Free dining lowers your standards

[sxeensweet]

I don't think Disney food has lower standards at all. If you have ever tried to choke down any food at all at a Six Flags park you know Disney food is 100 times better.

Also better than Universal!!! To me Disney Food is better than any other theme park company!!! Also we like some of the QS and TS places better than chain restaurants by far!! We put Disney as some of the best eating we have done in all our travels in many cities in the US and we consider ourselves foodies. Also we are from southern Louisiana so we know good food!! Lol We love trying new places all over and our fave part of our Disney trips is the food even with our high standards.

 

[Shere_Khan]

However the OP asked if YOUR standards lowered, not if the standards/quality of the food has lowered due to free dining.

To which my answer is yes.
Don't get me wrong, I love the free dining plan. Take every advantage to get it.
But if I have a so so meal at one of the restaurants, I would be more apt to take the "oh well, it's free" approach.

If I were paying a large amount for that same so so meal, I would be more likely to not return to the restaurant or maybe let a manager know it wasn't great quality for the price.

 

[wdwstateofmind]

DDP- free or not -has totally ruined the culinary experience. period. Once purchased, it guarantees you will be eating there- NO competition. They make it sound like it is a deal or for your convenience, but it is just to provide at best mediocre food at top dollar.

Why would competition matter? Most people don't have the transportation to go off property and Disney reserves the right to dictate businesses on their land. Regardless, competition in this case would actually drive costs up as well. It would be more like Times Square considering Disney doesn't have a shortage of guests. Imagine a Fridays opening up on property at well above Disney costs because it's different and they know people will pay. Soon it will be $12 for a cheeseburger there and Disney would raise their prices because they'd still be cheaper than the competition. Additionally, it's not Disney's responsibility to have a bus running to the Publix and Cici's Pizza (and I'm sure it's not covered in their insurance policy either as most guests are not from the area).

Even if it's something small. The process to open up your franchise at DTD I hear is pretty lengthy with many, MANY financial stipulations. Capitalism is great, just not when you're another company on Disney's corporate land. Let Disney struggle to fill it's storefronts; in the long-term it actually keep costs down more than competition.

 

[JiminyandTink]

For me, food always seems better if its free or made by someone else.

 

[Maelstrom Troll]

I don't think Disney food has lower standards at all. If you have ever tried to choke down any food at all at a Six Flags park you know Disney food is 100 times better.

Oh this is so true. I went for the first time in about 10 years and its less than 30 miles from my house. Six Flags was dirty, in DESPERATE need of rehab, and the food choices were more expensive than WDW and just gross. It may be more than 10 years for my next visit.

 

[Sparkle81]

My upcoming trip in December will be the first time I've had a DDP and I know already that because it's free, if a meal I have is disappointing, I'll probably just shrug & move on. Last time we were at WDW, we ate at Nine Dragons. I'm a huge Chinese food lover and the meal was mediocre at best. I was disappointed with it both because of the quality, and because it was hardly cheap. However if that meal had been part of a free DDP, it definitely would have cushioned the disappointment.