Planning where to eat can be one of the best parts of an Orlando holiday — but with thousands of restaurants to choose from, knowing where to start isn’t easy. This guide to the best restaurants in Orlando for families covers everything from fun themed restaurants and character dining to great-value meals and places worth visiting outside the theme parks. Whether you’re staying near Disney, Universal or International Drive, we’ll help you find family-friendly places that are actually worth your holiday money.
Our Top Family-Friendly Restaurants in Orlando
Orlando has everything from huge themed restaurants to hidden local favourites, so the best choice depends on where you’re staying, your budget and what sort of experience your family wants. We’ve picked restaurants that offer a combination of great food, family-friendly atmosphere and something memorable enough to make them worth fitting into your Orlando holiday.
1. The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium – Best for a Fun Family Experience
Located at Universal CityWalk, The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium is one of Orlando’s most memorable family restaurants. The steampunk-themed building is impressive before you even step inside, while the menu includes burgers, pasta, steaks, sandwiches and plenty of choices for children. The real stars, though, are the enormous milkshakes and chocolate desserts — some are practically attractions in their own right.
Best for: Families wanting a fun meal outside the parks, especially after a day at Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure.
Typical cost: Around $25–$40 per adult for a main meal, before drinks, tax and tip. Desserts and speciality milkshakes cost extra.
Location: Universal CityWalk
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Toothsome gets particularly busy in the evening when guests leave the Universal parks. If this restaurant is high on your list, consider eating a little earlier than usual or booking ahead rather than relying on a walk-in table.
2. Chef Mickey’s – Best for Disney Character Dining
Located inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Chef Mickey’s is one of the classic Disney character dining experiences. The buffet-style restaurant gives families the chance to meet Mickey Mouse and friends while enjoying breakfast or dinner, making it a great choice if you want character photos and autographs without using valuable theme park time.
Best for: Families with younger children and anyone wanting the classic Mickey Mouse character-dining experience.
Typical cost: Currently around $59 per adult for breakfast and $69 per adult for dinner, with lower prices for children. Tax and gratuity are extra, and prices can change.
Location: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, near Magic Kingdom.
Booking needed: Strongly recommended. Popular times can book up well in advance.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: You don’t need a Magic Kingdom park ticket to eat at Chef Mickey’s because it’s inside the Contemporary Resort rather than the park. That makes it a good option for a rest day or your arrival/departure day.
3. T-REX Café – Best for Dinosaur-Loving Kids
T-REX Café at Disney Springs turns dinner into an attraction of its own, with huge animatronic dinosaurs, prehistoric-themed dining rooms, waterfalls and regular meteor-shower effects. The menu is very family-friendly, with burgers, ribs, chicken, pasta, seafood and a separate kids’ menu, so it’s an easy choice when everyone wants something different.
Best for: Dinosaur fans, younger children and families looking for a fun themed meal outside the parks.
Typical cost: Expect roughly $20–$40 per adult for a main meal, with children’s meals costing less. Drinks, desserts, tax and gratuity are extra.
Location: Disney Springs.
Booking needed: Recommended. T-REX Café is a popular Disney Springs restaurant, so reserving ahead is sensible if you want a particular evening or dining time.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Disney Springs doesn’t require a theme park ticket and parking is free, so T-REX can be a great choice for a non-park evening. Leave some time before or after your meal to explore Disney Springs rather than making a special journey just for the restaurant.
4. Café Tu Tu Tango – Best for Something Different
Café Tu Tu Tango on International Drive is a great option when you want a break from traditional theme park dining. Inspired by an artist’s loft, the restaurant has colourful artwork throughout and serves a menu built around small sharing plates, making it fun for families who like trying several different dishes rather than ordering one large meal each.
Best for: Families with older children or teenagers, sharing food and anyone wanting something different from the usual burgers and theme park restaurants.
Typical cost: Allow roughly $25–$45 per adult, depending on how many sharing plates you order. Drinks, tax and gratuity are extra.
Location: International Drive.
Booking needed: Recommended for dinner and busy weekends.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Because the menu is designed for sharing, decide on a few dishes for the table and add more if you’re still hungry. It can be a much better way to experience the menu — and helps avoid ordering far too much food when you first see American portion sizes!
5. Miller’s Ale House – Best for Good-Value Family Meals
Miller’s Ale House is a popular casual option for families who want generous American portions without paying theme park restaurant prices. The menu is huge, with burgers, steaks, ribs, chicken, seafood, salads and plenty of familiar choices for children, making it particularly useful when everyone in the family wants something different.
Best for: Good-value family meals, big portions and an easy dinner away from the theme parks.
Typical cost: Allow roughly $15–$30 per adult for a main meal, with children’s meals costing less. Drinks, tax and gratuity are extra.
Location: Several locations around the Orlando area.
Booking needed: Usually not essential, although there may be a wait at busy evening times.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Portions can be very generous compared with what many UK visitors are used to. If you’re planning dessert as well, don’t feel you have to order starters for everyone — you may end up with far more food than expected!
6. ‘Ohana – Best for a Special Disney Family Dinner
‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is a great choice when you want a Disney experience without spending another evening inside a theme park. Dinner is served family-style, with a selection of Polynesian-inspired dishes brought to your table, and the tropical setting makes it feel more like a special holiday meal than a standard restaurant stop.
Best for: A special family dinner, Disney fans and families staying around the Magic Kingdom resort area.
Typical cost: Dinner is currently around $67 per adult and $44 per child, with tax and gratuity extra. Prices can change, so check Disney’s latest menu before travelling.
Location: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, near Magic Kingdom.
Booking needed: Yes — strongly recommended. ‘Ohana is one of Disney’s popular resort restaurants and desirable dinner times can be difficult to get.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: You don’t need a theme park ticket to dine at ‘Ohana. If you time dinner well, you can combine it with an evening exploring the Polynesian resort and potentially enjoy views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the resort area.
7. The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar – Best for Families Who Want Something Different
The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar at Universal CityWalk is a fun choice for families who can’t agree on what to eat. As the name suggests, the menu combines classic American burgers with sushi, alongside its unusual “Burgushi” creations that bring the two together. There are also plenty of more familiar options, so adventurous eaters and fussier children can usually find something they like.
Best for: Families with different tastes, teenagers and anyone wanting something a little different from standard theme park food.
Typical cost: Allow roughly $20–$35 per adult for a main meal, with children’s meals costing less. Drinks, tax and gratuity are extra.
Location: Universal CityWalk.
Booking needed: Recommended for popular evening times, particularly when the Universal parks are busy.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Cowfish works particularly well at the end of a Universal park day because you can walk straight into CityWalk rather than driving somewhere else for dinner. If you’re staying at a Universal hotel, it can also make for an easy non-park evening meal.
8. Keke’s Breakfast Cafe – Best for a Big American Breakfast
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe is a good choice when you fancy a proper American breakfast before starting your day. The menu includes pancakes, waffles, French toast, omelettes and breakfast combinations, with plenty of choice for both adults and children. With locations around the Orlando area, it can also be much more convenient than travelling to a theme park or resort hotel purely for breakfast.
Best for: Families wanting a big American breakfast, pancake lovers and a filling start before a busy Orlando day.
Typical cost: Allow roughly $10–$20 per person for breakfast, depending on what you order. Drinks, tax and gratuity are extra.
Location: Multiple locations around the Orlando area.
Booking needed: Usually not essential, although popular locations can get busy during peak breakfast and weekend periods.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Save this type of breakfast for a slightly later-starting day. If you’re trying to make rope drop at Disney or Universal, a long sit-down breakfast can cost you valuable quiet park time. On early park days, grab something quick instead and have your big American breakfast on a rest day.
9. The Cheesecake Factory – Best for Huge Choice & Desserts
The Cheesecake Factory is a popular choice for families because its famously huge menu means there’s something for almost everyone. You’ll find burgers, pasta, pizzas, steaks, salads, sandwiches and plenty more — followed by a massive selection of cheesecakes. Portions are typically generous, so it’s worth keeping that in mind before ordering several courses.
Best for: Families with different tastes, big portions, shopping-day meals and anyone with room for cheesecake.
Typical cost: Allow roughly $20–$35 per adult for a main meal, with children’s meals costing less. Cheesecake, drinks, tax and gratuity are extra.
Location: Orlando locations include the Mall at Millenia area.
Booking needed: Usually not essential, but waits can be lengthy at popular times.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t underestimate the portion sizes. Sharing a starter or even taking leftovers away can make this better value — and leaves a bit more room for the reason many people really come here: the cheesecake!
10. Yellow Dog Eats – Best for Something Away from the Tourist Areas
Yellow Dog Eats is a quirky, laid-back restaurant in Gotha, a little away from Orlando’s main tourist areas. It’s particularly known for its barbecue, pulled pork sandwiches and unusual combinations, making it a good choice for families who fancy escaping the theme park bubble and trying somewhere with a more local feel.
Best for: Families with older children, barbecue fans and anyone wanting to explore beyond the main tourist areas.
Typical cost: Allow roughly $15–$25 per person for a main meal. Drinks, tax and gratuity are extra.
Location: Gotha, west of central Orlando.
Booking needed: Usually not essential.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: This isn’t somewhere I’d make a long journey to purely for dinner if you’re staying near Universal or International Drive. But if you have a hire car and you’re exploring that side of Orlando, it’s a great way to experience somewhere very different from the big resort restaurants.
Holiday Blueprint’s Best Orlando Restaurants by Category
If you just want the quick answer, these are our standout choices for the best restaurants in Orlando for families, covering everything from Disney character dining to great-value meals away from the theme parks.
🏆 Best overall family experience: The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium
🏰 Best Disney experience: Chef Mickey’s
🦖 Best for younger kids: T-REX Café
💰 Best value: Miller’s Ale House
🌺 Best special family dinner: ‘Ohana
🍣 Best for teenagers: The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar
🥞 Best breakfast: Keke’s Breakfast Cafe
🍰 Best for huge choice: The Cheesecake Factory
🎨 Best on International Drive: Café Tu Tu Tango
🚗 Best away from the tourist areas: Yellow Dog Eats
How Much Should a Family Budget for Food in Orlando?
Food can become one of the biggest extra costs on an Orlando holiday, especially for families spending two weeks in Florida. As a rough planning budget, we’d allow around $150–$250 per day for a family of four if you’re mixing quick-service meals with casual sit-down restaurants. Families eating breakfast in their accommodation and sharing some meals may spend less, while character dining, alcoholic drinks and more expensive restaurants can push some days considerably higher.
You don’t need to spend that much every day. Having breakfast in your hotel room, buying drinks and snacks from a supermarket and mixing cheaper off-site restaurants with a few special meals can make a big difference over a 10 or 14-night holiday.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t budget using menu prices alone. In Florida, sales tax is added to the advertised price, and at table-service restaurants you’ll normally also need to budget for a tip. For UK visitors, this can make the final bill noticeably higher than the prices you first see on the menu.
How to Save Money Eating in Orlando
Eating well in Orlando doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune. A few simple choices can save a family a surprising amount over a two-week holiday without taking away from the experience.
- Have some breakfasts in your room – cereal, pastries, fruit and drinks bought from a supermarket can save a considerable amount compared with eating breakfast out every morning.
- Mix park meals with off-site restaurants – you don’t need every meal to be part of the theme park experience. Restaurants away from Disney and Universal can often offer better value.
- Take advantage of large portions – American portions can be generous, so sharing starters or desserts can work well for families.
- Carry water into the parks – buying drinks throughout a long park day quickly adds up. Check each park’s current rules before you visit.
- Choose your expensive meals carefully – one memorable character meal or special dinner can be worth the money; doing expensive dining every day usually isn’t.
- Budget for tax and tips – remember that the menu price isn’t necessarily what you’ll ultimately pay at a table-service restaurant.
- Use supermarkets for snacks and drinks – particularly useful if you have a hire car or accommodation with a fridge.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Before travelling, choose the three or four restaurants you really don’t want to miss and budget for those first. Leave the rest of your meals flexible. It helps control costs and means you’re not spending your holiday rushing from one restaurant reservation to another.
Do You Need to Book Orlando Restaurants in Advance?
You don’t need to reserve every restaurant before your Orlando holiday, but there are some places where booking ahead can make a huge difference. The key is knowing which meals really need planning and which ones are better left flexible.
Disney restaurants: Popular character meals and resort restaurants such as Chef Mickey’s and ‘Ohana can be difficult to get at desirable times, so these are the ones we’d prioritise booking in advance.
Universal CityWalk: Restaurants such as Toothsome and Cowfish can become very busy around park closing times. Booking ahead can be worthwhile if you have your heart set on a particular restaurant or dining time.
International Drive and off-site restaurants: You’ll generally have much more flexibility. For many casual restaurants, you can decide where to eat on the day, although busy evenings and weekends can still mean a wait, particularly during busier times of year in Orlando.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t schedule every evening of your holiday around restaurant reservations. Book the few dining experiences that really matter to your family, then keep plenty of evenings flexible. Orlando days rarely go exactly to plan — you may be tired, stay in a park longer than expected or simply fancy something different.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eating in Orlando
How Much Does a Family of Four Spend on Food in Orlando?
A family of four could realistically spend around $150–$250 per day on food and drinks when mixing quick-service meals with casual restaurants. Families eating breakfast in their accommodation and buying supermarket snacks could spend less, while character dining, table-service restaurants and alcoholic drinks can push the daily total considerably higher.
For a 14-night Orlando holiday, food can therefore become a significant part of your overall budget, so it’s worth planning for it before you travel rather than treating meals as an afterthought.
How Much Should You Tip in Orlando Restaurants?
Tipping works differently in the US than it does in the UK. At table-service restaurants in Orlando, tipping is customary, with around 18–20% of the pre-tax bill commonly used as a guide for good service. The amount you leave is ultimately your decision unless a gratuity or service charge has already been added to the bill.
Always check your bill before adding a tip, particularly if you’re dining as a larger group, because some restaurants may already include a gratuity or service charge. Tipping expectations are different for quick-service restaurants where you order and collect your own food.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: When working out your Orlando food budget, allow for sales tax and tips on top of menu prices. This is one of the easiest costs for UK visitors to underestimate.
How Can You Save Money on Water at Orlando Theme Parks?
Buying bottled drinks throughout a long Orlando theme park day can quickly add up, particularly for a family. One of the easiest ways to keep costs down is to take refillable water bottles into the parks and refill them during the day.
Rules can vary between Disney, Universal and other Orlando attractions, so always check the latest park policy before travelling. Universal Orlando currently allows guests to bring bottled water into the parks within its stated limits, making it worth preparing before you leave your hotel.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Fill your bottles before leaving your accommodation and keep them with you throughout the day. In Orlando’s heat, staying hydrated is important — and avoiding several bottled-drink purchases each day can save a family a surprising amount over a two-week holiday.
Is It Cheaper to Eat Outside Disney and Universal?
Generally, yes. Eating away from the theme parks can often give families more choice and better value, particularly at casual restaurants around International Drive and other parts of Orlando. Portions can also be generous, which can make sharing certain dishes worthwhile.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Think of theme park dining as part of your entertainment budget, not just your food budget. Paying more can be worthwhile when the restaurant itself is part of the experience.
Do You Need a Car to Eat Out in Orlando?
Not necessarily. If you’re staying at a Disney or Universal resort, or somewhere around International Drive, you’ll have plenty of restaurants within the resort areas or a short taxi or rideshare journey away. Families planning to spend most of their holiday around the theme parks can manage without hiring a car.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t hire a car purely for restaurants. Work out your transport needs for the whole holiday first. We’ll be publishing a dedicated Orlando car hire guide for UK travellers covering rental costs, insurance, tolls, parking and car hire vs Uber/Lyft.
Final Thoughts on the Best Restaurants in Orlando for Families
Orlando has an enormous choice of places to eat, and the best option really depends on the kind of experience your family wants. Disney and Universal have some fantastic themed restaurants, while International Drive and areas away from the parks can offer greater choice and better value.
💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t try to fit every restaurant on this list into one holiday. Pick the ones that suit your family, your park plans and your budget — and save a few for your next trip to Orlando!