"All the food at Disney is crap..."
So, it is with love that I dedicate this first post to the people who inspired it - my "Lets do this" pal and her "I'm not so sure about this" spouse embarking on their first family adventure to Walt Disney World.
"So we have friends who went to Disney and they told my husband not to bother with the dining plan because ALL of the food at Disney is garbage..." Cue my spiking blood pressure as I insist, "no, No, NO!!! They are just WRONG!" in the middle of the staff office.
Fortunately, my pal knows how deep my snobbery can run when it comes to food and travel and figured this could not possibly be 100% true. To help her manage her spouse's misplaced panic, I was quick to point out a few key facts, google up "best Disney food photos," and recommend one of my favorite blogs (Disney Food Blog: because food IS a theme park). However, my dear friend's spouse a) is a skeptic and b) has not spent the last 3 years building a trust in my stories and travel advice like his wife has... so here we go.
Long story short - Yes. You can get crappy food at Disney, but if you do, frankly it's your own damned fault. You either are impossible to please, took a calculated risk, or planned poorly. Any of these can lead to one or more epic food fails at Disney World.
Unrealistic Expectations/Impossible to Please: We've been the unfortunate spectators when this type of guest has been seated near us. For example, at recent visit to Le Cellier in EPCOT's Canada Pavilion I had a steak so amazingly flavorful that I wanted to lick my plate then order another. It was so tender that I could chew it on a cracked tooth! (A high bar indeed!) While savoring our lovely meal we overheard a woman order her steak "well done plus" (yes, her words). She made a stage worthy production about how seeing even a hint of pink would make her vomit... then complained that her steak was tough. I wanted to throw bread at her table, but why waste a good pretzel roll. I can only imagine the psychological torture endured by the chef when preparing such absurdities. From a waitstaff perspective, she was probably a breeze compared to one that we overheard asking for a "double strength Margarita with ice on the side, really, just fill the whole shaker with alcohol or bring the bottle to the table..." I. am. not. embellishing. Now I cannot say that I have never had a lackluster meal at Disney. Bear in mind that I have been 13 times in the last 23 years (I think that is the count). That's a lot of meals to consider and I don't think anyone would expect EVERY one to be a winner. This is really where experience, planning and reasonable expectations really pay off. A counter service burger IS going to be weak compared one at a table service restaurant known for its high end meats and house made buns. Likewise, a counter service pizza probably started its day frozen. Of course that will be a waste of chewing time and calories compared to the experience in a restaurant where you literally watch the Italian kitchen staff toss the dough for their wood fired, made to order creations.
That is not to say that all counter service restaurants are risky bets, or that all table service ones are safe ones - although it is tough to go wrong with most Signature Dining options. Sometimes you try a table service spot primarily for the theming involved knowing that the food will probably be OK, but not exceptional. (I'm talking to you Sci Fi Dine In Theatre). Other times, you may need to just suck it up at the nearest quick serve because your "hangry" little ones (or spouse) are on the verge of a meltdown. It happens. That said, the counter service option at Flame Tree BBQ in the Animal Kingdom is the best BBQ on Disney property in my opinion. Sunshine Seasons in Epcot is always listed on "Best Of" lists and for good reason. There are quality, tasty options to be found. You just need to know where to look.
It Pays to Do Your Homework and Plan Ahead:
Know your family's culinary likes and dislikes
Get familiar with menus ahead of time
Create an account on the Disney website and bookmark interesting options
(These will carry over to the app for quick reference while traveling)
Check out pictures of meals online
As for the second part of the inflammatory, inaccurate advice that my pal's spouse was given, "... don't waste your time on the Dining Plan," keep in mind that Disney food definitely falls into the category of "you get what you pay for" and pricing expectations should be graded on a curve. 
There are blogs upon blogs detailing how to decide if and/or which Dining Plan is right for your family. I agree 100% that you need to think about who you are traveling with, consider their eating habits, and weigh out some of the cost/convenience factors. The type of food, the number of meals, or the volume of food you think your family will eat certainly should inform your choice of whether or not to go with a dining plan.We have had this discussion repeatedly in our house, particularly when we first considered splurging on the Deluxe Dining plan. Yes, we were probably going to eat more than we would otherwise trying to break even on cost. BUT, on the Dining Plan we ordered what we wanted rather than defaulting to the cheapest thing on the menu; we thoroughly enjoyed the incredible Sunday brunch at the top of the Contemporary Resort - something we would have never talked ourselves into paying $80+ apiece for. Sometimes we ordered one appetizer, sometimes two, sometimes dessert, sometimes not. Dining plans now include specialty drinks (smoothies, milkshakes, etc...) and tasty, creative "adult beverages". Without the dining plan, we would have largely stuck with just water and food court coffee all week long. We would never order appetizers or dessert, and would agonize over more expensive menu options even if they sounded terrific. For example, the beef and truffle soup with puff pastry that I ordered at Monsieur Paul; it was included in my Dining Plan, but I would have never even considered it with the $30 menu price!
So in a grander sense, while we were paying for a lot of food, we were also paying for the experience of enjoying each meal without counting pennies or second guessing choices.
The Bottom Line:
Regardless of if you go the Dining Plan route or not, if you are staying all week ON Disney property you will inevitably be eating at least some "Disney food." With that in mind, the advice for planning ahead and doing your homework still holds true. Regardless of how you are paying, you will want to make reservations as far in advance as possible for table service meals. You certainly have options to change these, even on the day of or a hour before your reservation thanks to the My Disney Experience app. A general plan, and nailing down any high priority reservation ahead of time though are essential no matter how you pay for those meals.
Counter service options aside, the advent of the Dining Plan has made it nearly impossible to simply walk into a restaurant of your choosing anywhere near a prime meal time. That is not to say that no one ever employs a "go with the flow" tactic at Disney World, but those that do should be well prepared for a lot of waiting, walking, frustration, and likely disappointment. Calibrate those expectations ahead of time and make your choices accordingly.
As for the folks who made the grossly inaccurate claim that prompted this post, I've asked my friend to find out where exactly they ate. I have a guess that their meals were counter service heavy or more spur of the moment happenings. Having had such wonderful food experiences so often with our family vacations, I am incredibly curious about the context of their blasphemous comments!
