guest can decide to split portions or take back portions they havent eaten, but its not Disneys place to play food monitor for my health.

 

[Cesar R M]

That may be Bob's next merger plans.

They only need to buy Exxon and they will become what Wall-e warned us about.
The origins of Buy & Large and an "Idiocracy" type future world

You can pay $9 to use the ten items or fewer lane if you have 11 items.

Don't give them ideas.

 

[Cesar R M]

Bob Chapek has done such a good job, he is afraid of attending D23…
It is truly lonely at the top, especially when everyone hates you..
But it’s whatever is good for the shareholders I guess..

Funny you mention this. Almost everyone on youtube and social media.. are talking about how Chapek is hiding or dodging every single fan or non shareholder interest everywhere.

 

[UNCgolf]

Funny you mention this. Almost everyone on youtube and social media.. are talking about how Chapek is hiding or dodging every single fan or non shareholder interest everywhere.

I doubt he's hiding/dodging. It's more likely that he thinks they are a waste of time and he has better things to do.

 

[Diamond Dot]

I doubt he's hiding/dodging. It's more likely that he thinks they are a waste of time and he has better things to do.

Yes, it's very time consuming coming up with new ways to remove Walt's ideas and legacy from the parks and working out how to sneakily rename the Disney Parks 'Marvel Theme Park Universe' and 'SkywalkerLand'