Walt Disney World has so many resturants to chose from, it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to get lunch!
There are two different types of restaurants at Walt Disney World - quick service and table service. Quick service restaurants are similar to fast food and casual dining places. You order your food at the cash register, pick it up, and go. Table service restaurants, on the other hand, are a bit fancier. You'll have a waiter take you to your table and your order will be brought out to you.
Magic Kingdom has many great quick service locations, so I decided to narrow them down to my top five favorite.
5. Friar's Nook
The Friar's Nook is a food stand located in the middle of Fantasyland, near the castle. It offers both a breakfast menu and a lunch/dinner menu. I myself have never had breakfast at this location, but I would like to try the doughnuts one day Starting at 11:00am, the stand offers hot dogs, mac and cheese, and tater tots. Some menu offerings combine these items - like the mac and cheese hot dog and cheesey tater tots.
Since Friar's Nook is a food stand, you'll have to stand in line to order and then take your food elsewhere. Luckily, there is some seating along the castle walls. Friar's is right in between the carrousel and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. This location is a Fantasyland hot bed, and can become very crowded sometimes. But if you are able to find a seat, this is a great place to people watch with the castle in the background. Or, you can easily take your food to go as you walk to your next adventure.
Friar's has some good food. The bacon mac and cheese and tater tots are awesome. And I do love the theming of the little stand. It is a remanent of old Fantasyland with its medieval facade. Classic Disney fans will also love that this food stand is named after Friar Tuck from Robin Hood, an underrepresented movie in the parks. Plus, if you want dessert you can grab an ice cream cone from Storybook Treats right next door.
However, the business of the location and little seating nearby lands this quick service place at the bottom of my top five.
4. Gaston's Tavern
Beauty and the Beast fans have not only a magical table service restaurant to dine at, but also a cute quick service place. New Fantasyland is one of my favorite areas in all of Magic Kingdom, and I absolutely adore the theming. Gaston's adds to that immaculate theming.
Gaston's Tavern offers mostly snacks and beverages. The menu is constantly changing. Once, you'd be able to find roasted pork shank here, or veggies and hummus, or a speciality cupcake. At the time of writing, you can order a ham and cheese sandwich. The staples (and stars) of the menu are the warm cinnamon roll and LeFou's Brew. The cinnamon roll is delicious and filling - one of the best I've tried at Walt Disney World. If you order this for a snack, you may want to split it with your family because it is seriously huge. LeFou's Brew is a frozen drink. It's very good, but very sweet and very big. Again, you may want to split the drink with another person.
Inside, you'll find that Gaston really does use antlers in all of his decorating. There are tables and chairs to sit at, although the building can become crowded during peak times. The centerpiece of the tavern is Gaston's chair, which makes for a fun photo op.
Gaston's ranks a little low on my top five list because while the theming is immaculate, I wish there were a few more menu options. As much as I love cinnamon rolls and LeFou's brew, there are so many sweet treats at Magic Kingdom that it's difficult to get the same thing every time, and Gaston's isn't always my priority stop.
3. Columbia Harbour House
As the name suggests, Columbia Harbour House offers seafood such as fried fish, clam chowder, and shrimp skewers. For those wanting a healthier option at a theme park, there is the grilled salmon and green beans plate. And for those who are a bit pickier, you can always order chicken strips here.
Plus, this is an allergy-friendly location. Whether you have a gluten, nut, or milk allergy, you will be able to find food for you.
Honestly, the food at Columbia Harbour House isn't the most noticeable. It's standard food that will appease most stomachs. What makes Columbia Harbour House a good dining option is its location. Columbia Harbour House is located right on the border of Fantasyland and Liberty Square. If you grab a window seat on the second, you'll be able to people watch the crowds below. In fact, Columbia Harbour House is many guests' ideal place to take a break at Magic Kingdom. Fuel up on food while you sit in air conditioning away from the crowds.
2. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Pecos Bill is a large Tex-Mex quick service location located in Frontierland near Splash Mountain and is themed after the folklorian cowboy.
Years ago, Pecos Bill used to be a barbecue place. The nearby Tortuga Tavern was the Tex-Mex location at Magic Kingdom. Thematically, this made sense as Tortuga is a Spanish-colonized island featured prominently in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and barbecue food is often associated with cowboys. But in 2015, the two restaurants swapped cuisine.
All of the space in Pecos Bill allowed for a Chipotle/Qdboa-style topping bar to compliment the Tex-Mex menus. This topping bar instantly became a hit with guests, so the swap was a great idea.
At Pecos, you can order a rice bowl, nachos, tacos, fajitas, or taco salad. Then, you can take your food over to the topping bar and load up. The quantity and variety of the food you are able to get here makes this a very desirable stop for many guests, including me. I like to stop at Pecos Bill for a late lunch and then grab a spot outside for the Festival of Fantasy Parade.
It is rumored that Pecos Bill may be re-themed in the future with the opening of Tiana's Bayou Adventure. It would make sense to have a Tiana-themed restaurant right next door to her ride. I just hope the topping bar stays!
1. Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
Ah, Cosmic Ray's. The McDonald's of the Magic Kingdom.
Cosmic Ray's is the biggest quick service spot in all of Walt Disney World. It can be very busy, but Cast Members move the lines along and you will always find a table to enjoy your meal at.
Here, you'll find basic theme park fast food, like cheeseburgers, chicken strips, hot dogs, fries, and soda. Like Peco Bill's, Cosmic Ray's has a topping bar. You can load up your burger with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ketchup, and mustard.
Perhaps the biggest draw to Cosmic Ray's is the entertainment. Throughout the day, Sonny Eclipse plays retro-futuristic music. For Sonny stans, Cosmic Ray's is a must-do, even if they do not order any food. The man has some absolute bangers.
As far as theming goes, Sonny is kind of it. Cosmic Ray's has a many big windows. Some have a very good view of the castle. One of my favorite memories is eating dinner at Cosmic Ray's during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and nabbing a seat with the glimmering icicle castle in the background.
Cosmic Ray's may not be anything unique when it comes to theme park dining, but it will always have my top spot. I have a lot of nostalgia for this quick service location, and every time I come back I make another memory.
Your Opinions
What's your favorite quick service restaurant at Magic Kingdom? How would you rank these places? Let me know in the comments below!
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