Editor’s Note: Studio Catering Co. closed in early April 2016 to make way for construction of Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Join me in welcoming Bob Sikon with a guest review of a counter service eatery at Disney’s Hollywood Studios — Studio Catering Co.!
I have to confess, if my wife and I eat a meal at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we typically stop in to visit the ABC Commissary. Oh, we’ve eaten meatloaf at 50’s Prime Time Cafe and cobb salads at The Hollywood Brown Derby, but our trips to the Studios usually include the commissary’s burgers.
If not that, we’ll enjoy a mere Quick Service snack of Butterfinger cupcakes from Starring Rolls Cafe or a couple of carrot cake cookies from Writer’s Stop.
This last trip, however, we tried something new – an early dinner at Studio Catering Co.
Welcome!
Atmosphere
Another confession – in all our past visits, we had never given Studio Catering Co. even a little bit of thought. Part of the reason is that it is sort of hidden without really being hidden. In other words, it is clearly there, but if you didn’t know it was there, the signage wouldn’t help you much.
Exterior Menu Board – click image for larger version.
Despite that, the thing that struck us from the moment we approached the restaurant was the amount of available space. There is PLENTY of seating. Look at the size of this place!
The Whole Restaurant
Looking in from outside.
Lots of seating.
There are five ordering kiosks and ample room to move at the food windows. Notice the condiment and utensil station in the foreground.
Condiment and Utensil Station.
Ordering Station and Seating.
Behind the Counter.
Eats
When it comes to food, the overhead menu boards are clear and easy-to-read. There is a small collection of sandwiches to choose from:
Menu Board for Sandwiches. Click image for larger version.
In addition, there is a grilled vegetable sandwich. There is also a Greek salad. Finally, you can choose one of several different options for children.
More Menu Options and Kids’ Meals. Click image for larger version.
Beverages are pretty standard fare, but beer and wine is available. When it comes to dessert, if we weren’t on one of our never-ending diets, I would have been all over that marble cheesecake!
Menu for Desserts and Beverages. Click image for larger version.
As it was, we tried to be good and ordered the Pressed Turkey Club. We also shared a Greek salad.
Pressed Turkey Club.
When it comes to the turkey club, I can’t say that I prefer it to the commissary’s burger, and I can’t say that I would run back for another serving, but it did hit the spot as far as a simple dinner was concerned. To be honest, I think my feelings about the sandwich are somewhat clouded by the fact that I’m not a big fan of hot panini-type lunch meat sandwiches. With that in mind, though, I have to admit this one was pretty good.
On the other hand, the Greek salad was very tasty. We thought it was a bit over-dressed, but we would order it again. They are undoubtedly pre-made, but next time we’d probably try to get one with the dressing on the side.
Greek Salad.
Overall
If you don’t frequent Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I think the first thing you need to know about Studio Catering Co. is its location. Situated in the back of the park, it is between the Streets of America and Studio Backlot Tour and adjacent to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure.
When it comes to the food, we would rate it as a good but lesser alternative to other Studios Quick Service options. Whether it is ABC Commissary, Starring Rolls, or even Backlot Express, if we dined in Hollywood more often, I think we’d choose a cupcake or a good old-fashioned burger. In spite of that, though, if Studio Catering Co.’s menu options strike your fancy, it is certainly worth a shot!
Bob Sikon is a Cast Member “Wanna-Be”. He fell in love with Walt Disney World on his first visit 13 years ago, and that’s because of the Cast Members. The way they take care of you, they make you want to be part of The Magic. Someday, his dream will come true, and he’ll proudly wear a Cast Member name badge; but, for now, you can find him working in the “real world” in Atlanta, GA, planning his next trip to The World, and blogging about the place Where Dreams Come True at allinwdw.com.
What is your favorite counter service spot in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments below!
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This is one counter service restaurant where the veggie sandwich isn’t horrible. Paired with the greek salad it makes for an ok meal. 🙂
The chicken sandwich at Studio Catering is HUUUUUGE. My wife and I split one occasionally. The best part about this venue IS it’s location. Hollywood Studios is so small as it is, so getting there isn’t really a big issue. It’s away from the hustle and bustle around places like Pizza Planet and Sunset Blvd.
The choices for quick service food in good ole MGM (it’s forever MGM to me) aren’t as fantastic as they are in the other parks, but you can still enjoy a fantastic meal.
It was such a nice quiet location when we stopped there. The pressed turkey club was also large enough to share. Can’t complain 🙂
I really enjoy their grilled veggie sandwich. And I say that as an omnivore–it’s just that good! Good place to dine if you have a larger group, too, due to the plentiful seating the reviewer mentioned.
Me & my partner absolutely loved it here but we couldn’t put our fingers on why it stood out to us so much! We even say it’s our favourite quick serve dining place out of any of the parks.
Quiet, quick and the food is always super tasty :).
Can’t wait to go back for the chicken ceaser wrap! Yum.
The Greek salad here is my favorite counter service meal in Hollywood Studios. We make a point to eat here once during every trip just for this salad. It’s better than the other Greek salads throughout the property, for some reason.
I always want the food here to be better than I find it. None of the menu options really jump out at me, and nothing I have eaten here ever hit the spot. I do love the atmosphere, though. In general, I find the Studios to be the most challenging park for a quick service meal. While every other park has more than one QS restaurant that I am excited to eat in, I always feel like I am choosing between the lesser of the evils at DHS. I am on free dining at the Pop Century this October. Anyone able to recommend their favorite QS meal in DHS?
I agree with Kelly D. The best meal I’ve ever had at a DHS fast food location was last year at the ABC Commissary. I arrived just in time to run in and check out the Star Wars merchandise at the end of the day on the last Star Wars weekend last June. The Backlot and Studio Catering were closed, and it was late and I was hungry. The ABC was my only option, so I got an Asian Chicken Salad. I asked for dressing on the side – maybe it was so good because it was freshly made. Whatever the reason, it was delicious! I was able to get a Darth Vader cupcake there, too. YUM! It’s funny, because when I looked at their menu online, I didn’t like the choices, so I wasn’t planning to go there. I’m glad now that I did.
I am also a cast-member wannabe! I have passed by Studio Caterig on our trips, but we always stop at Backlot for the nuggets, standard Disney fare, but hubby’s favorite.
I think you are the first people in history to use the words Disney and diet in the same sentence
Can’t say I was ever blown away here, but it’s been a few years. However, I do stop at the High Octane Refreshments next door of Studio Catering Co. every visit!
We’ve never eaten here because there is nothing that would appeal to my son, Mr. Fried Foods. We usually eat at Backlot Express, where the veggie sandwich is a great alternative to burgers and chicken, and the drinks are refillable. You can also score a seasonal cupcake there for your CS dessert. Last two trips we also ate at ABC. My son loves the burgers and chicken (of course), and I was amazed by the high quality of the salmon salad. I could see the CM adding greens to a big bowl and then tossing it with dressing before plating it for me, so getting dressings on the side shouldn’t be an issue. The slab of warm salmon was perfect. Now my husband has a very limited diet, so we are even less likely to try Studio Catering, although that Greek salad does look good!
The menu looks good for my family. We are going in July but our biggest priority when choosing lunch is air conditioning! It’s great for us to get out of the heat and refresh for a little bit. So I can’t tell is it open air or air conditioned? Lol my DD is not heat tolerant for meals 🙂
I loved the veggie sandwich I had there. It was really good and I’m not a vegetarian, just someone who enjoys vegetables! 😉
I loved the veggie sandwich I had there. It was really good and I’m not a vegetarian, just someone who enjoys vegetables! 😉
I’ve been ruined for MGM/DHS at this point. I’ll always want lunch at Starring Rolls Bakery because of their wonderful cupcakes!!! They also have delicious sandwiches, however. For dinner I’d like Back Lot Express or Studio Catering. I’m not a vegetarian, but their veggie sandwiches look very good.
I want to thank A.J. and Kim! I’m honored to be part on DFB’s pages once again! THANKS!
Kelly, it’s all outdoors. No air conditioning. Sorry.
how is the buffalo sandwich?
1) don’t forget about the full bar just to the side of the restaurant;
2) wish they would bring back the lamb gyro (yummy!)
The buffalo sandwich is a-ma-zing! Its huge too. My husband really enjoyed his meal – then had a bite of mine and tried to get me to swap! I refused but couldn’t finish it all unfortunately so he had the honours. We’d definitely go back just for that!
I ate there on my last trip there, and enjoyed it. At times, it can be difficult to find a place to grab lunch at DHS if you aren’t real familiar with the park, but after getting off the Backlot Tour ride, it was right there, and we got there right at opening. There was plenty of seating.
I had the Tuscan sandwich. I must have overlooked the ‘toasted’ part.. I was expecting a cold sandwich, but it was warm. I’m not usually a fan of toasted subs, but this was good. My friend got the buffalo sandwich, and said it was ‘ok’, but we are from Western NY, so we know what ‘Buffalo’ means.. 😉
If you are in that part of the park when it is meal time, it is worth a stop.
The veggie sandwich is delicious, but watch out for eating here on windy days – I’ve seen peoples’ entire sides of fries just whoosh off the plate here. The bar on the side of the main ordering kiosk is the best place in Hollywood Studios (and occasionally the only place) to get a frozen carbonated beverage.