New Be Our Guest lunch line procedure (Test?)

[crispy]

Capacity is a huge issue. Be very careful about assuming things that represent the entire course of the 4 hrs BOG is open for lunch on any given day. The only thing you can say with accuracy is that at the moment you completed your order, there was seating available for your party size.

No, I can say that most of the place was fairly empty while I waited 30 minutes for my food and still wasn't nearly full when I left. Please don't put words into my mouth.

If capacity is indeed an issue, there are still better ways to handle it. The hybrid "quick service but not really" model that they are using isn't working for them so they need to find something that will. Sure the pageantry of the roses and being resented your food is cute, but it's slow, it's inefficient, and it quite obviously is not working. More efficient service would be a start. Changing to an all day TS restaurant is another viable option. Turning it into a true quick service may help - first come, first serve with more cashiers and no self-help kiosks. Simplifying the menu may help (don't shoot me for that suggestion!). Modeling after something like Panera may help - you order, sitdown, and then pick up your food when it's ready. Turning it into table service may help. All of those are viable options. Making people reserve it with FP+ (why not just use an ADR?) or telling them to come back hours later really isn't working for them especially since many people aren't even allowed to reserve it via FP+ in the first place.

The irony to me is that a restaurant named BE OUR GUEST is becoming completely unwelcoming!

 

[mm52200]

I'm sure a lot of people complained about the line, but what was expected when a restaurant was a major part of an expansion. I guess it was too crazy for them to think that maybe once the demand and hype has worn off some that maybe the line would be reasonable eventually like what happens with every other single new thing added to any theme park.

 

[cw1982]

A line after you order means that you are planning for these people to have to wait for a table after ordering and you run the risk of their food being ready before they have a table to eat it on which means that the food is either sitting in a window somewhere getting cold or sitting under a heat lamp getting gross. Either way, yuck.

Not if it's timed properly. Guests will have to wait for their food one way or another. Cutting down on the amount of time they are waiting at tables could increase seating capacity and does not have to mean substandard food quality if things are done correctly.

 

[disneydudette]

... 2) that everyone is now being given return times that are almost two hours later.

2) Many (most?) people don't have anything like a two hour wait under the tested system. After all, the first huge bunch of people have no wait at all. The first cards that are then handed out probably get a return time of just a few minutes later...

There's been a first hand account of a guest walking up around 11:15a... and receiving a 2p return slot...

This would lead me to believe... that any guest arriving after 11:15a... had at least a 2+ hour return time. I'd take that a step further and say by 12:30p... no return cards were left.

Since guests already line up well before opening...I'm sure they're handing out cards as early as 9:30a... telling guests to return at 10:30a.

I can say for us, walking nearby at, let's say 10:15a, and seeing no one waiting in line would peak our interest. Except it's now 10:15a... and Disney's been handing out return times for the last 45mins. Given the first hand account of return times at 11:15a... I'd fully expect a return time closer to 12p by 10:30a.

Disney doesn't want a line... lines don't 'look good'... guests don't like lines. Taking away a line... by telling a guest they can continue their day at the MK and return in 90mins for lunch... isn't a bad deal at all. That's my kind of Disney... it's only 10:15a... we won't even be hungry till 11:30 anyways... win for us!

We personally wouldn't stop due to the intimidating line. Thanks to the return card... we're in.

Except now it's 11:15a... when most guests would like to consider lunch options... and due to Disney handing out return times since 9:30a... you're now looking at a 2p time slot.

NOW... this is of course under the 'assumption' Disney is in fact handing cards out earlier than opening. This seems likely given the 'facts' so far... if times were THAT far out after 45mins of opening. Perhaps not though... just an assumption.

The test makes sense to me... controlling return times allows Disney to skew crowds to capacity from open to close without a guest ever waiting in line. Another poster even mentioned how difficult it was to find a seat upon her return and conditions, like the drink machine, showed high volume use... which was unlikely in the past given the time of day and room.

I just read about BOG on two different popular 'itinerary' sites... both advertise BOG as a potential 30-40min wait from stepping into line to approaching a kiosik. One site goes on to suggest plannig for 60-90mins experience from start to finish.

This 'seems' acceptable to me given what BOG offers... just curious why it isn't for Disney?

I'm sure Disney's after controlled capacity while offering, what they believe, is a better guest experience. It sounds amazing... just not sure on the execution.

 

[stevehousse]

To me though it is a profit loss by turning all those guests away. If u let someone wait in line to eat at a restaurant that cost what $15 dollars at BOG for lunch per person (just a guess). If u turn those guests away they will eat somehwre else yes, but only spend $10 on their meal at another restaurant (BOG prices are the highest quick service price) so essentially they are gonna lose out on profit for turning paying guests away...

 

[CDavid]

There's not much utility to be gained by speeding up the ordering process as the choke point is always going to be seating. Speed up ordering and you just generate upset who can't find a table.

Bigger issue, from a customer service perspective, is that you don't was people to feel 'rushed' through their meal. If you are paying premium prices to dine at BOG, the very last thing you want to do is rush customers out the door - even though from Disney's viewpoint the faster the tables 'turn over', the better. "Return Cards" aren't inherently evil, but they solve the problem of a lengthy line by creating several new problems (time to return, running out of return cards, etc.) which are as bad - and often worse - than just letting people stand and wait.

I agree if the customers are going to go to a different place to eat. At disney, if they are sent away from one restaurant they will eat at another. And no money is lost if all tables are filled--merely by different people.

Guests can and do eat off site, and then money is indeed lost, not just for the meal but for the intangible loss of time in the park, and any money not spent during those 'lost' hours.

While some people will make the argument that they should be allowed to queue no matter how long they have to wait, unfortunately you are minority in this situation. The biggest complaint quests have made since BOG opened it's doors has been the QUEUE LINE. Surprise! The majority of guests have complained nonstop to WDW Research and Guest Relations about how "ridiculous" it is that they have to wait in such a long line for food. The masses have spoken. The End.

Previously guests complained (and not without cause, admittedly) about a long line just to get to eat. Now guests will complain about the issues with "Return Cards" (or lack of FP+ availability, etc.). It honestly remains to be seen (assuming this procedure continues) which will generate greater complaints to guest services, though my speculation would be the mistaken idea of the "Return Cards" (because people expect lines in a theme park, within reason) will have more guests seeing red.

 

[dadddio]

I think the biggest concern over all this is they are turning paying guests away. Of course wdw wants their newest restaurant to be a big hit, but when you turn guests away they eat elsewhere...this big looses profit. When people r hungry, they r gonna eat. Telling someone that is hungry now that they can't eat here for 2 hours later is a joke...

The same number of guests eat at this restaurant for lunch prior to the test as during. Therefore, the same number of people are turned away. BoG profits are the same both ways.

Again, I really would like to know just who exactly is in charge of reverting back to paper FPs recently??? They obviously don't know the first thing about customer service and need to be fired.

I mean, if I worked as a head of a company, and we just spent a billion dollars upgrading systems, and a year later they reverted back to the old system you would be sure heads would roll..."your telling me I just spent a billion dollars in upgrades and we aren't even utilizing them???" FIRED!

Repeat after me. It's a test.

Why make big programming changes to accommodate a short-term test?

 

[stevehousse]

Why even do the test to begin with if people didn't have a problem before hand with waiting???

 

[dadddio]

I have eaten there twice and there were vast amounts of seating available both times. Capacity doesn't seem to be an issue.

In this very thread people have complained that it was difficult to find a table.

 

[dadddio]

To me though it is a profit loss by turning all those guests away. If u let someone wait in line to eat at a restaurant that cost what $15 dollars at BOG for lunch per person (just a guess). If u turn those guests away they will eat somehwre else yes, but only spend $10 on their meal at another restaurant (BOG prices are the highest quick service price) so essentially they are gonna lose out on profit for turning paying guests away...

That would be true if there were no one else wanting to eat at BoG. However, that's apparently not the case.

 

[dadddio]

Guests can and do eat off site, and then money is indeed lost, not just for the meal but for the intangible loss of time in the park, and any money not spent during those 'lost' hours.

Some will, probably, but I doubt that most customers are going to blow off MK at lunchtime.

Previously guests complained (and not without cause, admittedly) about a long line just to get to eat. Now guests will complain about the issues with "Return Cards" (or lack of FP+ availability, etc.). It honestly remains to be seen (assuming this procedure continues) which will generate greater complaints to guest services, though my speculation would be the mistaken idea of the "Return Cards" (because people expect lines in a theme park, within reason) will have more guests seeing red.

My guess is that this will result in less complaints. I guess that it's a good thing that they are testing because they will learn which is truly preferable to the guests.

 

[dadddio]

Why even do the test to begin with if people didn't have a problem before hand with waiting???

Because lots of people did have a problem with the wait.

 

[Tigger1988]

Why even do the test to begin with if people didn't have a problem before hand with waiting???

People did, people complained. The biggest complaint about BOG lunch from day one was the line. The fact that Disney had to provide umbrellas for people kinda shows how insane it was.

 

[NewfieFan]

People did, people complained. The biggest complaint about BOG lunch from day one was the line. The fact that Disney had to provide umbrellas for people kinda shows how insane it was.

And self serve ice water...

 

[mm52200]

And self serve ice water...

If only WDI/TDO had known that this restaurant they were building was going to be:
A) In Florida
B) Very popular warranting a larger indoor queue space and ordering area

I mean most other quick service restaurants have a larger indoor ordering/line than BoG.

 

[NewfieFan]

I'm seeing both arguments here but I think the "test" is needed at this point. I think the waits were about to get even longer due to FP+ being added. I have no idea the capacity numbers or what percentage of that is used by FP+ but me thinks it was about to make the queue a whole lot longer. So for those of you who waited in the queue for say 30 mins or so, how would you feel about a 60 min plus wait?

 

[keylimesqueeze]

It's kind of intimidating to see this test popping up at different locations. I don't like the idea that they may be looking at trying to find a way to eliminate lines and control what a guest can and cannot wait for. It's like they're determined to eliminate any instance of spontaneity and fun. I don't want to plan out every single minute of my vacation and I don't want them to make those calls either.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[flynnibus]

Either make it a restaurant that requires either an ADR or a FP+ in order to be served or make it a true quick service and let people stand in line. Telling hungry people to come back in two hours just makes no sense any way you dice it, slice it, or excuse it. Like I said earlier, if I truly wanted to see the inside, I would go and eat somewhere else and then come back and order a cupcake. If they get enough people doing that, their revenues are going to sink like a rock.

This pretty much sums it up. You are either walk-up QS.. or you aren't.

Heck, they could even borrow an idea from my local Chick-Fil-A. When it's especially crowded at the drive-thru, they will have an employee walking through the car line taking orders and calling it in and the writing your total and handing it to you. You don't have to wait to use the intercom, you just drive to the window, pay, and pick up your food

The local Cick-Fil-As tend to have dual ordering windows for this. I've seen McDonalds that are high volume or have problems with backups use this for years. From multiple order people walking the line.. to how payment is collected, etc. Locations with bad traffic issues at lunch time tend to use these systems frequently.

 

[flynnibus]

The new FP system at BOG has accomplished several things: 1) It grants more guests access to a "FP" and allows them to choose a time slot that they prefer (based on availability). 2) It speeds up the ordering process by allowing guests to order online ahead of time instead of debating over the menu for 10 mins at the kiosks. 3) It evenly distributes the number of guests served throughout the operating hours. 4) With an increase in the number of FP reservations, it eliminates the need for quests to queue on the bridge.

1 - sure
2 - debatable... it also creates the scenario where people want to change their mind and now have extra steps to handle. Or extra steps in adding things to the existing order. Pre-ordering creates more complexity that may actually be a wash or loss in the end. The main value to guests to advertising the menu and prices better before people get to ordering
3 - true.. even if artifically. So not really a benefit for the guest as much as it is Disney's benefit
4 - This is where you fall down. Having FP doesn't 'eliminate the need' for standby... it sacrafices walkup for FP. Unless you were able to give everyone a FP they wanted.. you have not eliminated the desire for walk up access. Moving to near 100% pre-scheduled simply alienates and ignores walk-ups.. doesn't eliminate the desire or need for it.

While some people will make the argument that they should be allowed to queue no matter how long they have to wait, unfortunately you are minority in this situation

Really? As measured by whom?

The biggest complaint quests have made since BOG opened it's doors has been the QUEUE LINE. Surprise! The majority of guests have complained nonstop to WDW Research and Guest Relations about how "ridiculous" it is that they have to wait in such a long line for food. The masses have spoken. The End.

Guest: "I don't like how long the lines are at the Magic Kingom!"
TRONorail12 the GM: "Fine.. we'll just CLOSE the park and then you don't have to wait in the lines! - Problem solved!"
*facepalm*

Complaining about how long the lines are does not mean you support the solution of just eliminating the ability to wait. This is the most self-serving conclusion I've heard all week. Taking away the service doesn't address the problems of insufficient supply to meet demand.

 

[flynnibus]

I'm sure a lot of people complained about the line, but what was expected when a restaurant was a major part of an expansion. I guess it was too crazy for them to think that maybe once the demand and hype has worn off some that maybe the line would be reasonable eventually like what happens with every other single new thing added to any theme park.

It's been open for over a year and a half. What it says more than anything is... MK is being under served in dining options that you open a new style and it's so popular people will wait an hour to eat there.

When you have that kind of demand... you should FILL it with more capacity... not spend so much time and effort to figure out how to shape the demand into something you can fit and then cut everyone else off.

The lesson learned is... people want to eat in this kind of place.. so listen to your customers Disney.