I wasn't talking about you, alone. You - and I, for that matter - are perhaps very different from the typical returning visitor. We're so strange in so many ways, vis a vis WDW, being members of this forum. So put aside yourself and try to think of this from the standpoint of other potential return visitors. In doing so, you'll come to understand what I outlined.
Sorry, I'm an English teacher, so I took it very literally, since you quoted me. I don't use the collective 'you', nor do I encourage my students to use it, as it makes for confusion. I do understand you, just don't agree with all of it.
That is only if it really is cold and cold as consistently as you seem to perceive it as such. The fact that different people - different returning visitors - different returning visitors who are members of this forum - perceive things differently indicates that there is some disconnection. I cannot recall the last time that I was served hot food cold at WDW, and I would be very persnickety about that. I've written scathing reviews of WDW restaurants just in the last few months, but hot food cold isn't mentioned in any of them - it didn't happen to us. I could wonder what are you doing wrong to have that happen to you so much, but that wouldn't make sense. Different people will see things differently based on a number of factors.
I'm not one who has complained of cold food very much at all - not sure where you got that from? I just used cold as an easy example, as it's a pretty consistent factor at some of the buffets. You are very lucky that you haven't been served cold food, as we have, at several different restaurants over the years...from character buffets to Signatures. I come from an Italian restaurant family, and so cold food is not acceptable. Now, I know that Disney serves thousands of people per day, and does a pretty good job of it, but cold food needs to be an area that they are constantly in check of, as it could be indicative of server issues, kitchen issues or warming station problems.
And so we'll have to agree to disagree about that. What we can say with some measure of assurance is that Disney has a vested interest in knowing the actual answer, and that their actions seem to indicate that their intelligence seems to indicate that I'm right, but it isn't worth quibbling about beyond that.
Of course it's not worth quibbling about, as you are correct.
That's your personal opinion, and that's okay. They're going to improve because they are conscientiously monitoring and taking action when appropriate, not whenever any specific guest or guests want them to. I think that distinction is critical. Complaints are the very worst way of gathering normalized feedback, and therefore are only used as such when there are no other measures available. Disney has available to it, and employs, many other methods that provide far more reliable and actionable information for ensuring their efforts are constructive, long-term.
Hmmm....so what about for restaurants? Being from an Italian restaurant family, complaints and praise are the best way of gauging customer satisfaction. Not sure why you think otherwise? How else are you going to get customer reactions? You are not going to hand out surveys at each table, as that is time consuming. Restauranteurs absolutely need customer feedback, both positive and negative, not sure why Disney would be different in this regard? It takes good procedures and policies to weed out legitimate complaints/concerns from fake ones, and that is very good business, as that customer feedback is invaluable, especially in regards to new menus, food items, etc.
Cold food is what prompted us to walk. We had ice cold string beans and limp, soggy, cold french fries at Chefs. And while my husband's beef was warm, it was tough and cooked incorrectly. When we racked up a $200 bill for lousy food, he hit the roof. We haven't been back since.
Oh, I agree. But it appears that it's happening with increasing frequency. If you take a look around, there are many complaints about food on these boards. And I'm not just talking price....it appears to be quality of preparation.
I'm not sure what we'll do for our next (if and when it happens) trip. Out of pocket is too expensive for the quality of food. The dining plan for us is too confining based on our park hopping tendencies. If we go during a period when hours are short, we'll just eat offsite.
Yup. We have had cold food more over the past few years, since the inception of the DP. We have pretty much eaten everywhere, so we really know our restaurants and meals, and it has been happening way more often as of late.
The gods must be shining on me. I had problems - mostly at Tutto Italia - but nothing hot was served cold. And I've had bad service, like we had at Tutto Italia, before, five years ago, ten years ago, fifteen years ago, etc. People have been complaining about inconsistent food and service quality, and the restaurants being overpriced, for a very long time. However, many seem to present the way things are as part of a downward trend, instead of just the way things have always been, taking into consideration normal business cycles and some attributable trends (i.e., how DDP would affect what is actually offered and such). However, I don't see any basis for asserting that WDW is any less of a "value" now than it was a decade ago... if you wish, I would surely agree that it has always been roughly as "bad" of a value as it is now, give-or-take.
You are very lucky, as cold food is a very common complaint. I've heard people discussing it at the restaurants and stopping to speak to managers many times. And, I will wholeheartedly disagree that Disney always operated in this fashion. Sure you can find bad reviews over the years on these boards, but the past few years, it's becoming so common, that many of us loyal guests who have given some restaurants 2 or 3 chances, won't be back. We have eaten pretty much everywhere, and we have seen a total downward trend in quality and presentation of food. We've had cold meals, meals that were half the size that they were 3 months prior (cost cutting), and meals that were totally changed with cheaper ingredients. I have years of photos in which to compare food, and so it makes for interesting comparisons and discussions.
Sure, with the economy the way it is, you have to watch your costs, but Disney's profit margins are huge, so I don't think it's cost cutting (as it would be for my family, yet they don't do it, as quality is always number 1 for them), as much as larger and larger profit margins. Great for shareholders, but not so great for those of us who spent $28.00 to eat with Mickey a few years ago, and now are being charged $45.00, with less food offerings and worse service. Sure, Disney can charge what they want for character meals, as that is a premium service, and Chef Mickey's has always been pretty bad, but on our last trip, believe it or not, we actually noticed a positive change for the better with the food, so that's good. Go figure!
For the most part though, I think Disney doesn't sweat the small details in regards to food, because the restaurants are packed. They do take the guests for granted in this respect, because you are correct, that for the most part, most guests are satisfied, and if they aren't , they aren't going to take time out of their lifetime trip to Disney, to complain. Those of us loyal guests who have eaten everywhere have noticed a downward trend though, in regards to quality of food, and it is getting to the point with peak season upcharges, to not be affordable for many families. I will agree that it doesn't need to be, but, in this respect, the DP helps Disney fill the restaurants in areas where service and food may be lacking.
Tiger
