We've got some Disney dining updates for you today. First, Walt Disney World is expanding its mobile ordering service to table-service restaurants for the first time.
Disney's starting with to-go orders at hotel resort restaurants here, beginning with Sanaa at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas. Disney is promising that it will expand this service to other hotel restaurants, as it looks for an easy way to support physically distanced dining at its hotels. After all, there's no more distant place to eat your table-service meal than in your room, right? And by using mobile order and picking it up yourself, you save on what would be a nasty room service charge at many resorts.
Mobile order is also now available at more hotel counter-service restaurants, as well, including BoardWalk Bakery and Pizza Window at Disney's Boardwalk and The Market at Ale & Compass at the Yacht Club.
Next, Disney is expanding discounts for all guests at its Disney Springs shopping and dining district. Diners can get 20 percent off selected items at participating restaurants on weekdays — that's Monday through Thursday. Offers include pizzas at Wolfgang Puck Express, the Big Roman slice at Pizza Ponte, as well as pizza-and-a-drink combos at Blaze Pizza. You also can get the discount on Shrimp & Grits at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, the Queen Cut Prime Rib at The Edison, Pollo Alla Parmigiana at Maria & Enzo's, Peking Duck Ramen at Morimoto Asia, and your entire bill at Planet Hollywood.
And we keep going with Tex Mex Mac ‘n Cheese at City Works Eatery & Pour House, the Dolce Vita charcuterie board at Enzo’s Hideaway, Spiced Pork Rinds at Polite Pig, Loaded Fries at Splitsville, any appetizer at Paradiso 37, select dishes at Frontera Cocina, and any dish at the Hot Diggity Dogs and Mac & Cheese Disney food trucks.
Other 20 percent off deals include non-alcoholic Artisanal Shakes at D-Luxe Burger, any Dazzlers Sundae at Haagen Dazs, the Pumpkin Creme Brûlée Cold Brew at Joffrey’s, Cinnamon Bitz at Wetzel’s Pretzels, any purchase at Sunshine Churros, and all merchandise and retail coffee at Starbucks.
The 20 percent off "Weekdays at Disney Springs" promotion is good through October 29.
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@James - I could see maybe California Grill allowing for take-away (limited menu of course) since it's in a hotel, but why would anyone want to get a to-go dish from Le Cellier? Where are you going to eat it, the picnic bench next to Canada Far and Wide? Some popular Disney table service restaurants already have counter service analogs (Yak and Yeti immediately comes to mind), and even if there's not a counter service eatery directly adjacent to many counter service restaurants, popular menu items are duplicated elsewhere - though one of my all-time favorite Disney dishes, Blue Bayou's Monte Cristo, is only duplicated at an adjacent table service restaurant (Cafe New Orleans), and is not available at any counter service location in either DL or DCA.
What I would worry about here would be eventually allowing guests to mobile order while dining in a table service restaurant. This would be the ultimate social distancing tact by eliminating the verbal interaction between server and guest. However, it would also reduce the need for servers, and eliminate lucrative jobs. Obviously, you would still need a person to deliver orders to the table, but with little to no interaction between employees and the guest, customers are likely to reduce their tips.
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Mobile Ordering at table services is gonna be a game-changer for theme park resorts. Imagine all the people who will finally be able to cross places like California Grill or Le Cellier off their bucket list should Disney ever decide to add those.