A good copy-and-paste from another similar thread....
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dining-plan-worth-the-value.3665969/
I will just quote what I always say about Dining Plan:
"Yes the Dining Plan is subtly designed for you to get the most planning out of your Character Meals!
"
There is adjusted value now that BoG is now a 2 credit TS.
"Yep, Dining Plan is much more designed for families who are trying to get ALL the Character Meals they can. If you've eaten at enough places and eventually have some favorites and a pattern, the Dining Plan will lose its value to your family, as well as when your kids become Disney Adults.
"
"I have a simple batch of questions I ask to determine if the plan will save you money, or just be more convenient...
1) Are you trying to get at least 1-2 Character Meals a day out of your trip?
2) Do you have at least ONE child guest that will want to eat off the adult menu? And do you have an adult guest that may want to order from the kids' menu?
3) Do you have party members who will just not survive without massive quantities of food?
The #1 question is really the most important one. Near as I can tell, Disney's restaurants/credits and the Dining Plan system are supposed to work in conjunction to provide Guests with more themed experiences. If you don't care about Character Meals, and you order breakfast food for your hotel room and you eat Snacks and Quick Service only, yeah please do not try to "save money" by using the Dining Plan. If you're eating appetizer-sized portions at Table Service, and you cannot or do not want to bag up the rest in take-away boxes and nibble on it for the next three hours, don't do Dining Plan. Assuredly, if the situation for your family LOOKS complicated in conjunction with the Dining Plan, really, don't get it! Just manage yourself on giftcards or the room account, or OOP."