Often overlooked these Quick Service restaurants are a hidden gem at the Walt Disney World Theme park!
There are two different types of dining at Disney World: table service and quick service. Table service restaurants are dining destinations that offer either buffets or served meals with appetizers, main courses, desserts, and service.
Meanwhile, quick service restaurants are set up like cafeterias offering quick, but tasty, menus where you pretty much serve yourself. However, quick service restaurants are not to be underestimated. Disney carries their use of theme, storyline, and design into these dining locations too; and some of the menus at counter service locations are incredibly delicious and a far cry from your standard theme park fare of simply burgers and fries!
1. Columbia Harbour House – This quick service location can be found in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom and it offers a great menu and setting. Columbia Harbour House has a New England, nautical theme set in the colonial period with dark woods, brass accents, anchors, and items from old ships decorating the walls. You will also find cupboards filled with dishes and fireplaces with odds and ends on the mantle and more in the dining areas, making you feel as if you stepped backed in time into real early America! Also, many don’t realize that this restaurant has a second floor. It’s rarely crowded there, dim and cool, and has windows overlooking the park and a great restroom. It’s a great place to escape the crowds! However, the seafood inspired menu here is the real star. At Columbia Harbor House, you can feast on a vegetarian sandwich, tuna, fried fish or shrimp, salads, and delicious Clam Chowder!
2. Sunshine Seasons – This quick service location can be found on the first floor of The Land pavilion at Epcot! Here you can dine right in the middle of all the action taking place in The Land with Soarin’ and Living with the Land right next door! The food at Sunshine Seasons is very unique in comparison to other quick service locations as some of it is actually grown inside The Land pavilion and it is the only place in Epcot’s Future World that serves breakfast! It’s also some of the best quick service food you can find in all of WDW, and a great place for those looking for a healthy meal. Sunshine Seasons offers different stations, each with their own menu. Some of the selections offered here would be Sweet and Sour Chicken, Rotisserie Chicken, a Flatbread sandwich, Strawberry Shortcake, and Soarin’ inspired Creme Brulee! Also be sure to look above to see four hot air balloons representing each season hanging from the ceiling.
3. Captain Cook’s Snack Company – Located at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Captain Cook’s is a favorite quick service location among many guests. The breakfast menu offers standard breakfast fare, along with the famous Polynesian Tonga Toast, banana stuffed French Toast. For lunch or dinner, try to choose between a pork sandwich, stir-fry noodles, turkey club, chicken caesar salad, and a variety of flatbreads. In addition to being open 24 hours, this is also the only other place, besides Aloha Isle in Adventureland, where you can get a Dole Whip!
4. Riverside’s Mill -Port Orleans Riverside’s food court is one of the best! Here there are different stations to choose from, whether you are in the mood for sandwiches, salads, pizza, meat, or burgers. What makes this dining destination great is the setting and the Create-Your-Own-Pasta bar. Here you get to choose your own ingredients and the servings are huge! The food court is located in what appears to be an old mill with a huge waterwheel just outside. The high ceilings and variety of seating make this place appear huge! Plus, there are plenty of windows to let in light and provide a view of the waterwheel and the Sassagoula River; and the wooden beams, and relaxed, country atmosphere make it comfortable and charming!
5. Gasparilla Grill and Games – Located at the Grand Floridian, this quick service location offers a budget friendly, but yet tasty, menu for Grand Floridian guests or visitors and is open 24 hours. This dining location is both a mini food court and an arcade; but don’t let that stop you from giving it a shot. This Grand Floridian restaurant continues the resort’s light and airy decor, providing adults a pleasant place to eat and talk and kids a place to play! The menu here is also exceptional with a fabulous Caesar salad, the Grand Floridian Club Sandwich, stir fry, vegetarian lasagna, roast beef, and more!
So what is your favorite quick service restaurant at Walt Disney World? Did any of ours make your list?
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Flame Tree BBQ at Animal Kingdom. We usually get a Rib plate and a Chicken plate, and share. Lots of food.
And Tangerine Cafe at Epcot.
I love eating at Seasons. Their pork chop meal is really terrific! I also only have one coffee a year, the coffee ‘smoothy’ from Seasons.
Love riverside mill! their pasta bowl is excellent!
we almost always eat at the Columbia Harbor House and Seasons! However, I also like eating at Peco’s Bill, I usually get a kids meal to save money and the kids burger is very plain but with their topping bar you can really “doctor” it up and even make cheese fries with the sauce! Also love the pot stickers at Epcot’s China quick service.
We love Tangerine Cafe in Epcot’s Morocco!! If you like middle eastern food, it’s such a nice change from the standard burger & fries. And like all Disney restaurants, it’s a lot of food!! My BF and I get the combo shwarma platter ($13.99 or on the DDP) and split it and leave very satisfied!
Our favorite quick service has to be Pepper Mill at Coronado. We love the variety and the ability to sit down and have someone refill our drinks. The strawberry shortcake is awesome!