I have eaten my way around most quick-stand and fast-casual restaurants at Magic Kingdom and making my way through the restaurants around the park. Here are my thoughts on where I recommend buying some food if you are planning to purchase food during your visit to Walt Disney World.

The Beak and Barrel: Definitely one of the best places at Magic Kingdom with excellent libations and a decent amount of appetizers to go with it. You are limited to 45 minutes, but those 45 minutes are pure joy. Grab a beer, a cocktail, and some of their chips platter and you will be very happy. Ride Pirates after/before. Rank: 10/10

The Plaza Restaurant: Excellent lunch and dinner options at prices that are fair for the theme park. I loved their club sandwich and they have cocktails and great beer options too. Burger also looks delicious. Service is superb and the location is right in the middle of the theme park for easy access. Rank: 8/10

Casey’s Corner: The most reliable place for a last-minute meal at Magic Kingdom. They knock out orders fast especially if you mobile order. The chili dogs are pretty good and the hot dog and corn dog nuggets are not a bad alternative. The proximity to the castle always makes it hard to find a seat after though so be warned. Rank: 9/10

The Crystal Palace: The food selection could be better at this character-dining location which feels like a Ruby Tuesday or Sizzler, but I do like the tenders and the sweets. I feel like for the price I expect a higher-tier of food quality, but its good for at least one visit for the memories. Service is great and the character experiences are fun. Rank: 7/10

Sleepy Hollow: Best known for having funnel cakes. I love funnel cakes in general and usually order them at state fairs. That being said, something tastes off in the oil used to fry the funnel cakes at Magic Kingdom and I would NOT recommend them. Rank: 2.5/10

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: I’m not very impressed with the ice cream here. It does have the perfect morning views of the castle though before it gets crazy packed. I would rank as the ice cream as typical ice cream you might get at a Cold Stone or something. Rank: 5.5/10

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe: Decent burgers when you’re in a pickle and near Snow White. It will satisfy you, but that’s not saying too much. Just ok. It’s on par with cafeteria food or the most basic eats at Universal Orlando. I wouldn’t recommend it if you have other options. There is a good amount of seating inside. Rank: 5/10

Pinocchio Village Haus: Probably one of the worst salads I have ever had with chicken that looked like it came out of a can. Just absolutely gross. Rank: 0/10

Columbia Harbour House: The Lobster Roll is actually pretty decent. The chicken tenders are not good and most of the food I have had on most visits has been underwhelming otherwise. Rank: 5/10

Westward Ho (NOW CLOSED): This stand actually serves pretty good eats and their corn dog is great. I recommend if you’re walking around and need a quick bite to eat or a beverage. Rank: 7/10

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe: Actually, solid American/BBQ food (if you want to call it that). It doesn’t try to be anything special besides a TexMex style restaurant and honestly that is enough some days. Rank: 6.5/10

The Friar’s Nook: Please DO NOT order their breakfast. It is a complete and utter ripoff and there is nowhere to sit after you grab your meal. I would rather have McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A for breakfast over this crap. Rank: 0/10

The Lunching Pad: This is good for a quick hot dog or a frozen drink, but don’t expect too much here. I grabbed a pretzel recently with cream cheese and it was on the dry side. It’s a good choice if you don’t feel like heading back to the other part of the park. Rank: 4/10

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom: My go-to for caffeine and energy. Joffrey’s is always consistent at Disney World and honors passholder discounts. Their coffee is way better than Starbucks too. I just got for a black cold brew. Perfect. Rank: 10/10

Main Street Bakery: Starbucks at Magic Kingdom is alright. I’m not really much of a fan of this location. Connection Cafe at EPCOT is much better. I’ll usually skip it because the line is crazy long too at all times, but its a standard Starbucks when the line manageable – I think they should open another location in the theme park to help ease the crowds. Rank: 4/10

Main Street Confectionary: So many sweets, but their popcorn drizzled with chocolate and various toppings is not to be missed. So good. Rank: 10/10

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a writer and journalist with over 15 years of experience. I write the food and travel blog Carlos Eats (https://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines on numerous topics.