Quality of service/food

[Epc0tphr34k]

here's a question for you guys i have been thinking about while i plan my yearly trip. Have you guys noticed any changes in restaurants since ytou have been going or at least an opinion change on a restaurant. For example maybe you really liked alfredo's years back but toward the end of its life you noticed things going down hill
or maybe you dsidn't enjoy a meal liberty tree tavern but decided to give it a try and had a much better experience. any recent uphill or downhill experiences like that?

i am thinking about giving a bunch of places a second chance this trip

[Jared]

Many Disney restaurants are inconsistent and unpredictable. After two good experiences at Cape May Cafe, we were very disappointed with our dinner there in May. Our breakfast at Spoodles, however, was excellent, despite our claim to never return there because of horrendous service a few years ago.

[Polynesian Dweller]

I'd say Dosney restaurants are no more or less predictable than non-Disney restaurants. They have changes of chefs just like most restaurants (chefs move all the time), the head chef does get time off so some nights your get their cooking other nights a sous chef. So the quality can be different trip to trip.

[IloveDisney71]

[quote=Polynesian Dweller;1683527]I'd say Dosney restaurants are no more or less predictable than non-Disney restaurants. ...quote]

I totally agree with this statement. I've eaten at LTT at least 4 times and had wonderful experiences the first 3 times but a bad experience this last time. I'm hoping that they just had an "off" night and that it's not becoming a downward sprial.

[DizneyRox]

With so many changes in the world, I don't see a need to provide second chances.

Some from my "You had your shot" list

Luau
Hollywood and Vine
Coral Reef
Yachtsman Steakhouse
CRT Breakfast
Pizza Planet

I'm sure there are others.

[Donald Duck 001]

My thought is, if it is a place that you loved to eat in the past and you had one expeirence that wasnt good, than I would give it another shot.

On the other hand if you went to a restaurant and it was awful the first time you went than I wouldnt go back. I proably wont ever eat at the California Grill again. That was the worst service and food I have eaten any where.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I think its not uncommon for the restaurants to undergo management changes so that may explain some of the problems;

My family raved about Crystal Palace because they had such a great meal in 1999 so we went on our 2003 trip and it was truly awful (like frozen dinner quality), we did not eat there last time in 2005 but after seeing so many good reports on Intercot we've decided to try it again Dec. 2008 trip..... We also did not enjoy our meal at Mama Melrose's in 2005 but I wouldn't rule out trying it again in the future.

[SBETigg]

I believe in second chances for places at which I have had a wonderful previous experience. Case in point, Chefs de France. I had two wonderful meals there in different years, and then I had one not-so-great. I plan to return eventually, but I haven't been back yet.

But there are places that have failed to impress me, or at which the meal was so bad there is no going back, or they were just okay and I feel no need for a return trip. Some of these are Coral Reef, Boatwrights, Hollywood and Vine, and Kona Cafe. I would go back to Coral Reef, our worst meal of all time, but there's no way I could get my husband to go back with me, so it's off the list.

I do have a longer list of places I love to return to that I have to balance with the list of places I want to try for every new trip.

[Crow]

ive had some
Les Chef had a great meal, then a not so great so I havent been back
Coral Reef. i went w the first wife like in the 80s, then i went back last yr. it was ok but I probably wont b back for awhile
Cap Jack Ive never gone back to & its been a decade or 2.
I think Akershus has gone down. I used to love the buffet then they took away the Hot Bordt, i said ok food is prepared fresh & you can request seconds. then the Princesses arrived.
I gave it another shot (yes I did look at the princesses, nothing against them ) the Cold bort is still there but the entrees you choose 1.
I stick w Kringla now for my fix of schoolbread & Norwegian women.
I think there has been some cutting overall in the budget . Id rather see more variety

[jonahbear2006]

I agree with the had your shot list. We have some of those ourselves

CRT-lunch
CP-lunch
Pizza Planet
Earl Of Sandwich

with soooo many choices and never getting around to all the restaurants, there is definitely no reason to give them a 2nd chance.

[SurferStitch]

I don't think food or service quality have dropped at all over the years. Yes, some choices have disappeared, but the quality is still just as high.

There are a few places we've tried, and I highly doubt we will ever go back.....

1. Citricos - Food was excellent both times we dined there, but the service was horribly rude those both times, too. DH and I never cheap out on a meal, and yet we were treated like low class citizens. I don't know....maybe we ticked them off by showing up on time, dressing more than appropriately....who knows.

2. Le Chefs de France - We tried this place for the first time in December. Service was great, but the food was terrible. DH had a Nerf ball for a filet, and my scallops were almost raw with no flavor. DH's creme brulee was cold, had a soggy top and loaded with condensation. My cream puffs were soggy, cold, and partially frozen in the center. Finished with them.

3. Cantina de San Angel - Bland, boring food and terrible service. One try was enough for us.

[USCTinkerbell]

We have the same kind of list.
The ones I have not been impressed with are:

Crystal Palace: this was the most horrible meal and service we have ever had at Disney!

San Angel Inn: the waiter we had could not even speak english and the food on that trip was terrible.

Chefs de France: Horrible except for the french onion soup.

My most fav not to miss places are always:

Le Cellier
Yachtsman Steakhouse
O'Hanas

I was not wild about Boma's when we went but I had a case of sun poison so I'm giving it another shot on this trip in Dec.

With so many changes in the world, I don't see a need to provide second chances.

Some from my "You had your shot" list

Luau
Hollywood and Vine
Coral Reef
Yachtsman Steakhouse
CRT Breakfast
Pizza Planet

I'm sure there are others.

[garthbarth1]

I agree with the unpredictable nature of TS meals. DH and I use to love San Angel Inn...we ate there last year and it was TERRIBLE! We will never go back no matter how strong my craving for chips and salsa is! Tonys Toon Town Square was terrible also....canned Italian is not my idea of a good meal. We will not even give that place a second chance! Have fun on your trip!

[RALPH]

I agree that ANY restaurant can have an off night. That being said we have eaten at the following each 20 times, Le Cellier &
Yachtsman Steakhouse. We have yet to be dissappointed.

Our one and done list.

Capt Jacks
Cape May Cafe Dinner
Coral Reef (actually 2 and done)
Boatrights
Rain Forest cafe

[Mousemates]

I think the quality vairance thing goes beyond the restaurant level to the menu level...for not every item on the menu is done equally well at any restaurant....so instead of going with restaurant recommendations when we make our ADRs...we take it to the menu level and usually have a good idea on the front end of whic particular items to choose from or avoid.

By taking this approach we have by and large avoided dining disasters and had remarkably good experiences at a couple of restaurants that generally get panned by the reviewers (Tony's in the MK and Chefs of FRance in Epcot).

[AdventurerKim]

We used to love the Rose and Crown, but at least the last two or three times we went in as many years, service was not as good as it used to be, menu changed, and the cottage pie, my fav, had more spice than necessary. We don't go there anymore, mainly because of declining service. My DH and I sat outside for lunch once, and the waiter practically ignored us to cater to a table of 6+. We think he thought he'd get a bigger tip from a bigger table, and he probably did since we let him know by the size of our tip that he gave us poor service.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

We had the worse service at Kona last year but we are going to give it another try this year. Last year they forgot us for an hour after we checked in. Then they had to seat us a 2 tables and the kids were eating dessert before we even got our appetizers. But the food was good so we'll give them another try.

[Young@Heart]

I've found most dining at WDW to be consistant. The only 2 places we didn't care for we're not returning to anytime soon. Beyond that, we've been happy with all our meals and like to go back to all our favorite spots.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I think the quality vairance thing goes beyond the restaurant level to the menu level...for not every item on the menu is done equally well at any restaurant....so instead of going with restaurant recommendations when we make our ADRs...we take it to the menu level and usually have a good idea on the front end of whic particular items to choose from or avoid.

By taking this approach we have by and large avoided dining disasters and had remarkably good experiences at a couple of restaurants that generally get panned by the reviewers (Tony's in the MK and Chefs of FRance in Epcot).

Just out of curiosity, what should we avoid/order at Tony's...we have ADRs there for December