ARe the food choices going down because of the DP?

[LiloLovesTheKing26]

Each year I go back there seems to be less and less on the menus? Is it because of the dining plan? As much as I enjoy it. I'd rather have more choices!! MAybe it's just in my head.

[DizneyRox]

Each year I go back there seems to be less and less on the menus? Is it because of the dining plan?
Yes

As much as I enjoy it. I'd rather have more choices!! MAybe it's just in my head.
Join the club

[TheRustyScupper]

Each year I go back there seems to be less and less on the menus? Is it because of the dining plan? As much as I enjoy it. I'd rather have more choices!! MAybe it's just in my head.

1) How nice of you to notice.
2) As DisneyRox mentioned, the answers are YES.
. . . partly due to the cost of better meals
. . . partly due to the cheapness of commonality
. . . party due to being just cheap
3) But, as long as people buy DDP, look for more of this.
4) When guests don't complain, Disney takes another inch.

[LiloLovesTheKing26]

I figured it wasn't just me that thought it. I guess since the DP keeps most of the places pretty busy the less if you only have 6 main dishes to cook then the faster they can get people in and out!

I miss the good old days!

[Gator]

Is there a correlation from the DDP to less on menus? First, are the menus shrinking? I've noticed changes, but not a smaller selection. Second, If the menus did shrink, wouldn't it be more of simple cost cutting moves by the owners of each restaurant.? They still have to compete with each other, so offering a smaller variety of food would hurt them rather then help them.

I think the DDP has filled the places because people don't feel like they're spending more money on TS food (when they actually are). If anything, the influx of people to these place from the DDP being so wildly popular would keep the prices of food lower, which would keep them from making menus smaller. It's simple economics.

[DizneyRox]

Is there a correlation from the DDP to less on menus? First, are the menus shrinking? I've noticed changes, but not a smaller selection.
Absolutely! We could tell by the menus posted outside if a restaurant was on the dining plan or not, we were not, so we didn't descriminate.

Second, If the menus did shrink, wouldn't it be more of simple cost cutting moves by the owners of each restaurant.? They still have to compete with each other, so offering a smaller variety of food would hurt them rather then help them.

It is cost cutting, but I refer to the above in that not all restaurants have simpler menus, and what I saw coincided with if they participated with the DDP or not.

With the DDP, so many people get it, that the restaurants are getting business not because they are good, but because people want to use their credits, and many have no choice because the "good" places are already booked.


I think the DDP has filled the places because people don't feel like they're spending more money on TS food (when they actually are). If anything, the influx of people to these place from the DDP being so wildly popular would keep the prices of food lower, which would keep them from making menus smaller. It's simple economics.
That logic falls apart once you bring Disney into the mix. Smaller menus keeps costs down due to being able to buy in bulk, ease of preparation and then higher turnover wheich means more people serviced (more DDPs can be sold). All that savings translates into higher profit not better selection or lower costs for the guest.

[BigRedDad]

The DDP is definitely one of the major factors for it. It allows them to purchase large quantities of the same thing for less, charge you more for it, and reduce the quality because they can over charge on it. As long as people over spend for the DDP, WDW can cheapen the dining experience.

[Seasonscraps]

Yep, thanks to the dining plan dining is not too enjoyable in Disney anymore. The decent places are difficult to get into. The other places, eh, nothing special and not worth eating or paying for. We probably get half our meals off property now.

[Hammer]

Having participated in Disney table service dining well before they thought up this incarnation of a dining plan, I have found that is the case at some restaurants, but not all which take the Dining Plan. I noticed it at San Angel Inn, Restaurant Marrakesh, Artist Point, Spoodles (before it closed), and Grand Floridian Café (dinner). Places like Kona Café and Chefs De France have the same amount from which to choose. In fact, Chefs has added Bouillabaisse at times to the menu, which I don't remember seeing there pre-Dining Plan. Also, I have noticed that the dishes offered at Bistro De Paris aren't as intricate as they once were and this place has never taken the Dining Plan. As an example, they used to offer this amazing chilled seafood platter at Bistro which I have not seen offered the last few years.

[DigitalDaredevil]

I have noticed since the big push of the DDP that the quality has also dropped.
This is an easy way for Disney to increase profits.
If you are on the DDP you are basically stuck choosing from the limited menus. You aren't going to eat somewhere else when you have meal credits in your pocket.
I do not use the DDP and try to eat at a nice sit down a few times a visit. One thing for sure is that you need to make reservations well in advance for some of the restaurants.

[luvdiznee]

So, what are these "good places"?:cool:

[Hammer]

So, what are these "good places"?:cool:

The original poster's question was on the amount of choices on a menu, so my list is based on that criteria. As I mentioned, Kona Café and Chefs De France offer a nice amount of choices and I have enjoyed my meals at both restaurants. Sanaa and Kouzzina look to have variety, but I have not eaten at either so can't comment on the quality. I plan to try Sanaa on my next trip. Also, Whispering Canyon Café and 50's Prime Time Café seem to have a nice amount from which to choose if you have a less adventurous palette.

[eandrsmom]

We used to go to the San Angel Inn in Epcot every visit. After the dining plan became popular, we went on our annual visit, and found that our favorite items were gone from the menu. When we asked our server what had happened, he told us that they had been taken off because of the dining plan. Needless to say, we haven't been back.

[eas423]

I do think the menus are shrinking, or things are being changed so that I see the same thing many places. I feel like that especially true at counter services, two examples : Pinocchio's Village Haus and Columbia Harbor House. Both used to serve a delicious variety of paninis and nice sandwiches. Now it's pizza or chicken nuggets.

[Gator]

That logic falls apart once you bring Disney into the mix. Smaller menus keeps costs down due to being able to buy in bulk, ease of preparation and then higher turnover wheich means more people serviced (more DDPs can be sold). All that savings translates into higher profit not better selection or lower costs for the guest.

You're talking as if Disney operates each restaurant. Actually, most of the TS diners at Epcot are owned and operated by an outside group. I've not seen a reduction in menu size there, nor has the quality dropped noticeably.

It sounds like there's a lot of "Ratatouille Critics" out there. Was WDW food really THAT good to begin with? Seems to me that for 8 years, the food has been relatively the same: pretty good with a pretty high price.

[BigThunderFan]

It sounds like there's a lot of "Ratatouille Critics" out there. Was WDW food really THAT good to begin with? Seems to me that for 8 years, the food has been relatively the same: pretty good with a pretty high price.

That's right on the money there Gator. This is after all a theme park resort. People (for the most part) don't go to WDW for the food, but end up paying super high prices for location and ambiance.

I'm not certain the food was ever amazing (of course haven't tried V&As) but it is still better than your run of the mill chain restaurants.:ack: