Wasted food at Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue

[UNCgolf]

To be clear, I understand that a certain amount of food waste is inevitable when dealing with these kinds of all-you-can-eat experiences. All I’m saving—all I have ever said throughout this thread—is that they might reduce the amount of waste at Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue to something less obscene than it currently is.

I've never been to any family style restaurants at Disney (I've been to breakfast buffets, but buffets are obviously different) and probably never will -- but it's bizarre to me that they would bring out more food than most people are going to eat right at the start. Considering it's AYCE and you can ask for more as much as you want, it would make more sense to bring out smaller portions and then wait for someone to actually request more. That would both reduce waste and probably increase the quality (even if only a very small amount) because guests would be eating less food that's just been sitting out on the table for however long.

 

[LittleBuford]

I've never been to any family style restaurants at Disney (I've been to breakfast buffets, but buffets are obviously different) and probably never will -- but it's bizarre to me that they would bring out huge amounts of food to start. Considering it's AYCE, and you can ask for more as much as you want, it would make more sense to bring out smaller amounts and then bring more when someone asks for it. That would both reduce waste and probably increase the quality (even if only a very small amount) because guests would be eating less food that's just been sitting out on the table for however long.

I agree, but this thread has helped me understand the calculation that Disney is making. Most posters here seem quite against the idea of any reduction in the amount of food initially brought out, even as they acknowledge the considerable waste that results from it. This leads me to think that Disney has rightly determined that a good number—and perhaps a majority—of guests are gratified by the visual spectacle of all that food and feel they are getting their money’s worth because of it. It saddens me that intentional wastefulness should work to keep guests satisfied, but I’m not sure what other conclusion to reach based on the overall tenor of this thread.

 

[lewisc]

Look around. Do at least 75% of the tables have significant left overs? If yes the anti food wasters have a point.

Wait staff doesn't want to serve seconds to most tables. People equate large quantities of food with value.

 

[dmw]

FWIW, we ate a restaurant at Dollywood two years ago that also brought out large portion sizes, even for a party of two. My wife and I discussed how there should be a way to reduce the portion size with just two guests. We had the same conversation at HDD when we visited many years ago. We were happy to have plenty to eat, but saddened at how much went to waste. For a party of one or two, there must be a way to offer a generous portion, but still reduce the waste. Hard to define that balance, considering people have different appetites.

 

[JIMINYCR]

FWIW, we ate a restaurant at Dollywood two years ago that also brought out large portion sizes, even for a party of two. My wife and I discussed how there should be a way to reduce the portion size with just two guests. We had the same conversation at HDD when we visited many years ago. We were happy to have plenty to eat, but saddened at how much went to waste. For a party of one or two, there must be a way to offer a generous portion, but still reduce the waste. Hard to define that balance, considering people have different appetites.

Maybe ask your server to bring you a smaller portion? If those who are feeling guilty about food being wasted did that then there wouldnt be so much food being left behind. Problem solved.

 

[LittleBuford]

Maybe ask your server to bring you a smaller portion? If those who are feeling guilty about food being wasted did that then there wouldnt be so much food being left behind. Problem solved.

How is one supposed to know on a first visit how much food is going to be brought out?

 

[Lilofan]

I've never been to any family style restaurants at Disney (I've been to breakfast buffets, but buffets are obviously different) and probably never will -- but it's bizarre to me that they would bring out more food than most people are going to eat right at the start. Considering it's AYCE and you can ask for more as much as you want, it would make more sense to bring out smaller portions and then wait for someone to actually request more. That would both reduce waste and probably increase the quality (even if only a very small amount) because guests would be eating less food that's just been sitting out on the table for however long.

I've worked family style set ups back in the day. I would not be in favor of serving smaller portions, hear the heartache from the guests and making more trips to the table.

 

[UNCgolf]

I've worked family style set ups back in the day. I would not be in favor of serving smaller portions, hear the heartache from the guests and making more trips to the table.

I'm sure the wait staff doesn't want to do it -- as a guest, though, I'd prefer smaller portions to ensure I'm actually getting fresh food.

There can be a tremendous quality difference between food items that are just brought out vs. when they've been sitting on a table for 15 minutes.

But I'm not a fan of family style anyways.

 

[LittleBuford]

I've worked family style set ups back in the day. I would not be in favor of serving smaller portions, hear the heartache from the guests and making more trips to the table.

There’s a false dichotomy being presented here between enormous, unmanageable portions and overly small ones that would require multiple trips by the CMs. Why are people not considering the considerable spectrum between those two extremes? Why, moreover, are people overlooking the fact that the CMs are already making multiple trips to refill drinks?

 

[wdwfan22]

I don't think the family style meals are worth it. Yes, it's all you can eat, but they bring out small portions and you have to wait forever for refills, because in my opinion the wait staff are never on top of it. It's a cost saving method for Disney too. They know the majority of Guests are not going to wait, because they want to continue their day.

 

[LittleBuford]

I don't think the family style meals are worth it. Yes, it's all you can eat, but they bring out small portions and you have to wait forever for refills, because in my opinion the wait staff are never on top of it. It's a cost saving method for Disney too. They know the majority of Guests are not going to wait, because they want to continue their day.

Everyone here is reporting the opposite of what you say: that Disney’s family-style dining experiences provide guests with an (over-)abundance of food. I don’t think a single person has claimed they were given small portions.

 

[wdwfan22]

Everyone here is reporting the opposite of what you say: that Disney’s family-style dining experiences provide guests with an (over-)abundance of food. I don’t think a single person has claimed they were given small portions.

Maybe at the Hoop Dee Doo you are given huge portions, but at any other family style meal you are not. I haven't done the Hoop in years so maybe something has changed.

 

[Lilofan]

There’s a false dichotomy being presented here between enormous, unmanageable portions and overly small ones that would require multiple trips by the CMs. Why are people not considering the considerable spectrum between those two extremes? Why, moreover, are people overlooking the fact that the CMs are already making multiple trips to refill drinks?

I’m sure management would be looking at if going down the road of smaller portions
More trips to the table for servers
Increased workload of kitchen staff plating , servers delivering items to tables , more crowded turns in an already smallish hotline station , more plate usage meaning more inventory of plates , more workload of kitchen stewards washing drying items , increased water chemical usage of work station etc etc “Family style “ is usually meant to mean generous portions just like mom would do at home.
If one was invited to a home and family style was used but with smaller portions - what would reaction be? Like - what the heck is this ??

 

[Lilofan]

I don't think the family style meals are worth it. Yes, it's all you can eat, but they bring out small portions and you have to wait forever for refills, because in my opinion the wait staff are never on top of it. It's a cost saving method for Disney too. They know the majority of Guests are not going to wait, because they want to continue their day.

Bingo and AYCE is not a walk in the park for servers and entire restaurant staff.

 

[JIMINYCR]

How is one supposed to know on a first visit how much food is going to be brought out?

Simple. When the server first comes to get your drink order ask how much food is there going to be. Then say we want a smaller amount.
Or when food starts coming out see what the portion at the table next to you is being set out and tell your server you don’t want that amount. Or when your server comes to your table let them know you want smaller helping before they slam the buckets of food down.
If you’re concerned about wasted food you’ll find a way to refuse a larger portion . No ones forcing you to take what’s being served.

 

[Prince-1]

I don't think the family style meals are worth it. Yes, it's all you can eat, but they bring out small portions and you have to wait forever for refills, because in my opinion the wait staff are never on top of it. It's a cost saving method for Disney too. They know the majority of Guests are not going to wait, because they want to continue their day.

This literally is not how it ever goes. The portions that come out are generous and you do not have to wait long at all to get more if you want it.

 

[LittleBuford]

“Family style “ is usually meant to mean generous portions just like mom would do at home.

My mother, like everyone else’s, taught me that it was a shame to throw food away.

If one was invited to a home and family style was used but with smaller portions - what would reaction be? Like - what the heck is this ??

Again, generous and unmanageable are not the same thing.

 

[LittleBuford]

Simple. When the server first comes to get your drink order ask how much food is there going to be. Then say we want a smaller amount.
Or when food starts coming out see what the portion at the table next to you is being set out and tell your server you don’t want that amount. Or when your server comes to your table let them know you want smaller helping before they slam the buckets of food down.
If you’re concerned about wasted food you’ll find a way to refuse a larger portion . No ones forcing you to take what’s being served.

First, it’s a systemic issue. The issue isn’t what I, as an individual, feel about food waste, but what Disney, as a company, is doing to generate that waste.

Second, I did try to prevent unnecessary food being brought to the table when I returned to the Revue. It didn’t work, which is why I was served a whole cake to myself (and not permitted to take the remaining three quarters of it away in a box).

 

[Lilofan]

My mother, like everyone else’s, taught me that it was a shame to throw food away.


Again, generous and unmanageable are not the same thing.

Yes throw food away is rampant in the restaurant industry unless you are Rocky Aoki who started Benihana. The food waste at his company is slim to none.

 

[UNCgolf]

Everyone here is reporting the opposite of what you say: that Disney’s family-style dining experiences provide guests with an (over-)abundance of food. I don’t think a single person has claimed they were given small portions.

I think I remember reading some complaints about the portion sizes at Woody's Roundup BBQ, but nothing else.