2013: Best Food Values

I think that while this has been discussed in some other threads, this topic warrants its own.

Based on overall value, where are your favorite places to eat in the park (excluding Platinum Pass deals)?

One I would like to start with is Gameday Grill, where I ate with a friend last week. Much better quality than I remember from a visit years ago, and very reasonable prices (for Cedar Point). Ended up skipping Midway Market to go there, due to my thinking charging dinner prices for a lunch menu isn't a good value, and spending more money (with tip) than I would have at Midway Market.

Where are other places that aren't necessarily cheap, but provide a good value?

The only place I'm OK with spending money on a full meal at this point is Famous Dave's. I have to think twice at this point even to buy fries this year. Seven bucks is completely out of hand (unless they start soaking them in premium alcohol or something).

Pink's burgers are decent for the price.

We too think Famous Dave's has the best bang for the buck.
We ate in the park on our most recent trip to save a little time, once at the Lakeside, once at Gameday. Both places the fries seemed as if they had been sitting all day, nasty.

Jeff said:
(unless they start soaking them in premium alcohol or something).

And here you almost had me convinced over on CB that you're not a prime time candidate for AA ;)

I'm still partial to Midway Market. Any place that has both burgers and pizza on the same buffet, gets my vote.

Dave's, Panda Express, and Fridays are really the only places on-point that I'll eat, and Fridays only happens if I can't convince my group to eat at Dave's instead.

I can only justify the price for fries if I'm using the platinum pass deal, which gets you a second order of fries and two drinks for the price of the chili cheese fry. Under $8 for a snack and drinks for two people is pretty reasonable I think.

The hands-down winner for me is the Johnsonville Bratt cart. With a platinum pass you get a free bratt if you buy the combo. So for just over $8 you get two large bratts, a bag of chips, and a 20 oz. soda. Yum.

Famous Daves for the air conditioning and chance to actually relax when you sit. Prices are fair and you can have a decent mixed drink. Nothing like a tall Gin and Tonic or 2 or 3 lol after some great ribs. Always hit them up every time we go.

"Cedar Point" & "Best food value" in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

It's kind of like saying our schools have a "head start" and "no child left behind" program at the same time.

It isn't the "best food" on anyone's list, nor is it a "value" - compared to how much the same items cost on the other side of the causeway.

But the discussion isn't about food on the other side of the causeway. It's about the best value on the park side of the causeway.

DVO, is that second free brat deal for platinum passholders new for this year? I bought that a bunch of times last year and shudder to think of the free brats I may have missed out on!

It seems also that last year, the soda was a much smaller plastic bottle (12oz?), but I always got mine in the luminosity/MF area cart, not the one over by Mine Ride.

The one by Mine Ride are beef hotdogs, they are $7.02 with tax this year. It was $5.25 with tax last year.

Only thing that makes it a deal is the Platinum Pass, to get 2 hotdogs for $7.02

Without the extra dog, I'd probably never eat there.

The pass discounts and deals suck because they're too specific to location and aren't really publicized anywhere but online. Seriously, are you going to fire up the Web site on your phone (you can't because of that mobile crap they use) and try to look up what the deals are, then realize none of them are something you want anyway?

The deals at Universal Orlando always made more sense. It was a flat percentage off at every food location.

Park operations has the Platinum Pass deals print outs available.

Jeff said:
...are you going to fire up the Web site on your phone ...

Another reason you can't is if the park is busy, more than likely your phone will brick. At least it does on Verizon. I can always tell how busy the park is by my iPhone's internet speed (or lack of connectivity completely).

What I don't like about some deals, like the fry deal for example, is they are often not good if you are by yourself. Seriously, who's going to eat two orders of fries and two soft drinks by themselves? I'll tell you who -- the same person that puked said fries on Gatekeeper on Media Day. Train 2, Row 4. Saw the fries all over the final brake run before the station.

I have to agree that Famous Daves is the best bang for the buck. I love the fresh cut Fries but they are expensive. I bought Mozzarella Sticks by the train entering MF and they gave you a lot of them and price was not too bad. I never heard anyone mention them here but for a quick snack for 4 people its not too bad.

Just stay away from those terrible Pink Hot Dogs!!

Agreed that the deals pretty much suck. My wife and I don't want two orders of nasty fries.

Had they not abandoned the 10% discount at sit down restaurants deal, we would have actually had lunch and/or dinner during our last visit. Instead, we went elsewhere and spent lots of money.

Where is Famous Dave's at? I couldn't find it the last time I was in the park and was really upset by that because I wanted to eat there. Or is it outside of the park?

Next to the marina.

Exit the park at the Marina entrance/exit located between Raptor's cobra roll and the Good Time Theatre. Continue to walk on the red brick path, straight through the Cedars (red buildings) dorm parking lot, and continue to walk towards the water. If you turn right, the building on the right is where the Marina store and Famous Dave's is located.