Is Disney's food cost out of line??

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So I'm reading the reviews on the new chicken place at Disney springs and the complaint is that it's "expensive". Now in the interest of full disclosure I live in Philly.
The menu had a chicken combo for 12 bucks. That's expensive??? I just went to the Phillies game. a burger fries and drink. $19.00 plus tax. A small bucket of chickie and peetes crab fries?? 12 dollars.
Earlier this year I went to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, lol you want to talk about expensive.

I am not saying that Disney is cheap, what I'm saying is that I don't find it to be out of line from other vacation/entertainment venues. Went to see Ed Sheeran earlier this year, don't get me started at the cost of a soda. although that may not be comparable because Philadelphia has a soda tax.

Are folks comparing the prices to "at home". Even my favorite go to vacation spot, Ocean City NJ, a plain pizza on the boardwalk is going to set you back $25.00 bucks.

Where's your go to vacation destination where food is as cheap as home?
 
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Nemo14

Well-Known Member
I understand what you're saying - the prices at Chicken Guy do seem quite reasonable, in line with Earl of Sandwich prices. I think the complaints come from people who've already spent a lot on park tickets and hotels, and now face feeding a family 3 meals a day for an extended period of time. Magic Express makes it convenient to not depend on a car, so exploring dining options off site is more of a hassle. But likewise it frustrates people to have to pay Disney prices for meals, hence they see everything as expensive.
 

DarthVader

Sith Lord
I am not saying that Disney is cheap, what I'm saying is that I don't find it to be out of line from other vacation/entertainment venues.
I've vacationed in NH, VT, Maine, Georgia, and SC and by and large food costs were not expensive. In fact we frequently vacation in NH, and its extremely inexpensive, its not in the woods (I've done that), but in some of the touristy towns (think North Conway if you're familiar).

I do find the price of meals at WDW to be extremely expensive, but I also realize there are locations that can be just as pricey, such as San Francisco, where I had a simple sandwich, coke and chips, and that ran me 30 dollars. Where I live, for the same price, I could feed my kids, and myself that same meal
 
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Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
I think the delineating factor is if the restaurant has a captive audience or not.

When you are at a theme park, stadium or the like, guests tend to either stay in or are locked into that bubble. This forces guests to buy from the on property vendors who can pretty much charge whatever they want. Not only is it generally expected for the prices to be higher in places like this, it is often necessary for them to be due the price per square foot lease prices being astronomical. To put it quite simply, they charge more because they can.

When you vacation to a place like "the beach" you tend to be eating at your normal local and chain style restaurants. They do not have a captive audience and the normal competition/supply and demand factors take over and brings the prices down to a more reasonable level.
 

OneofThree

Well-Known Member
Disney.

Orlando, for a major tourist destination, is a relatively inexpensive city (Lived there for well over a decade). Dining options far superior to, but less expensive than on-property locations are within 10 minutes or so.
 

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I changed the title guys to be a bit more "encompassing ". Some one pointed out that value is percieved more than "cost"
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Last night-

Best deal in the park.. 2 small slices (or one bigger and one tiny) of pizza + 2 small breadsticks, no drink = $13.99
FB0E3F9B-4EF8-4C24-A369-FA18EF661557.jpeg



Wednesday night (no photo)-

Same park, we had a plain grilled cheese sandwich and a grilled cheese donut- $8.99 and $7.99 respectively, sandwich only.
(These are not my photos)

7E580C73-19F6-4200-A5B4-07894D1BF2B7.jpeg
FD7C1E08-86EE-4211-AE90-25F7040E2BA7.jpeg
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
I don't eat CFA often because, amongst other things, arteries. But where I live in NJ, the Chick Fil A has a Southwest Chicken Salad that I order on the occasions my wife picks CFA up. That and a soda runs $10 plus tax.
Same deal were I to go to the nearest CFA at work in midtown Manhattan? $12
Chicken Guy's Southwest Sweet Corn Salad and a soda? $12

In fact, comparing many items on the Chicken Guy menu to comparable items at the Midtown CFA, prices for CG seem to be like $1.20 more for most sammiches, .90 more for the 3 tenders, .50 more for fries...

Not having been to CG yet I have no idea if portions are comparable, bigger, smaller.

Meanwhile at Contempo Cafe, a deluxe chicken sandwich, before adding a drink (assuming you're not staying at Contemporary and have refillable mug) is $11.50.

I don't get the complaints. Is CG more expensive than something comparable at your local CFA? Probably. Is it still in line or less expensive than many other counter service options at WDW? Seems like it.
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
I don't eat CFA often because, amongst other things, arteries. But where I live in NJ, the Chick Fil A has a Southwest Chicken Salad that I order on the occasions my wife picks CFA up. That and a soda runs $10 plus tax.
Same deal were I to go to the nearest CFA at work in midtown Manhattan? $12
Chicken Guy's Southwest Sweet Corn Salad and a soda? $12

In fact, comparing many items on the Chicken Guy menu to comparable items at the Midtown CFA, prices for CG seem to be like $1.20 more for most sammiches, .90 more for the 3 tenders, .50 more for fries...

Not having been to CG yet I have no idea if portions are comparable, bigger, smaller.

Meanwhile at Contempo Cafe, a deluxe chicken sandwich, before adding a drink (assuming you're not staying at Contemporary and have refillable mug) is $11.50.

I don't get the complaints. Is CG more expensive than something comparable at your local CFA? Probably. Is it still in line or less expensive than many other counter service options at WDW? Seems like it.

$11.50 for just the sandwich? I haven’t eaten at Contempo Cafe in years.. but Captain Cook’s at least does a side with their sandwiches. And an entire flat bread pizza is under $12 I think.

I find Poly qs is fairly reasonable for portions served, not sure about the Contemporary though.
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Food prices at WDW are out of line, especially in table services.

The price at Chicken Guy is acceptable. The building is in a premium location, so you will have to cover the rent in your pricing.

For places in the parks, owned by WDW, it is simply an embarrassing money grab. The fact that you can go somewhere 2 miles away and get the same food for half the price indicates that food cost is not the issue. Disney is paying the same (or more likely less, due to volume) for food as other venues in the area. $50 - $75 for a steak (and lets be real, this is in no way hand trimmed, dry aged, prime beef - it come in from Sysco in 50 lb cryovac wet packs). is just a money grab. Heck, steak at Peter Luger is +/- $55.00 a person. Are you seriously going to tell me that the all in costs for a filet mignon at Cali Grill are the same as the all in costs for steak at Peter Lugers? (Peter Luger's 'steak' is a porterhouse, you don't order a filet or a strip - you can, but you don't - you just order "steak for 2" or "steak for 3" etc) and Peter Luger's has a bit of a mark up because of their name.

There are places where high food costs are justified - Grand Cayman and Bermuda are two places I have vacationed that jump to mind. Especially Bermuda - A burger, a chicken sandwich, a beer, and a wine - $100. Grand Cayman is not quite as bad (Florida is closer to them) but it is still expensive (and you tend to forget $1 Cayman = $1.25 US, so $40 may not sound bad, but its $50 US). But food is expensive there, for everyone, it has to be shipped in.

Vacation places are expensive - NYC can be expensive, if you eat at a tourist trap. You can get some very inexpensive and good meals in NYC. Heck, was 2 blocks off of Time Square and hit up restaurant row and you will do much better. Same thing goes for many other places I have been. You can get good food at good prices if you avoid the touristy places. However, even the touristy places are not that bad. WDW has a captive audience and almost no competition. It is just a cash grab.
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
$11.50 for just the sandwich? I haven’t eaten at Contempo Cafe in years.. but Captain Cook’s at least does a side with their sandwiches. And an entire flat bread pizza is under $12 I think.

I find Poly qs is fairly reasonable for portions served, not sure about the Contemporary though.
I suspect that $11.50 comes with fries. But still were you to add a drink it would be more than the combo at Chicken Guy, and I'm going to stop abbreviating it to CG lest anyone confuse it with California Grill and start thinking they can eat at Cali Grill for $13.
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Vacation places are expensive - NYC can be expensive, if you eat at a tourist trap. You can get some very inexpensive and good meals in NYC.

Will still never forget walking to work one day and hearing a tourist say to his I-assume-wife, "I don't care if it's more expensive than at home, we've GOT to eat there! Don't you want to tell our friends we ate at the WORLD'S LARGEST APPLEBEES?"
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Will still never forget walking to work one day and hearing a tourist say to his I-assume-wife, "I don't care if it's more expensive than at home, we've GOT to eat there! Don't you want to tell our friends we ate at the WORLD'S LARGEST APPLEBEES?"

That's too funny. What a bucket list item that must be. So you walk through Times Square on your way to work. A long time ago I used to walk from the PABT down 8th to 1 Penn Plaza where I used to work. Trust me, no tourists were there, especially in the 1990's, sometimes I did take a little detour north to the International Soup Kitchen (aka the Sienfield "Soup Nazi")

I was just over there last week for a trade event at HBO over on AoA. I never knew that was the domain of Slappy Magoo.
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
That's too funny. What a bucket list item that must be. So you walk through Times Square on your way to work. A long time ago I used to walk from the PABT down 8th to 1 Penn Plaza where I used to work. Trust me, no tourists were there, especially in the 1990's, sometimes I did take a little detour north to the International Soup Kitchen (aka the Sienfield "Soup Nazi")

I was just over there last week for a trade event at HBO over on AoA. I never knew that was the domain of Slappy Magoo.
I wouldn't say it's my domain...especially those SOB's over at HBO. :mad:

j/k I know a few guys over there.

But part of my regiment of a: dropping a few lbs and b: getting used to the heat before our trip has been walking in-between Penn Station and work, both ways. I almost always walk to Penn Station after work but am now walking to work from Penn Station too. Jeez Louise it's been hot. By the time I get to my desk I look like I just got off Splash Mountain with the jets on high.
 

eliza61nyc

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Food prices at WDW are out of line, especially in table services.

The price at Chicken Guy is acceptable. The building is in a premium location, so you will have to cover the rent in your pricing.

For places in the parks, owned by WDW, it is simply an embarrassing money grab. The fact that you can go somewhere 2 miles away and get the same food for half the price indicates that food cost is not the issue. Disney is paying the same (or more likely less, due to volume) for food as other venues in the area. $50 - $75 for a steak (and lets be real, this is in no way hand trimmed, dry aged, prime beef - it come in from Sysco in 50 lb cryovac wet packs). is just a money grab. Heck, steak at Peter Luger is +/- $55.00 a person. Are you seriously going to tell me that the all in costs for a filet mignon at Cali Grill are the same as the all in costs for steak at Peter Lugers? (Peter Luger's 'steak' is a porterhouse, you don't order a filet or a strip - you can, but you don't - you just order "steak for 2" or "steak for 3" etc) and Peter Luger's has a bit of a mark up because of their name.

There are places where high food costs are justified - Grand Cayman and Bermuda are two places I have vacationed that jump to mind. Especially Bermuda - A burger, a chicken sandwich, a beer, and a wine - $100. Grand Cayman is not quite as bad (Florida is closer to them) but it is still expensive (and you tend to forget $1 Cayman = $1.25 US, so $40 may not sound bad, but its $50 US). But food is expensive there, for everyone, it has to be shipped in.

Vacation places are expensive - NYC can be expensive, if you eat at a tourist trap. You can get some very inexpensive and good meals in NYC. Heck, was 2 blocks off of Time Square and hit up restaurant row and you will do much better. Same thing goes for many other places I have been. You can get good food at good prices if you avoid the touristy places. However, even the touristy places are not that bad. WDW has a captive audience and almost no competition. It is just a cash grab.
I think at Disney folks start factoring in time, we do go offsite to eat but I know for others the "time" involved makes it worth paying Disney prices.
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
I think at Disney folks start factoring in time, we do go offsite to eat but I know for others the "time" involved makes it worth paying Disney prices.
Not to mention all of the people who use Magical Express to get there, so they don't have cars. Going offsite, even if you want to, involves renting a car or taking a cab or Uber which a: adds to the price of going off site to eat (even though it would most definitely be cheaper than eating on site, and b: as you said, doesn't factor in the time it takes to go off-site. Sure, if you're at one of the hotels that are on the edges of property, it might be faster to go offsite than some places on-site. But if you're in a park and plan on being back in the park for closing, you might decide to eat in the park or a hotel near the park just to have more time.
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
I stay in a 1 bedroom DVC villa and visit Publix after I arrive. We eat breakfast in the room, so pick up stuff for breakfast, lunches, maybe a dinner or two. And alcohol. Saves lots of $$$ and we don't mind cooking...simple meals.
 

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
Being a local, we rarely eat on property unless it's hitting a take out window in Disney Springs. When in the parks, it's just a light snack or two until we leave property. If I'm just going out for a nice dinner, to get too Disney Springs I have to drive by about 100 restaurants that are as good or better and less expensive.
 

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