Signature Dining vs. Non-Signature Dining

[azcavalier]

So my DSM (that's Disney Soul Mate, in case you were wondering) and I *just* got back from our one week trip to WDW about an hour ago. On this trip, we had four table-service meals, in this order:

1. California Grill
2. Brown Derby
3. Chefs de France
4. Teppan Edo

Now, that's not the order of what we liked the best. After it was all said and done, we both liked the Chefs de France meal the best of any of them. I liked the California Grill next, then Teppan Edo, and lastly...the Brown Derby.

Now, we had great service at all of the restaurants, and all of the meals were good. I guess that we were just expecting the Signature Restaurants to blow us away.

The California Grill meal was very good (I had Pork Tenderloin on a bed of Polenta with mushrooms). The polenta was great. My wife had a Beef Filet that was also very good. It's just that neither of us thought it was any better than, say, Le Cellier or Coral Reef. Certainly not what they charge for it. The Brown Derby, doubly-so. We shared a Cobb Salad and Asparagus soup, then had their Char-grilled Beef Fillet with potatoes, and then I had creme brulee and my DSM had their famous Grapefruit Cake. Again, it was good food, and the service was nice, but we paid about $100 for lunch, and it wasn't *THAT* nice.

Would we go back? Nope. Not unless they stop being Signature Restuarants. And it has made us think that we should waste any dining credits or further $$$ on the other Signatures, either. I'm sure they're very good. But I'm not sure that they're any better than many of the non-signature restaurants that we love.

[wdwluv]

Is Teppan Edo a signature restaurant? Two credits on dining plan? We might have to change our plans if it is....

[cer]

Is Teppan Edo a signature restaurant? Two credits on dining plan? We might have to change our plans if it is....

Teppan Edo is not a signature restaurant. So you should be good. And by the way, we really enjoyed it on our last trip.

And to the original poster, I cannot help as I have never been to any signature restaurants, yet. :blush:

[azcavalier]

No, it's not signature. California Grill and Brown Derby are signature. The other two we ate at are not. The point of the long-winded post was that in MNHO, the quality of the dining experience at the Signature restaurants was not any better than the non-signatures that we ate at.

But, to reiterate, the food at all four restaurants was very, very good.

[DizneyRox]

2TS meals are not a good value on the DDP. That's been said since they started the DDP. There are a few "signature" restaunts that I like, and a few that I don't. We pay OOP for everything however.

[azcavalier]

We knew it wasn't a good value on the DDP. But I don't see how you (not *you* but anyone) could think that *any* meal for two that costs over $100 could be a "good value".

[MinnieMommie]

We usually don't do the dining plan but when we do we pay out of pocket for signature restaurants. I have to agree that there are many restaurants which I prefer over signatures but some of the signatures are a step above the others and offer not only ambiance but exquisite, well prepared menu items.

The good thing is that the variety of dining experiences and options for payment give us all the chance to pick and choose in a variety of ways. I appreciate that. :mickey:

[DizneyRox]

We knew it wasn't a good value on the DDP. But I don't see how you (not *you* but anyone) could think that *any* meal for two that costs over $100 could be a "good value".
I don't have any problems dropping over $100 on a meal. Even at Disney there are a few, but not many. I thought you were more talking about the DDP credits however.

At Disney, the signature restaurants really just get you better quality food IMHO. The menus are not the typical steak, chicken, fish and veggie variety that you see at the "regualar" places. Add in a little for the experience and I see where they are going. For example, CRT is more about the location than the better quality food, but something like Narcossees (sp) is more about the food than the location although the location is pretty good. Neither, in my opinion is worth 2TS credits however. OOP? Yeah, I don't mind paying the prices for those locations.

[LandFan]

So far, the only signature that I've liked and would pay for OOP is JIKO. JIKO has very nice ambiance (the changing sunset) and very good food with a bit of a twist. I am not a fan of Cali Grill and IMHO Artist's Point is OK but not worth the price.

I guess, in general, I am in agreement with you. There are far more 1TS places that I think are much more "valuable" to us in both ambiance and food quality. (I even liked our meal at the Grand Floridian Cafe better than some of the signature meals I've had...):(

I would like to try V&A sometime though - especially the chefs table :thumbsup:

[Hammer]

We knew it wasn't a good value on the DDP. But I don't see how you (not *you* but anyone) could think that *any* meal for two that costs over $100 could be a "good value".


I don't have any problems dropping over $100 on a meal. Even at Disney there are a few, but not many. I thought you were more talking about the DDP credits however.

At Disney, the signature restaurants really just get you better quality food IMHO. The menus are not the typical steak, chicken, fish and veggie variety that you see at the "regular" places. Add in a little for the experience and I see where they are going. For example, CRT is more about the location than the better quality food, but something like Narcossees (sp) is more about the food than the location although the location is pretty good. Neither, in my opinion is worth 2TS credits however. OOP? Yeah, I don't mind paying the prices for those locations.

I have to agree that I have had many meals for two that have cost $100 or more, both inside WDW (1TS and 2TS) and here at home. Many of these meals I feel were a "good value" for the location, ambiance, and service I received. I also agree that you get better quality meats at most signature restaurants (CRT is the exception) and more complex prepared dishes.



The good thing is that the variety of dining experiences and options for payment give us all the chance to pick and choose in a variety of ways. I appreciate that. :mickey:

Exactly, we all like different things. There are many on here who like 'Ohana and I do not really care for it. I can never get meat cooked the way I like. The nice thing about Disney is it gives you the opportunity to eat and enjoy many different experiences.

[SBETigg]

I've had far better meals at the Signatures than I have had at the regular dining places, to the point where it is very worth paying extra for the Signatures for me. I think if you don't appreciate fine dining, or you believe a steak is a steak anywhere, you should skip the higher prices that come with Signatures. But if you appreciate the subtle flavor differences that come with more varied, unusual ingredients and preparations, if you like a more elaborate menu, you should try some Signature dining.

Chefs de France is one of my favorites for sentimental reasons, but the last meal I had there could not hold a candle to the meals I have had at California Grill, Citricos, Narcoossee's, Flying Fish, or Jiko. The previous meals I had at Chefs could, so maybe it's on the upswing again. Brown Derby does not measure up to the other signatures, agreed on that point, too.

[sleepydog5]

Value is a subjective notion, be it based on dining options or buying a car. If the experience one gets eating at a non-signature is equal to that one gets eating at a signature restaurant, then that is value. On the other hand, there are those who feel the quality of food, the ambience, and the service (hopefully) at signature restaurants are worth the extra dollars. That, too, is value. I've had great values at both, signature and non-signature alike, and as others have mentioned, that's what makes dining at Disney unique--there IS something for nearly everyone.

[PlutoPlanet]

We liked Citricos and Narcoosees. Cali Grill was not our cup of tea. Yachtsman was so overpriced for us.

[Polynesian Dweller]

I agree totally with Sherri. For us, the Signatures are the restaurants that have managed to maintain their quality consistently since the advent of DDP and especially the Free DDP.

The non-signature quality seems to us to be less consistent now, sometimes good often just OK, and sometimes poor. But the Signatures are still almost always good when we go. And yes worth the OOP expensive for the subtleies of flavouring they do. Two TS, maybe not but if we used the DDP we'd still go.

[renecat]

Artist Point and Narcossee's are a must do for us. This year we will be doing Cali Grill, Citricos and Yachtman's also. I also love Jiko's but the people I am going with this year aren't into trying to many differant things. Part of a great vaction to me is to experiance wonderful food.