Want to know the best places to eat at Disney’s Magic Kingdom? Look no further! At some point when you come to the most magical place on Earth, you need to take a break for food. That’s why we’ve created this ranking of the Best Magic Kingdom Restaurants so that you make the right choice on your trip!
In this post, we’re going to share with your the best restaurants at the Magic Kingdom and what to order when you go there.
Between table service restaurants, counter service, and snacks, there are over 30 places to eat at the Magic Kingdom. Since we’ve visited them all many times over in the decades we’ve been coming here, we want to to the best and worst restaurants at the Magic Kingdom so you don’t waste your time eating bad food.
That’s right, while many of the places to eat are good, trust us, there are also a lot of bad ones too that you don’t need to be wasting your money or your calories on.
Depending on what type of meal you are looking for, some restaurants even need to be planned months ahead of time if you want to get in. That’s why it’s important to do your homework now so you are well prepared when you go.
We’ll also share with you the best places to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and which character meals you must try.
The fun part about going to the Magic Kingdom is this list continues to evolve over time. Just a few years ago this list looked a lot different. This is the current rankings in 2024, but as more restaurants open and change every year, we will update the list with any adjustments.
Of course, this list is very subjective and depends on dining preference and taste from person to person. We definitely want to hear about your list of the top Magic Kingdom restaurants in the comments section below and where your favorite places are.
If you are planning on visiting the other Walt Disney World parks and resorts, you will need a more comprehensive list. Make sure to check out our rankings of the Best Restaurants at Disney World for the ultimate rankings guide.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates to all the parks as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!
Table of Contents
Magic Kingdom Restaurants Overview
No matter where you go in the Magic Kingdom, good food awaits you. From Main Street U.S.A to Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and more, you can have your pick from all the delicious food and drinks!
The variety isn’t as great as at EPCOT or the Animal Kingdom for example, and the Magic Kingdom sticks to more traditional theme park food like burgers, pizza, hot dogs, etc. However, there are still some solid choices nonetheless.
Here is a list of all the current restaurants at the Magic Kingdom:
Table Service Restaurants
- Be Our Guest Restaurant
- Cinderella’s Royal Table
- The Crystal Palace
- The Diamond Horseshoe
- Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen
- Liberty Tree Tavern
- The Plaza Restaurant
- Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Quick Service Restaurants
- Aloha Isle
- Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
- Casey’s Corner
- Cheshire Café
- Columbia Harbour House
- Cool Ship
- Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
- Energy Bytes
- The Friar’s Nook
- Gaston’s Tavern
- Golden Oak Outpost
- Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
- Liberty Square Market
- The Lunching Pad
- Main Street Bakery
- Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café
- Pinocchio Village House
- Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
- Prince Eric’s Village Market
- Sleepy Hollow
- Storybook Treats
- Sunshine Tree Terrace
- Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
- Tortuga Tavern
- Westward Ho
Our Ranking Factors
On the surface, it seems like a really fun article to write “The Best Places to Eat at the Magic Kingdom.” Then when we started making our rankings, we realized it wasn’t so easy. With dozens of restaurants to choose from, we had a really hard time deciding the correct order.
We didn’t use some complicated mathematical equation to come up with our rankings, we just used our tastebuds to lead the way!
Some of the ranking factors we considered are:
- Food Quality
- Price to Quality Ratio
- Portion Sizes
- Restaurant Theming and Ambiance
- Extra Disney Magic (special experiences, etc)
Our rankings are for sit-down restaurants (table service restaurants) and quick service combined. Some of them are super-hard to get reservations for, while others you can just walk in and place your order. It depends on the experience you are looking for. All of them are family-friendly and accept casual theme park attire.
Best Restaurants at Disney’s Magic Kingdom
Besides the name of the restaurant and location, we’ve also included the approximate price, type of food, and what the best food items are on each menu. This should give you a good base in order to make a decision.
Obviously, this list is too long to visit all these restaurants in one visit to Disney World, however, over multiple visits you can try the majority of them. We highly recommend trying all of the ones in the Top 10 at least once as they are the best the park has to offer.
Without further ado, here are the top 19 best restaurants at Disney’s Magic Kingdom:
19. Pinocchio Village Haus (Fantasyland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Italian (Pizza, Salads, Chicken Tenders)
There is no doubt in our mind that the Pinocchio Village Haus is the worst restaurant at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. We are all for some Italian food like pizza and it sounds like a good idea, but when done by this Fantasyland restaurant, nothing about it works.
I don’t see how it’s so hard after all these years to not be able to make a basic pizza taste at least edible. Not only is the food quality mediocre at best, but there is also really no theming to the restaurant. There are no characters or some unique draw to get you to visit. This whole place needs a makeover from the top down.
The only time I would suggest eating at Pinocchio Village Haus is if your group is super picky and only wants pizza. Unless your kids only eat pizza, skip the Pinocchio Village Haus.
What to Get: There isn’t much to get here besides the flatbreads, and even those aren’t very good. In the past, there have been some decent ones when Disney got creative with options like the Mac and Cheese flatbread. Right now, however, the flatbreads here are pretty boring. I guess you could get the chicken tenders, but they are the same ones you get anywhere else in the parks.
18. Tony’s Town Square Restaurant (Main Street U.S.A)
- Cost: $$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Italian (Pasta, Pizza)
If you’re a big fan of the Disney animated classic Lady and the Tramp, you’ll know that Tony’s Town Square Restaurant is a recreation of the one in the film. It’s just too bad the food here isn’t nearly as good as the movie is.
This table service restaurant on Main Street U.S.A. focuses on Italian cuisine obviously with all the classic pasta dishes to choose from. While we want to like Tony’s and have occasionally had a decent meal here, this is the worst sit-down meal you can have at the Magic Kingdom. In fact, it’s the worst Italian restaurant in Disney World if you ask us.
Until the food quality improves, we just can’t recommend going to Tony’s. Only visit if you absolutely need to have a sit-down meal and all the others are booked up. Then and only then.
What to Get: For an entree, you might as well take a scene right from the movie and order the spaghetti and meatballs (a mix of pork and beef). The desserts are better than the entrees and the tiramisu is actually pretty good here. The Italian Strawberry Shortcake is also a winner.
17. Tortuga Tavern (Adventureland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Hot Dogs, Sandwiches)
Tortuga Tavern is a quick service restaurant in Frontierland and one that is constantly changing its menu. Over the years it’s served Tex-Mex and barbecue, among other things In fact, one of the reasons we have it so low in our rankings is that you never know what they are serving, it seems like it’s always something new.
The food quality is usually decent for quick service, but the menu is so small, there just aren’t a ton of options to try. It’s also usually closed unless it’s a really busy day at the Magic Kingdom, so you might not even get a chance to try it.
Most of the other restaurants are a better option, so don’t count on Tortuga Tavern for your visit.
What to Get: The Orange Chicken Strips which are tossed in a Sweet-Orange Glaze and topped with onions are fairly tasty. For unique, try the PB Hazelnut and Banana Sandwich. You’ll either love it or hate it!
16. The Lunching Pad (Tomorrowland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Pretzels & Sandwiches)
The menu at The Lunching Pad is pretty limited, but there are some sandwiches and hot dogs to choose from. However, people really come here for one thing and that’s the giant warm pretzels.
This is another Tomorrowland restaurant with a non-existent theme. The tables and chairs are located outside underneath the Astro Orbiter and the area is pretty chaotic with thousands of guests passing through the center of Tomorrowland. Not exactly an ideal atmosphere for dining.
The Lunching Pad is not a restaurant on most people’s radar at the Magic Kingdom, and you can get better meals in most other locations.
What to Get: This is the best place at the Magic Kingdom for pretzels which are one of our favorite snacks. Try the cream cheese warm stuffed pretzel which we then just have to dip in more cheese sauce! You know you want to try it too!
15. The Diamond Horseshoe (Frontierland)
- Cost: $$ – $$$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Brisket, Pulled Pork)
The Diamond Horseshoe is a sit-down restaurant in Frontierland themed to the Old West. As you would imagine, they serve up hearty-sized portions of American-style food. The menu has changed and essentially eating at the Diamond Horseshoe is eating at the lesser version of Liberty Tree Tavern.
It’s the same kitchen, the same food, just a different and lesser atmosphere. Imagine eating in a giant cafeteria, that’s what eating inside the Diamond Horseshoe is. While you can’t go wrong with the Thanksgiving Day American-style Turkey Options, we just FAR prefer Liberty Tree.
What to Get: If you end up eating here, make sure to get plenty of portions of stuffing, mashed potatoes, and the oh so wonderful Oooey Gooey Toffee Cake, one of our FAVORITE desserts in all of Walt Disney World.
14. Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant (Tomorrowland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Burgers, Sandwiches, Seafood)
This is another quick service restaurant that is not always open, but when it is it has a bigger menu than others with some decent food items. It’s frequently used for Magic Kingdom Dessert Parties and After Hours Events. When it is open, think lobster rolls and fried fish.
We can’t complain about the food quality, which is solid for the Magic Kingdom. Portion sizes are generous and you won’t leave here hungry.
The seating area is huge and you won’t have a hard time finding a table, though there is no atmosphere at all here, just a view of The Hub. The tables are covered so you don’t have to worry about rain, but there is no air conditioning which is a deal-breaker for us on a hot day.
What to Get: The Lobster Roll is full of big chunks of lobster meat and is quite flavorful. For a little bit of everything, try the trio platter which comes with fried shrimp, fried fish, and chicken tenders.
Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant Menu
13. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café (Tomorrowland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads)
Cosmic Ray’s also falls in the bottom half of our Magic Kingdom restaurants ranking. This is your standard theme park restaurant and it’s focused on burgers and other sandwiches. The menu isn’t anything special and most of the items are found in multiple locations throughout Disney World.
We do like the burger toppings bar where you can pile high your burger with crispy onions, tomatoes, and more.
The restaurant’s main attraction is its host Sonny Eclipse, an animatronic alien lounge singer. We suggest you get in the dining room with a view of Sonny and enjoy his sweet space tunes and painfully cheesy jokes. Sometimes we come in just to take a break and listen to Sonny jam away.
What to Get: If we are eating at Cosmic Ray’s we tend to get one of their tasty burger offerings. Then we load it up with the fixing from the toppings bar! This is one of those places where you just want to get guilt-free theme park food. And they offer it!
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café Menu
12. Gaston’s Tavern (Fantasyland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Sweets)
Gaston’s Tavern is a quick service restaurant in Fantasyland but is more of a snack stop than a full restaurant. They have some of the most popular food items in the whole park with the cinnamon bun and LaFou’s Brew.
We love the atmosphere here and it’s just like stepping inside the tavern where Gaston sings his famous song in Beauty and the Beast. You have to stop on your way out and get a picture next to the Gaston fountain in the front. If you are lucky, you will even find Gaston himself wandering close by.
What to Get: The giant warm cinnamon bun is a guest favorite, even though we think it’s overrated. Instead, we recommend getting The Grey Stuff cupcake, which is usually only available at Be Our Guest. That smooth cookies and cream frosting can’t be beat! LaFou’s Brew is worth trying and very refreshing when it’s hot out. It’s basically a frozen apple juice with a hint of marshmallow and mango foam.
11. Casey’s Corner (Main Street U.S.A.)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Hot Dogs)
Casey’s Corner is a one-trick pony, but they do it pretty well for a theme park. If you are looking for hot dogs at the Magic Kingdom, this is the place to go.
The whole menu consists of various versions of franks including chili cheese dogs and corn dog nuggets. You can even choose between regular-sized dogs or foot-long. There is even a monthly special dog that is never low on creativity.
If you are a baseball fan you will like the theming as the whole restaurant is inspired by the famous poem “Casey at the Bat.” It definitely fits in with Main Street U.S.A. and brings you back to a time when baseball was America’s dominant sport.
This is also one of the latest restaurants to close at the Magic Kingdom, so if you feel hungry near the park closing time Casey’s Corner is the perfect way to fill you up before going home.
What to Get: You have to get a hot dog of course, there is no choice in that and pretty much all of them are good. We always check to see what’s the specialty dog of the month and if that doesn’t appeal to us we default to a classic chili cheese dog.
10. The Friar’s Nook (Fantasyland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Hot Dogs & Tots)
Now we are finally into the Top 10 Magic Kingdom restaurants, and where the food takes a step up in our opinion. There is hardly a trip to the park when we don’t stop by Friar’s Nook and they consistently have some of our favorite food items.
Friar’s Nook has gone through a few menu changes in its history, but the most recent is focused on hot dogs and loaded tots. The staples to choose from include buffalo chicken and bacon mac and cheese.
The only negative is that atmosphere is nothing to write home about and it’s always crowded and hard to find a table. Again, if it’s hot outside, there is no air conditioning so be prepared to suffer in the heat.
While we wish they would bring back the pot roast mac and cheese, this version of Friar’s Nook is one of the better restaurants in the park and a must-try.
What to Get: The sausage and gravy tots are one of our favorite breakfast items at the Magic Kingdom. For lunch or dinner you just can’t go wrong with the creamy bacon mac and cheese tots, just try to convince me you don’t love them!
9. The Crystal Palace (Main Street U.S.A.)
- Cost: $$$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant (Character Meal)
- Cuisine: American (Fried Chicken, Prime Rib, Pork Chops)
When you visit The Crystal Palace, every day is a Friendship Day celebration with Winnie the Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. This is one of the two character meals at the Magic Kingdom and a classic for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The Crystal Palace serves up a huge buffet, with one of the biggest selections of foods on property so you won’t leave hungry. For breakfast, they have an omelet station, Mickey waffles, and anything else you can think of. For lunch and dinner, there are fresh salads, carving stations, and dozens of delicious desserts to enjoy.
The location here is also beautiful with tall windows giving you a view of Cinderella Castle in the distance. The Crystal Palace has gone through many changes over the years but remains one of the top Magic Kingdom restaurants.
What to Get: If you go during breakfast, you have to get the puffed French toast, a different twist on a classic recipe with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar crust and a warm soft inside. The bread pudding and pineapple upside-down cake are also great choices for dessert.
8. Columbia Harbour House (Liberty Square)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Seafood)
If you are looking for seafood at the Magic Kingdom, Columbia Harbour House is the place to stop. They have a wide selection of choices from fish and chips, shrimp, New England clam chowder, lobster rolls, and even some land options like salads or chicken pot pie.
We think this restaurant has one of the best atmospheres in the Magic Kingdom as the whole place is made to look like an old tavern with a nautical theme in a sea-faring town. The dark wood feels very cozy and we love checking out all the old knickknacks that really give it character.
There are two levels of seating, but we prefer upstairs where it’s a lot quieter and away from most of the crowds. This is one of the best restaurants if you are looking for something quick and to get good value for your money.
What to Get: The lobster roll is a great value for the amount of lobster meat you get and something you don’t always find in a theme park. Also, anything fried is delicious including the shrimp or fish and chips, which are both good size portions. If you are looking for something healthier, try the grilled salmon.
7. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café (Frontierland)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex (Tacos, Nachos, Fajitas)
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe is THE spot for Tex Mex at the Magic Kingdom. The menu is vast and includes all the foods you might imagine. Tacos, fajitas, rice bowls with pork carnitas or chicken, nachos, a southwestern salad, and even a burger.
All the food is good quality, not as good as you might find back home, but very good for a theme park. The meat is always tender and fresh-tasting and portion sizes are huge! The best part is the fixings bar where you can pile up your food with shredded cheese, sour cream, peppers, onions, etc.
Pecos Bill has both indoor and outdoor seating and it has a massive number of tables so you are sure to find a seat. We love the Old West/Cowboy-theming and the interior is surprisingly beautiful. Growing up, this was our favorite spot at the Magic Kingdom for lunch, it continues to be that way up to this day.
What to Get: We are partial to the Taco Trio and you can even ask for each of the three tacos to have different meat in them. We also love the Fajitas which come with pork and chicken and are a good-sized portion and will easily fill you up.
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café Menu
6. The Plaza Restaurant (Main Street U.S.A.)
- Cost: $$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Burgers, Sandwiches, Meatloaf)
The Plaza Restaurant located on Main Street U.S.A. continues to be one of the most overlooked restaurants at Disney’s Magic Kingdom but definitely one of the best. It combines solid food at a good price, much cheaper than the other table service restaurants in the park.
Classic American food is on the menu here such as burgers, sandwiches and homestyle meatloaf. This obviously isn’t fine dining, but the food quality is a little better than comparative times found at nearby quick service restaurants.
The restaurant itself is decorated in the art-nouveau style, similar to The Crystal Palace and other surrounding buildings. There isn’t a lot really special about the theming, but it is bright and cheery. There is a large outdoor seating area where you can observe thousands of guests walking by and a front-row view of Cinderella Castle.
One thing that we find really cool is the Citizens of Main Street are regulars in Plaza Restaurant and are often interacting with the guests. This is an extra touch of Disney magic we like to see when dining.
What to Get: The Plaza Loaded Fries are a must as an appetizer. I mean who doesn’t love fries drowned in cheese sauce and ranch dressing with bacon bits on top? All of their sandwiches are great, including their chicken sandwich as well as their pot roast stack! Definitely try one of their classic milkshakes as well, you can’t go wrong!
5. Sleepy Hollow (Liberty Square)
- Cost: $
- Type: Quick Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: American (Waffles & Sweets)
To look at it, Sleepy Hollow sure doesn’t appear to be much, but it packs a big punch with some of the best food offerings at the Magic Kingdom. It’s literally a walk-up window with a small seating area close by, and you can’t miss the long line waiting to order.
The menu is small, but almost everything on it is worth getting. Sleepy Hollow’s specialty are the waffles, sweet with fruit on it or a savory waffle sandwich. There are also a bunch of other great foods here like turkey legs, corn dogs, and funnel cakes.
Sleepy Hollow is our favorite restaurant for a quick bite at the Magic Kingdom at any time of the day. If you haven’t had their waffles before, make sure to stop by on your next visit.
What to Get: The Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken-Waffle Sandwich with a honey-sriracha glaze and house-made chips is one of our favorite food items in Walt Disney World. For dessert, you have to try the Fruit Waffle with Nutella, the perfect ending to any meal.
4. Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen (Adventureland)
- Cost: $$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant
- Cuisine: Asian, Latin, African
If you are a fan of the Jungle Cruise ride, then I have a place for you! The Jungle Cruise Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is such a cool idea and one of the best places to eat in the park.
The Skipper Canteen easily wins the award for the best-themed restaurant at the Magic Kingdom. This place is just so cool! It’s like walking into a museum for the Jungle Cruise attraction, with artifacts from all over the world, collected by Dr. Albert Falls and other explorers.
The menu is much different from traditional theme park food, so come here with an open mind. It’s not overly exotic, but it is definitely more adventurous than some guests are used to. The servers are really funny and entertaining like the Jungle Cruise captains on the ride, adding to the experience.
What to Get: The Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas are our favorite appetizers on the menu and you can’t go wrong with the Noodle Bowl as an entree. We’d stay away from the pork as it’s always dry. The Coconut Bar with Pineapple-Basil Compote and Vanilla Cream is our favorite dessert and very light after a big meal.
3. Cinderella’s Royal Table (Fantasyland)
- Cost: $$$$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant (Character Meal)
- Cuisine: American/Fine Dining
If you are looking for a really special dining experience at the Magic Kingdom, get a reservation for Cinderella’s Royal Table ASAP. First of all, you are eating in Cinderella Castle and everyone in your group will be pumped to do that. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We think the lunch/dinner meal is slightly better!
It’s a character meal and includes some of the most popular Disney princesses. Your kids or just princess fans in general will have a ball and it’s better than waiting in line to meet them at a different time in the day.
The food is a prix fixe menu and it is not cheap. Dinner for 4 here will easily cost you $250-$300 so make note of that before booking. The food quality has improved here over the years and we do enjoy the menu, but it’s overpriced. You are paying for the whole experience which may be worth it to you depending on how important seeing the princesses is to you.
Overall, we love Cinderella’s Royal Table and it’s one of those quintessential Disney dining experiences you just need to try at least once.
What to Get: Since the menu is a set price no matter what you order, we always order the more expensive items to get our money’s worth. We really like the lamb chops here and the beef tenderloin is very tender and always has a good side.
2. Be Our Guest Restaurant (Fantasyland)
- Cost: $$$$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant (Themed Dining)
- Cuisine: American/French
Be Our Guest Restaurant is another high-end dining experience at the Magic Kingdom, one that first-timers will love. It’s a prix fixe meal like Cinderella’s Royal Table, except this one is in The Beast’s castle in Fantasyland.
The theming here is incredible and Disney dining at its finest. This is the type of restaurant you imagine visiting when you plan a Disney World vacation. Fans of the Beauty and the Beast film will love wandering the three dining rooms here and checking out all the details from the movie. Make sure to visit the creepy West Wing complete with the enchanted rose and a scary lightning effect.
The Beast himself walks through the restaurant from time to time, but he doesn’t stop at tables. Instead, at the end of your meal, you can over to get your picture taken with him. While there are some restaurants with slightly better food, the overall dining experience is great and not to be missed.
What to Get: Our favorite item on the menu is the filet, again because we want to get our money’s worth since it’s not cheap. For dessert, you have to try The Grey Stuff. It’s a smooth cookies and cream mousse. Very sweet, but oh so addicting.
1. Liberty Tree Tavern (Liberty Square)
- Cost: $$$
- Type: Table Service Restaurant (Themed Dining)
- Cuisine: American (Comfort Food)
We’ve finally arrived. The best restaurant at Disney’s Magic Kingdom is the Liberty Tree Tavern in Liberty Square. In our opinion, it offers the best combination of food quality, portion size, and price, all with a uniquely-themed dining experience.
We love the feeling that you are stepping back into the 1700s and the servers even dress the part. The restaurant is built as an old tavern from the Colonial period and it’s just filled with wonderful recreations of artifacts from American leaders of the past.
While we used to love it when they had separate menus for lunch and dinner, it still is great. Previously lunch was a la carte with the ability to order from a number of different offerings and dinner as your classic Thanksgiving-style meal. Now both lunch and dinner are your classic Thanksgiving Day Feast with the traditional fixings.
What to Get: Most of the food is fairly good, including the standouts the turkey, the pot roast, and the stuffing! While we enjoy the food, we LOVE the dessert. The Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake is one of the best desserts at Disney World!
Best Breakfast at the Magic Kingdom
Looking for breakfast at the Magic Kingdom before starting your day? There are many choices and it depends on what you have planned for the day.
If you showed up at rope drop and you are planning on doing as many rides as possible in the first couple of hours, you are going to need something quick to keep you moving. On the other hand, you may be looking for a place to eat where you can take your time and maybe see a character or two.
Here are our top choices for breakfast at the Magic Kingdom:
Something Quick – If you are looking to grab something to eat or drink on the run, the best spot is at the Main Street Bakery on Main Street U.S.A. If you are one of the first people in the park you can grab a cup of coffee and a pastry or breakfast sandwich without waiting in line and run off to your first attraction for the day.
Another option for a quick breakfast is stopping at Sleepy Hollow and grabbing one of their delicious breakfast waffle sandwiches or a fruit waffle with Nutella!
Sit-Down Meal – If you are not in a hurry and have some time to spare, stop in at The Crystal Palace. They have a huge buffet with a lot of good options, plus all the characters from Winnie the Pooh. Plus, this is the place to go if you are looking for a character meal in the morning.
To have a sit-down meal and still get to do a bunch of attractions before the crowds arrive, we recommend making the earliest reservation possible. Often reservation times are an hour before park opening, which lets you fill up and still get to the rides in time.
READ: Best Breakfasts at Disney World
Best Magic Kingdom Lunch
Lunch is definitely a popular time to get something to eat at the Magic Kingdom, and is the busiest time of the day for restaurants. You’ll need to stop somewhere to refuel for the next round of attractions, and it all depends on how much time you have.
Here are our top choices for lunch at the Magic Kingdom:
Something Quick – Our go-to place to eat for lunch is Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café. We love Tex-Mex and the menu is always appealing here (Tacos, Nachos, etc). It also has one of the biggest seating areas of any restaurant in the park, so no problem finding a place to eat.
One of our favorite lunch menus at the Magic Kingdom can be found at Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland. It has a nice variety of hot dogs, but the real stars are the loaded tots, either with buffalo chicken or Mac and cheese!
Sit-Down Lunch – If you are looking for something fancier than usual, head over to Be Our Guest Restaurant in Fantasyland and prepare for a meal in The Beast’s castle.
Another good option for lunch at the Magic Kingdom is the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. The ambiance is fun, the waiters hilarious and the menu adventurous. It also will give you a nice break from the midday heat.
Best Dinner at the Magic Kingdom
If you stick around the Magic Kingdom until the evening, you’ll need a place to stop for dinner. If you are planning on watching the fireworks, make sure you book an early dinner around 5:00 or 6:00 pm so you have enough time to get a spot.
Here are our top choices for dinner at the Magic Kingdom:
Something Quick – Any of the quick service restaurants will do for dinner, but if you are near Fantasyland or Liberty Square, stop by the Columbia Harbour House. They have a great selection of seafood like fried shrimp and lobster rolls that you can’t go wrong with.
Sit-Down Dinner – If you are looking for a really special dining experience your whole family will remember, book Cinderella’s Royal Table. This is the most unique dining experience, and if you have princess fans in your group they will love it.
This is the hardest reservation to get at the Magic Kingdom, so make your reservations on the first day your booking window opens up. If you don’t, you can forget eating here.
Another good option for dinner is The Plaza Restaurant, which serves comfort food like meatloaf and more. It’s also conveniently located to step out and then watch the fireworks once your meal is over.
We listed Be Our Guest and Skipper Canteen for lunch, but they are just as good for dinner too.
Best Magic Kingdom Character Meals
There are 2 character meals at the Magic Kingdom: The Crystal Palace and Cinderella’s Royal Table.
In our opinion, the best character meal at the Magic Kingdom is Cinderella’s Royal Table. Being inside Cinderella Castle it has the best location of the two restaurants. It also has the most desired set of characters with many of the most popular Disney princesses present.
One thing to keep in mind about Cinderella’s Royal Table is that it is very expensive. A meal for 4 people will cost between $250-$300, not chump change. The food quality is much higher, but be aware of the price. It also is the harder to get dining reservation of the two.
The Crystal Palace on the other hand is an all-you-can-eat meal and features Winnie the Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. It’s an ok meal with some stand-out items, but it’s not the number one choice.
Be Our Guest technically isn’t a character meal, however, there is a photo opportunity with The Beast himself after your meal.
READ: Best Character Meals at Disney World
Magic Kingdom Restaurant Reservations
Now that you know the best places to eat at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, the only thing left to do is make dining reservations. Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) guarantee you a table at your restaurants of choice on the dates you choose.
This is very important because all of the table service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom fill up months ahead of time. This is especially the case at Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest. If you want to dine at either location, be online and ready to go right when your booking window opens up.
Even if you aren’t dining at either of those places, if you want to eat at a sit-down restaurant, you need a reservation. Don’t underestimate this, it’s one of the most important steps when planning a Disney World vacation.
Disney World Advanced Dining Reservations can be made online using The Walt Disney World Website or the My Disney Experience app. They can also be made on the phone by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463.
Read our Disney World Dining Reservations Guide for more tips and info on booking your restaurants.
Where Can You Eat at Magic Kingdom Without Reservations?
While there are many restaurants that require reservations, there are plenty that don’t. However, if you don’t want to make reservations, you will be forced to eat at a quick service restaurant. You will definitely need dining reservations to eat at a table service restaurant.
Our favorite places to eat without reservations at the Magic Kingdom are Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café, Columbia Harbour House, or Sleepy Hollow.
Best Snacks
Sometimes you aren’t really in the mood for a full meal and you are just looking for a snack. It just so happens that the Magic Kingdom is one of the best places to fill any craving you may have. From savory to sweet, you are covered here.
Some of our favorite snacks include:
- Dole Whip
- Stuffed Pretzels
- Citrus Swirl
- Handmade Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Spring Rolls
- Turkey Leg
Check out our post on the Best Magic Kingdom Snacks for the full list!
Ready to Start Planning Your Disney Vacation?
If you feel overwhelmed planning a Disney vacation, use an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner such as Show You the World Travel. They are experts on every Disney location and can tell you where to stay, what to do, how to save money, and give you personalized service for your most magical vacation ever!
That wraps up our ranking of the best restaurants at the Magic Kingdom. We hope you liked it and that we gave you some good ideas for places to eat when you visit.
We want to hear what your top Magic Kingdom restaurants are so drop them in the comments section below!
For more great Disney Restaurants be sure to check out our other guides:
- Best Places to Eat at EPCOT
- Best Places to Eat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Best Places to Eat at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
If you are going to Disney World soon, make sure to read our Disney World Planning Guide for all the tips and info you will need to cover everything! Also, check out our Disney World Crowd Calendar so you know when the best time to visit is!
Your Thoughts
I want to know what you think about our rankings of the best restaurants at Disney’s Magic Kingdom…
- Do you agree with our list?
- What are your Top Magic Kingdom Restaurants?
Let us know in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media. I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂
My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.
Tony Piscitelli
Saturday 3rd of February 2024
We have enjoyed eating in some of the ones you covered, and like you all did not appeal to us. We are planning a trip in early September in what you might call a family get together and I have made notes as to which to make reservations at, with the help of my children, grown, and my grandkids, so it is going to be an arduous task, but I am positive we will all come to an amicable agreement. I need to inquire how far ahead reservations can be made, and there will be a number of us. Thank you again for your very helpful info, and suggestions. Tony
Gloria
Saturday 2nd of December 2023
Last time I was in Pecos Bills (July 2023). They no longer offered the fixings bar. Just thought you ought to know
Joyce
Tuesday 3rd of October 2023
Where are the vegetarian options?
wendy
Friday 9th of June 2023
Feel like I'm missing something. The Liberty Tree Tavern menu doesn't have the items you say to order.
Ziggy Oskwarek
Saturday 17th of June 2023
They have made some modifications to the menu since our review. We will update as soon as possible!
Tony Piscitelli
Wednesday 8th of March 2023
I never realized that there were so many eating spots in Magic Kingdom, but my wife and I did enjoy eating in a number of the good ones and we were quite pleased with them. You also listed a few that we were not familiar with but I made a note of them and anticipate visiting them on our next trip to WDW. Thanks again for all of your excellent and helpful information. Tony