We know that Disney World vacations aren’t cheap! When you are visiting the most magical place on Earth, you don’t want to waste your money on sub-par food.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Even if you decide to splurge on a meal, not all Disney World restaurants are created equal. We want to make sure you are getting the most out of your vacation, so we are sharing the most expensive restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom that you should skip (and where you should go instead).
Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to some pretty delicious food! However, there is one restaurant that we think you should most likely skip: Rainforest Cafe. You will be paying a pretty hefty price for mediocre food. Sure, the atmosphere makes you feel like you are eating inside of a rainforest, but we just don’t think the atmosphere makes up for the subpar food.
Rainforest Cafe in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
This could be a great option if your kids are really excited about it, or you want a highly themed restaurant experience. But, not only can you find Rainforest Cafes at other places, but you can also find MUCH better food at Animal Kingdom. For what you will be paying for a meal at Rainforest Cafe, we really recommend checking out other options.
Rainforest Cafe
If you are looking for a delicious splurge meal, Tiffins Restaurant might just be the place for you. We will warn you that Tiffins has a high price point for their food, but we have always been impressed with the quality of ingredients and the wonderful service, and we have loved almost everything we have tried here.
Tiffins
The restaurant is highly themed, and we recommend setting aside a decent chunk of time to enjoy your dining experience. The walls are covered with beautiful artwork, much of which inspired the creation of Animal Kingdom. Plus, the food is unique and delicious.
There’s so much to explore!
From its famous Tiffins Signature Bread Service to the Tamarind-Braised Short Rib and Chocolate Ganache, there is a lot to explore at this restaurant. While the restaurant does offer a walk-up list when they have availability, we recommend making a reservation in advance!
A meal at Tiffins
If you are looking for some of the same food served at Tiffins but without needing a reservation, you can head right next door to Nomad Lounge. You can find a variety of the same dishes served at Tiffins in a lounge atmosphere with a beautiful view of the water.
Nomad Lounge Eats
Or, if you want a restaurant with a slightly lower price point that still serves up wonderful food, we recommend trying Yak & Yeti. Yak & Yeti is an Asian fusion restaurant that combines Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Indian flavors. We are also huge fans of this restaurant and dishes such as its Firecracker Shrimp, Chicken Tikki Masala, Bhaktapur Duck, Yak Attack, and Fried Wontons.
Yak & Yeti Eats
If you are looking for something quicker or more affordable, there are also some wonderful options at Animal Kingdom. Our two favorites are Satu’li Canteen and Flame Tree BBQ. These are both quick-service restaurants that offer a quick meal for a lower price point. You really can’t go wrong with any of these suggestions, though!
Satu’li Canteen
Our mouths are definitely watering from talking about all this yummy food at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Don’t mind us; we are just going to make a quick stop by Nomad Lounge. Make sure to stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World food news!
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I didn’t have a good experience at rainforest cafe too!
Yak and Yeti is a great place for a quick’ish sit-down meal.
If there is nothing else, there is rain forest followed by T-Rex.
After eating at Tiffins (super wonderful food and service!!!!), we came home and I had to find the Papadan (pandan) thin crisps from the bread service, along with a couple of the dipping sauces that went with it! I found the Pandan in our local Asian market at a very inexpensive price and found the Guava at the grocery store, along with a comparable chutney! My hubby is on a strict diet during the week for weight loss and the Pandan and a small amount of the chutney fit the bill for a healthy, low calorie snack!
I’m sorry you had a mediocre food at Rainforest, have eaten there several times and the prices are not that high and the food was great. As for Tiffins that should be marked as Adult only place to eat. Plus you better plan on a snack in a couple of hour as the food amount is small. Kids are not going to be thrilled with picture on a wall. The food Grilled Shrimp, Grilled Steak and Chicken Thigh Teriyaki is not going to send you under 15’s jumping for joy. They would much rather have a Monkey swinging in a tree. Which mean you get to have a good meal and not have to worry about your little ones tugging at you every 2 minutes or having to shove a I pad or your phone at them so you can gobble your food down. Want to save money go to Yak and Yeti, price good and you can order one meal and split it. They give you so much your stuffed even when you split. I even got in with 2 hour notice. Just check the app and there were reservation for 2 hours later. It was great.
My favorite table service restaurants at Animal Kingdom are Tusker House and Yak & Yeti. Both have great variety and are likely to appeal to a lot of people. Tucker House can be pricey, but it is a character meal and an all-out care buffet with delicious food, so you can definitely get your money’s worth.
Never eat at Rainforest Cafe or T-Rex Cafe.