Universal's food is still pretty bad

[Disneyhead'71]

What people don't understand about theme park food, particularly at the counter service places is the sheer volume of food produced.

Just to give an example. Recently, I was a Chef at Dockside Inn and Suites (2,050 room value resort), and after work I was at a bar and a Chef from the Red Lobster on I-Drive said, 'Man, it was a busy night, we did almost 500 covers (basically translates to entrees)'. I said, "Yeah, we did about 4,000."

And that is just one hotel. I can't imagine what someplace like Cosmic Ray's does on a slammed night.

 

[Tjaden]

Universal is bad on the food side (even CityWalk), but dang SeaWorld takes bad food to a whole new level.

Oh well we're a popcorn + pretzel person at WDW until table service time so we don't really quick service meals at any theme park unless something happens timewise.

 

[Tom Morrow]

To be clear I'm talking about table service AND quick service.

Both WDW's quick service AND table service offerings range from "okay" to "genuinely really good." Universal's range from "bad" to "okay" with a few outliers here and there that are decent to good.

But nothing can top the absolutely disgusting BBQ I had recently at Busch Gardens Tampa at the BBQ place by ShieKra. Hands down the worst theme park meal I've ever had and the worst "barbeque" I've ever had. I got "Smoked Brisket" and it tasted like bland meat that was boiled, then charred on the outside only, then sprayed with liquid smoke. It was so completely chewy and bland and disgusting and I paid a lot of money for it and was starving and had to choke it down.

 

[ToTBellHop]

What people don't understand about theme park food, particularly at the counter service places is the sheer volume of food produced.

Just to give an example. Recently, I was a Chef at Dockside Inn and Suites (2,050 room value resort), and after work I was at a bar and a Chef from the Red Lobster on I-Drive said, 'Man, it was a busy night, we did almost 500 covers (basically translates to entrees)'. I said, "Yeah, we did about 4,000."

And that is just one hotel. I can't imagine what someplace like Cosmic Ray's does on a slammed night.

Yet Disney does it well almost universally and Universal does it poorly almost universally.

 

[surfsupdon]

Resort food at Universal is incredibly better than at Disney Resorts. They use real eggs at quick service and cook to order.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Resort food at Universal is incredibly better than at Disney Resorts. They use real eggs at quick service and cook to order.

The resorts are operated by Loews, not Universal.

 

[sonoma15]

To be clear I'm talking about table service AND quick service.

Both WDW's quick service AND table service offerings range from "okay" to "genuinely really good." Universal's range from "bad" to "okay" with a few outliers here and there that are decent to good.

But nothing can top the absolutely disgusting BBQ I had recently at Busch Gardens Tampa at the BBQ place by ShieKra. Hands down the worst theme park meal I've ever had and the worst "barbeque" I've ever had. I got "Smoked Brisket" and it tasted like bland meat that was boiled, then charred on the outside only, then sprayed with liquid smoke. It was so completely chewy and bland and disgusting and I paid a lot of money for it and was starving and had to choke it down.

I've had bad quick service meals and great quick service meals at both Disney and Universal. The problem with theme park quick service is they have to produce such a high volume of food it is hard for them to keep it consistent. Universal's new additions (Minion Cafe, Leaky Cauldron, Today CAFE) and even some older restaurants that have had their menus recently refreshed (Thunderfalls, Circus Mcgurkus, Mel's Drive-in) are most of the time right on par with the best of Disney in my opinion, as someone who goes to and eats quick service at both Disney and Universal pretty much weekly.

Completely agree about the Seaworld parks food going way downhill though. It is at the point where I just leave the park to get lunch and actively avoid trying to eat there. You are paying 3x the price of what you should be paying for a meal that is 3x worse than any quick service meal you have ever had before in your life. I would rather drive 5 minutes and eat lunch at Portillo's or even the Mellow Mushroom across the street. It's extremely disappointing to see, because I remember not that long ago the food at Seaworld parks used to considered good.

 

[drkarcher22]

The resorts are operated by Loews, not Universal.

Yep, one of the main reasons the “Universal” hotels are a far better option than the Disney hotels. Loews do a great job and it’s cheaper on the whole