How was your food in the MDR?

[Maitaivegas]

What frustrates me is the quality of the food at the specialty restaurants should be what is included with your fair in the the MDR.

I can understand charging for alcohol, but you do need to eat when you’re on the cruise.

[binro01]

5 minutes ago, Maitaivegas said:

What frustrates me is the quality of the food at the specialty restaurants should be what is included with your fair in the the MDR.

I can understand charging for alcohol, but you do need to eat when you’re on the cruise.

That’s a little bit much. It’s not like the food at the MDR is inedible. It usually fair. Sometimes good. And rarely poor.

[Iamcruzin]

7 hours ago, HicksRA said:

They may be having problems securing quality food just like we see at grocery stores currently. We were on Indy for two weeks last month and most of the food was good except for the duck both times which was so dry and bad I had to send it back the second time. 

I believe this to be true  as I have been having issues finding quality cuts of beef.  Next it will be the drink package that will be affected as they are predicting a shortage of liquor during the holidays because they can't get bottles or labels to package it. 

[Iamcruzin]

16 minutes ago, binro01 said:

That’s a little bit much. It’s not like the food at the MDR is inedible. It usually fair. Sometimes good. And rarely poor.

The problem is that once you accept fair it won't take much time before it becomes mostly poor and sometimes fair.

[Biker19]

53 minutes ago, LynnForestgate said:

 

I have heard this term used, very often.

But what does it mean ?

 

The dictionary definition:

 

NOUN

informal

1. a person with a particular interest in food; a gourmet.
    

[smokeybandit]

I've never come out of the MDR saying "wow best meal I've ever had"

 

Then again never came out saying "man, I'm off to Sorrentos to get a real meal" either.

[Joseph2017China]

Well, I always felt the food was your typical banquet food, but on a higher scale.  It has never been anything to brag about, but on the other hand, I'm not cooking or cleaning or even thinking much about it.  

 

30 plus years ago, food was an event each night.  Yes, I remember it to be better, but than again, the price of the trip in the tiniest cabin ever was more money than what I pay now.  So, yes, food became food, and no longer an event.  However, if you want top tier food experience, there are cruise lines that have it for a premium price.

[Trainman52]

When we first started cruising in 1976, every night's menu was unique.  They had the date printed on them with a lavishly designed graphic for the front.  As has been mentioned, those days are long gone.  The quality of the main dining room (and many of the specialty restaurants) is on a par with The Texas Roadhouse IMHO.  You won't rave about it, but you won't complain either.  The cruise lines have to make their money somewhere.  It's like the old joke, "I lose $5.00 per unit but make it up in volume".

[Iamcruzin]

26 minutes ago, Trainman52 said:

When we first started cruising in 1976, every night's menu was unique.  They had the date printed on them with a lavishly designed graphic for the front.  As has been mentioned, those days are long gone.  The quality of the main dining room (and many of the specialty restaurants) is on a par with The Texas Roadhouse IMHO.  You won't rave about it, but you won't complain either.  The cruise lines have to make their money somewhere.  It's like the old joke, "I lose $5.00 per unit but make it up in volume".

Back then food had to be an event with only set seating available. There was little to do on board compared to now and they didn't have the buffets that they have now. You basically looked forward to the next meal from breakfast to dinner. I remember boarding the Crown Princess in 1991 and having to pay to eat pizza in Alfredo's on boarding day because we missed lunch. Now it's food around the clock for 5000 plus passengers. It's hard produce quality under those conditions.

 

[PCHENG]

19 hours ago, floridababa said:

We cruise lots (74) up to now and never had so much of the food to be disappointing. We are not picky- breakfast was great, lunch had few selections but I'm use to only having salad with tuna or chicken salad. Dinner was really bad. We were with another couple and they felt the same. Are they cutting back on quality?  Makes us rethink travelling on Royal again. I need to hear from you guys. 

 

Hope to hear from you guys

Hard to comment when you didn't provide a whole lot of context.  When you say the food is bad, are you comparing it to other cruise lines, or past RCCL cruises?  

 

I personally feel RCCL MDR food to be better than NCL but not as good as CCL.  The dishes tend to play it safe.  You won't go hungry but you won't get a memorable meal either.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

5 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I've never come out of the MDR saying "wow best meal I've ever had"

We have. On Regal Princess, though. 🙂 We do sail on Princess for food.

 

We sail on RCI for entertainment and great family/kid activities. But the food is still better than on NCL.

 

NCL had great entertainment, but atrocious food.

 

All IMHO.

Edited November 2, 2021 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Aquahound]

On 11/1/2021 at 10:35 AM, floridababa said:

 

Hope to hear from you guys

 

I've always been ok with RCI's MDR food.  That is, up until my recent Ovation cruise.  We ate in the MDR one night and never returned.  I was very disappointed in the taste.  FWIW, it was the steak from the every-night menu.  I don't remember what DW had but she was disappointed too.  

 

Luckily we were in a JS so we booked CK the rest of the cruise.  Very happy there!  

[ButterflyGirly]

23 hours ago, brillohead said:

Between norovirus and COVID and food waste issues, I bet we never see self-serve at the buffet again.

That would be ok with me, easier with DD's fish and peanut allergies.

[Maitaivegas]

8 hours ago, LynnForestgate said:

 

I have heard this term used, very often.

But what does it mean ?

 

 

it means I don’t like 5 star gourmet meals.

I like basic comfort food, salads etc

but I love Mexican and Peruvian food the most.

[Maitaivegas]

16 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

The problem is that once you accept fair it won't take much time before it becomes mostly poor and sometimes fair.

I am currently living in NW Arkansas, so I really want good food.

where I live the chain restaurants have the best food lol.

[smokeybandit]

On 11/1/2021 at 1:38 PM, brillohead said:

Between norovirus and COVID and food waste issues, I bet we never see self-serve at the buffet again.

There's only one reason they'll stick with assisted-serve buffets, and that's $$$$ (food waste). If it was norovirus, they would have already made that switch (though norovirus on a cruise ship is a lot less rare than you'd think). And covid doesn't spread that way.

[Iamcruzin]

6 hours ago, Maitaivegas said:

I am currently living in NW Arkansas, so I really want good food.

where I live the chain restaurants have the best food lol.

For what it's worth I don't think that there is a big jump in food quality in the specialty restaurants compared to the MDR for the price they charge. It's more ambiance and service  and maybe larger portions and with that the food just seems to be better. Psychologically you are fooled to think that it's better because you paid an additional  $50 pp.  Chops is no better than LongHorn or Outback steakhouse. Those who compare it to Morton's have never eaten at Morton's.  Living in New York on Long Island we have all the chains and Mom and Pop restaurants and you don't have to pay a fortune for good meal.   

[randybutternubs]

3 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

For what it's worth I don't think that there is a big jump in food quality in the specialty restaurants compared to the MDR for the price they charge. It's more ambiance and service  and maybe larger portions and with that the food just seems to be better. Psychologically you are fooled to think that it's better because you paid an additional  $50 pp.  Chops is no better than LongHorn or Outback steakhouse. Those who compare it to Morton's have never eaten at Morton's.  Living in New York on Long Island we have all the chains and Mom and Pop restaurants and you don't have to pay a fortune for good meal.   

Oof is that really true re: chops? I was thinking of trying it with one of those three dinner packages but if that’s the case then maybe not, even with a very low effective out of pocket cost. I’ve looked at the MDR menus for my cruise and it looks fine to me (there’re at least two items I’m keen on every night from what I’ve seen).  How about Jamie’s Italian?

Edited November 3, 2021 by randybutternubs

[ditmar2007]

On 11/1/2021 at 8:59 PM, binro01 said:

I see the MDR in a similar light. I recall when I was in my 20s the MDR being an elegant affair, with over the top, phenomenal food. Mind you I was coming out of school, where Top Raman was lunch, and dinner was something I arranged from a whim.

I think you are right there. Two years ago I brought my son on his first cruise - he was 22 at the time. He very much enjoyed the MDR (and put on two kilos of weight to his great relief - he is very skinny).

Me? Food I don't have to cook is always a pleasure!! I did get a bit bored with MSC food in September, though. But still - it was food. I didn't go hungry. I can splurge on yummy food in cheaper restaurants at home. 

I look forward to seing how food is on the Vision OTS in the summer 2022.

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, randybutternubs said:

Oof is that really true re: chops?

The psychology of thinking it has to be good for $50 extra pp? Of course. The thing is, food value is totally subjective and for some the extra cost is worth it, to most, it is not.

[Iamcruzin]

4 hours ago, randybutternubs said:

Oof is that really true re: chops? I was thinking of trying it with one of those three dinner packages but if that’s the case then maybe not, even with a very low effective out of pocket cost. I’ve looked at the MDR menus for my cruise and it looks fine to me (there’re at least two items I’m keen on every night from what I’ve seen).  How about Jamie’s Italian?

Jamie's Italian didn't appeal to me being that I'm Italian and we have an Italian restaurant on every other block here.  However they were offering  a 30% discount so we tried it. I was pleasantly surprised. The menu is mostly pasta which was good. I had the lamb chops which were excellent. Wonderland is more about presentation and entertainment than about the actual food. The food was good but just reinvented. For example they had something called liquid lobster which was lobster bisque served on a table spoon. For us it was a one and done experience. All of the food in these restaurants are good. They are just not worth the $50 plus dollars. If you can get a discount once on board or purchase a package pre cruise than it may be worth it.  The only thing that I didn't like in the MDR was the service and the Roast Turkey dinner.  I only ordered that once in 30yrs of cruising because it was the only entre that I never tried and I figured how can turkey be bad. It was like eating a Marie Callender's frozen dinner.

 

[bucfan2]

The wife and I are pretty easy to please.  Been cruising for 30+ years, and we have a deal - as soon as we become complainers or take cruising for granted, we're done.  (That being said, I have to watch myself...went on Celebrity w/o masks, and absolutely hate wearing them on the other lines...wish royal could design their ships to be as safe as Celebrity's lol).

MDR food is just as good post-pan as it was pre in our opinion.  We really enjoy our meals there, and that's where we eat whenever it is open.

Got offered a 'great deal' on pay restaurants....3 meals, $20/ea per meal.  We didn't feel it was worth the $120 for the two of us...we'd rather allocate the $$ elsewhere.  Others would think it was too good of an offer to let pass by.  Subjective, to say the least.

Edited November 3, 2021 by bucfan2

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

The psychology of thinking it has to be good for $50 extra pp? Of course. The thing is, food value is totally subjective and for some the extra cost is worth it, to most, it is not.

Yes of course it is but many have the you get what you pay for mentality which in this case comparing MDR to Specialty isn't worth the price difference. Back in the day when they enforced the formal night dress code in the MDR we would eat in the specialty restaurants because we didn't want to dress up. Back then they were $20 - $25 and well worth it. Now at $50 plus 18% gratuity plus the extra 10 to 20 tip because you forgot you pre paid the gratuity also add in the cost of the meal and the auto gratuity that you already paid for in the MDR the experience isn't worth the coast.  Now the chef's table that's another story.

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Now the chef's table that's another story.

Nope, same story - can RCI market that product enough to separate you from your wallet.

[mrpayroll]

Ours was fine. No different than pre-covid days.