Prix fixe at BOG

[Runnsally]

So, I better not just go to Denny's for a cup of coffee anymore? @@

Gah. Only when discussing Disney do so many people have an opinion about how others spend their money.

By all means, keep going to Denny’s...just be careful because the guy lurking behind you is probably not the Beast.

 

[Princess Serendipity]

"Value" can be such a funny thing...especially with the DDP at BoG.

People rave over the perceived "value" of BoG breakfast on the DDP, simply because of the $25 price tag. The food is in no way worth nearly that much, but it's considered a value simply because of the price point...1 QS credit for "$25 worth" of food.

However, harsh judgment has been cast down on this dinner being a 2TS credit, and no one has tasted one single mouthful of it thus far. The judgment is simply because of a price point of $55 will cost 2TS credits.

Quality truly doesn't seem to matter at BoG in regards to the DDP. Price point rules.

Hahaha, I should probably stop posting! I'm not on the ball tonight, it seems. Price is a definitely a factor that weighs in when it comes to value of credits, and probably the one that gets thrown around the most because it's probably the most tangible/visible. I don't think it's exactly fair to say it's the only factor being taken into account, though. We're also discussing: will the new food actually taste better? This is going to be 2 credits but the restaurant is very crowded and some people complain about the cafeteria-like feel. And to me, there's this strange sort of disparity there if you take the actual pricing (yes, again, price tag, but with a side of psychology) into account. Breakfast is $25 for quick service breakfast? and a quick service credit (I agree I don't think the breakfast food is worth $25 by the way). Dinner is a three course meal that costs $55 and is two table service credits. I feel like that's a really weird, mindboggling jump in credit value for what may not be a proportionate jump in monetary/actual food value and that might be causing some of the problem? I don't know, that might just be me. Value isn't necessarily always just money but also comfort, taste, atmosphere, perception, a number of factors that can quite often end up being more than the sum of its parts.

The biggest thing holding Be Our Guest back for me, more than the price right now, actually, is that it is so crowded and busy and the food isn't that great. If the new food IS that great (I did say it does need to be a good meal), that's a huge step in the right direction. And if miracles happen and they actually take some of the tables out so the place isn't so packed, that would be incredible.

Edit: Fixing up the bit about breakfast vs dinner a little to better convey what I meant about it.

 

[BrookieM2001]

So, I better not just go to Denny's for a cup of coffee anymore? @@

Gah. Only when discussing Disney do so many people have an opinion about how others spend their money.

Apple to oranges. Dennys virtually always has open tables, the general price of food is low, barely more than said cup of coffee sometimes. People arent desperately searching for a reservation at Dennys for 6+ months. Peoples children's enjoyment and happiness arent dependent upon the opportunity to meet the person seating you or the manager at Dennys. The servers at Dennys arent expecting a significantly larger tip than you will ever be leaving for your coffee. Plus, for breakfast, you probably arent playing the system by ordering your cup of coffee just so you can get first crack at the opening of the shoe store across the parking lot. This is the most absurd comparison i think i have ever heard. People taking a dinner reservation just so their family can share a cupcake is totally disregarding the feelings and expectations of everyone, Disney, the servers, and other guests. Its making a choice that may be best for your personally in the moment but is selfish in the long run because everyone knows thats not what dinner reservations are for.

But whatever, obviously we will all now be dealing with the fallout from the cupcake crowd. Cool.

 

[Tonyz]

It's being unreasonable toward and inconsiderate of your server.

Point of interest: birds eat about 50% of their body weight daily - from a raven's 4% to a hummingbird's almost 100%.

How is it inconsiderate to your server??

 

[Aela]

How is it inconsiderate to your server??

Have you ever waited tables?

 

[BrookieM2001]

How is it inconsiderate to your server??

Really? How is it inconsiderate to your server to take up a table for 4 (on average) to share a cupcake or two and a couple of drinks? Theres no way cupcake orderers are turning over those table faster than every 30 minutes, which means that those servers have NO CHANCE of getting their expected or their earned tips out of that table until it is turned back over to a family that is actually dining. People dont tip based on the amount of work a server does, they tip based on the check amount. it is incredibly inconsiderate to monopolize that table and cut back on the tips of an already underpaid server because someone is unwilling to buy the food a family with a dinner reservation is expected to order. Maybe you have to have a background in service to understand it, but to anyone whose wage is tip dependent, it is painfully obvious how unfair this is to any server stuck with a table of people who do this.

 

[Aela]

Really? How is it inconsiderate to your server to take up a table for 4 (on average) to share a cupcake or two and a couple of drinks? Theres no way cupcake orderers are turning over those table faster than every 30 minutes, which means that those servers have NO CHANCE of getting their expected or their earned tips out of that table until it is turned back over to a family that is actually dining. People dont tip based on the amount of work a server does, they tip based on the check amount. it is incredibly inconsiderate to monopolize that table and cut back on the tips of an already underpaid server because someone is unwilling to buy the food a family with a dinner reservation is expected to order. Maybe you have to have a background in service to understand it, but to anyone whose wage is tip dependent, it is painfully obvious how unfair this is to any server stuck with a table of people who do this.

I suspect people don’t realize that if you are a server, and have a table requiring no work (they are sitting around doing nothing, or just eating a cupcake), you don’t just get the next open table.


At the start of your shift... You get assigned basically 2 or (maybe) 3 physical tables a night. If your tables suck, because people are eating cupcakes... or won’t leave.. your night is going to suck.

 

[Tonyz]

Really? How is it inconsiderate to your server to take up a table for 4 (on average) to share a cupcake or two and a couple of drinks? Theres no way cupcake orderers are turning over those table faster than every 30 minutes, which means that those servers have NO CHANCE of getting their expected or their earned tips out of that table until it is turned back over to a family that is actually dining. People dont tip based on the amount of work a server does, they tip based on the check amount. it is incredibly inconsiderate to monopolize that table and cut back on the tips of an already underpaid server because someone is unwilling to buy the food a family with a dinner reservation is expected to order. Maybe you have to have a background in service to understand it, but to anyone whose wage is tip dependent, it is painfully obvious how unfair this is to any server stuck with a table of people who do this.

Two things:

1. I honestly completely forgot about tipping. I've only ever been there for lunch and since it's considered a quick service and there's no tipping involved, I didn't even think about that for dinner. So yeah... you're absolutely right about that.

2. HOWEVER.... I think that IF a guest is willing to leave a big tip for their cupcakes and water, there's nothing wrong with that. That's what I do. I went to Flying Fish to get the pork belly and left a 50% tip. The first time I went to Skipper's Canteen I only ordered an appetizer which was like 10 bucks, but my skipper was so good that I tipped 100%.

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

2. HOWEVER.... I think that IF a guest is willing to leave a big tip for their cupcakes and water, there's nothing wrong with that. That's what I do. I went to Flying Fish to get the pork belly and left a 50% tip. The first time I went to Skipper's Canteen I only ordered an appetizer which was like 10 bucks, but my skipper was so good that I tipped 100%.

Do you really think most people that are going in there for a cupcake or 2 are tipping well? If they take an hour at the table they leave $1 or $2?

 

[Tonyz]

Do you really think most people that are going in there for a cupcake or 2 are tipping well? If they take an hour at the table they leave $1 or $2?

I’m sure they’re not and I never said most are. I just know that if I went in and ordered a cupcake and water, I would tip the price of the cupcake at least.

This should be standard practice, otherwise yeah... you’re screwing the servers.

 

[Tksolomom]

Really? How is it inconsiderate to your server to take up a table for 4 (on average) to share a cupcake or two and a couple of drinks? Theres no way cupcake orderers are turning over those table faster than every 30 minutes, which means that those servers have NO CHANCE of getting their expected or their earned tips out of that table until it is turned back over to a family that is actually dining. People dont tip based on the amount of work a server does, they tip based on the check amount. it is incredibly inconsiderate to monopolize that table and cut back on the tips of an already underpaid server because someone is unwilling to buy the food a family with a dinner reservation is expected to order. Maybe you have to have a background in service to understand it, but to anyone whose wage is tip dependent, it is painfully obvious how unfair this is to any server stuck with a table of people who do this.

Respectfully, I disagree, and yes, I did work as a server. Saying what I can and cannot order based on price, unless it is a fixed price meal, isn’t right. The servers are happy taking a bigger tip because I order the expensive steak rather than the cheaper vegetarian meal, or an expensive bottle of wine rather than a less expensive one. There is no more work involved. In my opinion, saying this isn’t fair to servers is illogical Without the restriction, people should be able to order what they want. Once again, as a server, it is a lot less work serving coffee and dessert rather than a full three course meal.

 

[Aela]

I’m sure they’re not and I never said most are. I just know that if I went in and ordered a cupcake and water, I would tip the price of the cupcake at least.

This should be standard practice, otherwise yeah... you’re screwing the servers.

The issue is, a cupcake is $5. If they leave 100% that is still a pretty awful tip. If you went to flying fish and spent an hour there, and tipped $10, that is not a very good tip for your server compared to what they would have made from a table that actually ate a meal.

 

[Wubar]

If you order three courses now it is $55. Sure, we can debate if it was worth it.

Now, you are simply being forced to order the three courses.

The issue is, a cupcake is $5. If they leave 100% that is still a pretty awful tip. If you went to flying fish and spent an hour there, and tipped $10, that is not a very good tip for your server compared to what they would have made from a table that actually ate a meal.

Let's say you were offered a yearly salary that is worth $50k a year if there is enough work. But the amount of work can vary, and during slow weeks, your salary is only equivalent to $20k a year. So even though you are willing to put in the work and even might come to expect you'll be pulling in $50k a year, that might not come true because of the lack of work, much like servers having to miss out on full dinner service diners being seated at their tables and instead being stuck with cupcake and coffee nibblers.

So yes, I feel bad for the servers who lose out on potential income because of the pastry only crowd. I like the changes, and can only hope the quality of the food holds up.

 

[jayfo]

Agreed. This "strategy" was all over other WDW forums and FB pages as well.

Agreed. Word gets out via bloggers, chats, FB, etc on how to do some of the loopholes and tricks then people scream when the loophole and tricks don't work anymore. The other one I keep reading about all the time is the FP/kid swap ninja thing. Only a matter of time before Disney catches wind of anything and puts the brakes on it, as they should.

 

[jayfo]

My dining plan alerts went nuts this morning with BOG time slot openings for our late July/early Aug trip and I'm pleased as punch to get a BOG reservation FINALLY. Now we can sit down and enjoy a birthday meal

 

[jayfo]

Saw in another thread that there's no B/L/D reservations available due to refurbishment starting 8/20.........are they changing the breakfast and lunch to this prix fixe model too?

"Called in again and another cast member confirmed closed 8/20-8/25/18"

 

[_auroraborealis_]

So. When an eatery is a la carte, yes, you can order whatever, and that is part of the deal for a server.

At most places, it evens out. A good example is Beaches & Cream.

At BOG it not only isn't leveling out or averaging, it is a large and expensive restaurant to run, and figuring table turn for ADRs is broken.

This is about revenue per diner and management, which includes retention of servers.

 

[Tonyz]

The issue is, a cupcake is $5. If they leave 100% that is still a pretty awful tip. If you went to flying fish and spent an hour there, and tipped $10, that is not a very good tip for your server compared to what they would have made from a table that actually ate a meal.

I sat at the bar and was there for probably a half hour. But please continue to tell me what I did wrong.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Apple to oranges. Dennys virtually always has open tables, the general price of food is low, barely more than said cup of coffee sometimes. People arent desperately searching for a reservation at Dennys for 6+ months. Peoples children's enjoyment and happiness arent dependent upon the opportunity to meet the person seating you or the manager at Dennys. The servers at Dennys arent expecting a significantly larger tip than you will ever be leaving for your coffee. Plus, for breakfast, you probably arent playing the system by ordering your cup of coffee just so you can get first crack at the opening of the shoe store across the parking lot. This is the most absurd comparison i think i have ever heard. People taking a dinner reservation just so their family can share a cupcake is totally disregarding the feelings and expectations of everyone, Disney, the servers, and other guests. Its making a choice that may be best for your personally in the moment but is selfish in the long run because everyone knows thats not what dinner reservations are for.

But whatever, obviously we will all now be dealing with the fallout from the cupcake crowd. Cool.

100% agree. Another big difference is that Dennys, and most other non-WDW restaurants, are not operating solely on reservations like BOG does. At other places, as soon as the "cupcake meal" is finished, they can immediately turn that table over. At BOG, they have set reservations time slots since they have no idea what the ADR group is planning to order. So they may not be able to re-seat that table immediately if the cupcake group finishes quickly.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I sat at the bar and was there for probably a half hour. But please continue to tell me what I did wrong.

IMO sitting at the bar is totally different than taking up a table.