Why I am opposed to the new prix fixe menus... and it isn't just cost!

[DLgal]

So, I'm confused about something. It's Prix Fixe, but since it's not family style or a buffet, don't they only charge people who actually order something? Could a couple conceivably share if they just order one full meal? Like, could the OP just eat a few bites off her companion's plate?

And why wouldn't they let an adult order off the kids menu and pay the adult price? That makes no sense at all. You'd think they would be thrilled to have someone pay $79 for a plate of chicken tenders and fries and a non alcoholic drink. I'm not suggesting they alter the serving size, even. But why would they NOT do this? It's not like asking to order off the kids menu and insisting you only want to pay the kids price.

 

[TwoMisfits]

So, I'm confused about something. It's Prix Fixe, but since it's not family style or a buffet, don't they only charge people who actually order something? Could a couple conceivably share if they just order one full meal? Like, could the OP just eat a few bites off her companion's plate?

And why wouldn't they let an adult order off the kids menu and pay the adult price? That makes no sense at all. You'd think they would be thrilled to have someone pay $79 for a plate of chicken tenders and fries and a non alcoholic drink. I'm not suggesting they alter the serving size, even. But why would they NOT do this? It's not like asking to order off the kids menu and insisting you only want to pay the kids price.

It's the no drama path. If another adult sees an adult with the meal, they'll want to pay $29 for it, not knowing the other adult was gonna pay full price.

They want to set the "line in the sand" that a lot of regular dining chains have...kids menus and prices for kids of age only. That said, most of those chains have the "kid food" somewhere else on their menu, usually under the apps and sides...

I wonder what other "lines in the sand" we'll start to see in dining - BOG and CG with prix fixe...now Space 220 with "for age 9 and under only"...this may be the trend, even more than prix fixe.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

So, I'm confused about something. It's Prix Fixe, but since it's not family style or a buffet, don't they only charge people who actually order something? Could a couple conceivably share if they just order one full meal? Like, could the OP just eat a few bites off her companion's plate?

And why wouldn't they let an adult order off the kids menu and pay the adult price? That makes no sense at all. You'd think they would be thrilled to have someone pay $79 for a plate of chicken tenders and fries and a non alcoholic drink. I'm not suggesting they alter the serving size, even. But why would they NOT do this? It's not like asking to order off the kids menu and insisting you only want to pay the kids price.

To your first question, I’d assume that, like a character meal, they charge each person whether eating or not. No sharing.
As far as your second question, it makes no sense to me either. There is zero reason not to allow an adult to order the “kid food” at the adult price. They do so at every other restaurant in the parks in my experience.

 

[DLgal]

To your first question, I’d assume that, like a character meal, they charge each person whether eating or not. No sharing.
As far as your second question, it makes no sense to me either. There is zero reason not to allow an adult to order the “kid food” at the adult price. They do so at every other restaurant in the parks in my experience.

But if they were gonna just charge per head, they would say so. And they haven't said that everyone sitting at the table has to pay whether they eat or not, like at buffets and family style meals. Nor do they make you prepay, which they could.

 

[glocon]

I know I’ve done the prix fix dinner at Chefs de France…. That should be similar to this. It’s been a few years and we didn’t try to share one meal between two people, but is that allowed at Chefs? If so, it shouldn’t be a problem at S220.

 

[Eastern]

I know I’ve done the prix fix dinner at Chefs de France…. That should be similar to this. It’s been a few years and we didn’t try to share one meal between two people, but is that allowed at Chefs? If so, it shouldn’t be a problem at S220.

I have done at Chefs when paying cash, but that does not mean S220 will allow.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

But if they were gonna just charge per head, they would say so. And they haven't said that everyone sitting at the table has to pay whether they eat or not, like at buffets and family style meals. Nor do they make you prepay, which they could.

They don't have that disclaimer on character meals either, yet they've always charged every person who enters the restaurant. I wouldn't expect anything different here. IMO it's implied that the "per adult" or "per child" price is applicable to each person who enters, not just those who eat.

 

[Debbie Jean]

They don't have that disclaimer on character meals either, yet they've always charged every person who enters the restaurant. I wouldn't expect anything different here. IMO it's implied that the "per adult" or "per child" price is applicable to each person who enters, not just those who eat.

I would have to agree with this. Remember that even guests with feeding tubes who can't physically consume anything are frequently charged for the meal.

I would be shocked if they allowed people to order one adult prix fix meal and split it. Not the direction Disney's financial plan is going. Chefs is one thing... don't think you'd ever be able to do it at the Castle, BOG or the new space restaurant.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I am very frustrated with the push to the prix fixe menu. I had Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) about a year ago. I can eat about 1 cup of food at a meal. It is a very small amount, but it's working great for me (down nearly 100 pounds!). I leave lots of food on the table no matter where I eat, but I generally order food with this in mind. This isn't an option with the new prix fixe menu.

My husband loves steak and we generally order an app he and the kids like (I'll have a bite or two), two kids meals, and then I will order something else (protein heavy) too and take about half or more back to the room, or trash it. However, having both us us get and app and a dessert is too much and I would be taking so much food home or having to carry it around a lot. I don't mind going to a buffet at Disney if the kids are happy about it and there is something I can eat.

I will eat at these prix fixe places eventually (maybe), but it has to be worth it for the family... aka the family has to really want to go.

We don't care for it either. Especially my husband. He doesn't want to be told you can only order this or that. Especially on vacation.

 

[_19disnA]

Someplace new like Space220 will be a big draw for those who just have to see whatever is new at Disney or those where money is no object. They set the prices high to try and manage the crowds. How many times people will return for a $12 soft drink or $55 lunch is hard to tell. Particularly when there are so many other reasonably priced places to eat at Epcot. I can imagine those trying to 'game' the system who want to see what it looks like sitting at the bar and not eating anything. Not sure if there will be a cover charge to sit at the bar, but wouldn't be surprised. If that becomes an issue, they might only let you sit there while waiting for your table reservation.

At a buffet, you pay based on the number of people over a certain age to avoid having a party of 6 with only 1 person paying and everyone else eating for free. If there are long lines of people wanting to go to a fixed price restaurant, I would assume they will also charge per person. Disney isn't going to make any money if people just want to go there to look around and don't eat anything.

 

[tink2424]

I am against it as well. I have a 15 year old picky vegetarian. Typically with the limited entrees on the prix fixe menu there is nothing she will eat, and with Disney's new- we don't modify or leave any ingredient off the meal policy- it is about impossible. If she was ordering on her own, she would order one of the salads and dessert-- maybe 2 of the salads or a salad and a different appetizer and dessert if they are small and she is hungry. This summer in a non-disney hotel where we stayed for one night and had to eat they were doing a prix fixe menu with pre-made food due to covid and I paid $65 for her to have a house salad and water.

I would much rather have a minimum price requirement so that she can pick and choose from the salads, appetizers, soups and desserts, instead of being forced into whatever the ONE vegetarian entree option is that is something she won't touch.

I agree... I'm a very picky vegetarian as well and their vegetarian options don't often appeal to me. And to top it off I also had WL surgery so can't eat a ton either. I wish the menus as the Disney restaurants were larger and had more normal food options for people who aren't adventurous or who are picky and definitely more veggie options. I feel they were much better years ago and have just gotten worse with this. I don't understand why they generally have such a limited menu at each place. They can do much better.

 

[tink2424]

You can thank the people abusing the system for the changes. Families going to BOG and ordering a cupcakes not unusual. Disney doesn't want people booking a popular restaurant and then just ordering drinks or desserts to enjoy the atmosphere. It was becoming too common so the prix fixe menus fixed it.

How is this "abusing the system"? There was no rule before that said you need to order a certain amount of food. Blame Disney for not having an option where you can just come in to see the atmosphere and then leave. When lunch was more counter service type (meaning you didn't have a waitress coming to your table to take your order but you placed your order at the register and they brought your food out to you) then you could do that. This is Disney's fault not the patrons.

 

[Eastern]

Either way, Disney will do what gets them the most money. I stopped going to BOG after the first meal. I did not order 1 cupcake, we all ordered lunch. It was ok. My son was younger at the time and was really disappointed he would not see the beast. 1 and done.

 

[PaladinButters]

I don't understand why they generally have such a limited menu at each place.

Gordon Ramsay taught me this is the sign of a good restaurant. Nobody wants the cheesecake factory phone book.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Gordon Ramsay taught me this is the sign of a good restaurant. Nobody wants the cheesecake factory phone book.

Which is why at his flagship Vegas restaurant, Hell's Kitchen, he offers 2 menus - one for vegans/vegetarians and one for non-vegans/vegetarians - one 2 pages and one 3 pages and then desserts are another 2 pages for 7 actual menu pages, but no one sees more than 3 at a time...b/c while people may get overwhelmed by choice, they still want lots of "their" choices, so you give them one at a time vs excluding them all together...

PS - Some is overlap, some are same dishes redone in vegan/veg ways, and some are 100% new dishes...but the vegan/veg feels like they have the same amount of choices, and they feel good...

PPS - And of course, there's a lunch menu, too, so he does start approaching Cheesecake Factory levels, if he, like the CF, just stuck them all as one menu for convenience...

https://www.caesars.com/caesars-pal...&utm_term=HellsKitchen&utm_content=Restaurant

 

[tink2424]

Gordon Ramsay taught me this is the sign of a good restaurant. Nobody wants the cheesecake factory phone book.

LOL, true that menu is HUGE!! But a normal sized menu would be good. There is no reason it can't be more options and more sides available. Others may disagree but that is my feeling.

 

[PaladinButters]

Which is why at his flagship Vegas restaurant, Hell's Kitchen, he offers 2 menus - one for vegans/vegetarians and one for non-vegans/vegetarians - one 2 pages and one 3 pages and then desserts are another 2 pages for 7 actual menu pages, but no one sees more than 3 at a time...b/c while people may get overwhelmed by choice, they still want lots of "their" choices, so you give them one at a time vs excluding them all together...

PS - Some is overlap, some are same dishes redone in vegan/veg ways, and some are 100% new dishes...but the vegan/veg feels like they have the same amount of choices, and they feel good...

PPS - And of course, there's a lunch menu, too, so he does start approaching Cheesecake Factory levels, if he, like the CF, just stuck them all as one menu for convenience...

https://www.caesars.com/caesars-pal...&utm_term=HellsKitchen&utm_content=Restaurant

Well yes, it's spread out into 3 pages (one of which is just a listing of the pre fixe that's duplicates of other items already in the menu) but that's more of a design choice than a "menu length". It's still just 6 dinner entrees on the dinner menu vs. 7 options at Space220. Actually his version of the pre fixe has only one single entree so even less choices than any Disney spot. But if we count the Veg menu as well and double him up to 12 entrees..... Cheesecake Factory has..... looks like 83 entrees option with the dinner sized salads included? It's a lot. Like not even close.

 

[HopperFan]

I know I’ve done the prix fix dinner at Chefs de France…. That should be similar to this. It’s been a few years and we didn’t try to share one meal between two people, but is that allowed at Chefs? If so, it shouldn’t be a problem at S220.

But that is only one option on an otherwise normal menu at Chefs. This is more like BOG, CRT, Akershus where it is the only option and everyone pays ... Space 220 should be charging per head. It appears if you want to order less then you will have to eat in the Lounge area. And if they don't make everyone pay, they messed up, just like they did when BOG opened.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Remember that even guests with feeding tubes who can't physically consume anything are frequently charged for the meal.

That is really sad.

 

[Eastern]

.... Cheesecake Factory has..... looks like 83 entrees option with the dinner sized salads included? It's a lot.

And we only ever order the same 5 things.