Here's the front of Epcot's Garden Grill Restaurant. The restaurant floor plan is shaped like a giant circle and there's two levels (more like 1.5 levels). The booth style seating (lower level) is visible in this photo, along with a slight ramp (sort of on the left) that leads up 1/2 floor to the table style seating (up where the light poles are).
Here's a look at the Breakfast Menu at the Garden Grill Restaurant in Epcot. (Summer 2023.)
The Cinnamon Breakfast Loaf is one of the first food items you'll encounter at a Garden Grill Breakfast. It's generally served with some fresh fruit.
I try really hard not to make editorial comments in photo captions, but the Cinnamon Breakfast Loaf is about as dry and bland as it looks. Sorry. I'd really rather write glowing happy things... but I'd much prefer having a pre-packaged Little Debbie Cinnamon Cake — then to ever see this breakfast loaf again.
This is the "Cinnamon Breakfast Loaf" at Garden Grill.
All of these slices of cut watermelon were nice and juicy. Probably not the sweetest watermelon I've ever had, but it did have that distinct watermelon flavor.
On the say I ate breakfast at the Garden Grill, the "seasonal fruit" was cut watermelon. It's brought to your table as a "first course" but I kept it on the table and nibbled on it over the course of the whole meal.
The "first course" at the Garden Grill Breakfast are these two items, a Cinnamon Breakfast Loaf (back) and some Seasonal Fruit (front). On my visit, I'm guessing watermelon was in season.
Here's a look at the "warm items" skillet at Garden Grill. So after the "first course" of fruit and cinnamon bread — the second main course is served in this black (plastic) skillet, and contains all the warm items, bunched together.
Hey Mickey!!! Here's the Mickey-shaped Waffles that are served in each Garden Grill Breakfast skillet. (There's also some fluffy butter and syrup that are served in separate dishes.) Because Garden Grill is "all you care to eat", you can totally get seconds or third helpings of the Mickey Waffles. I can see them being a popular item at the table.
Here's a look at the "Scrambled Eggs" in the Garden Grill Breakfast skillet.
Here's a photo of the Smoke Bacon in the Garden Grill Breakfast skillet. 50 percent of it was a little soggy, 50 percent of it was crisp... so there's a little something for everyone, depending on how you like your bacon
In the center of the photo (between the Mickey waffles and the bacon) is the Cheesy Potato Casserole.
Here's a closer look at the Grilled Flank Steak with Ranchero Sauce — as it first appears in the family style skillet.
The gray/blue plates on each table are for plating your own portions — as taken from the larger "family style" skillet that's brought to your table. Pictured here are the Scrambled Eggs and Smoked Bacon.
Scrambled Eggs and Smoke Bacon are two of the items on the Garden Grill breakfast menu.
Here's a closer look at the Smoked Bacon from Garden Grill's Breakfast menu. It's good quality bacon, however... I would probably call it "lightly smoked". The "smokiness" really wasn't a major flavor component.
It's breakfast food at the Garden Grill. The Cheesy Potato Casserole (left) and Grilled Flank Steak with Ranchero Sauce (right) are two of the warm items from the main skillet that is delivered table side.
Remember, if you'd like more of anything at the Garden Grill, just ask for seconds. It's all you care to eat! Pictured here are the Cheesy Potato Casserole
(left) and Grilled Flank Steak with Ranchero Sauce (right).
The Cheesy Potato Casserole is on the left and some Grilled Flank Steak with Ranchero Sauce is on the right.
Ahhhh... I never get tired of seeing that happy Mickey Waffle face. Thankfully, the Mickey Waffles with fluffy butter and syrup are the same everywhere — they're a familiar flavor and texture you can count on.
Because Garden Grill is "all you care to enjoy" you can ask for second (or third) portions of anything. While the initial items are served in a skillet, additional helpings are served on a white plate. This way, you'll only get more of what you asked for, and not a second helping of everything in the skillet.
I asked for a second portion of Grilled Flank Steak with Ranchero Sauce and Cheesy Potato Casserole (because they were the best two items on the day I visited), and they came out on a white plate rather than being served in another skillet.
The Ranchero Suace on the Grilled Flank Steak is a little thin, but it added a really nice tomato-based acidic kick to the flank steak. It wasn't really "pepper" hot though, it was very mild.
Here's a closer look at the Cheesy Potato Casserole that's on the breakfast menu at Garden Grill.
Here's a closer look at the Grilled Flank Steak with Ranchero Sauce from the Breakfast Menu at the Garden Grill Restaurant.
Chip is one of the characters you will meet at the Garden Grill Restaurant breakfast at Epcot.
I think Chip is starting to wonder if there's anything inside my camera lens. I might be a good place to store acorns.
Chip's got some dancing moves.
Dale makes his way from table to table at Epcot's Garden Grill Breakfast.
If you're on the second floor, there's a 1-in-3 chance that this "airport looking portal" is going to be in your character photos. It's how the waitstaff gets into the kitchen. Since the restaurant is constantly rotating (but the kitchen is not rotating), these (kinda ugly) doors are almost always visible.
Hey look, it's Dale ... in an airport parking garage! No, no ... that "portal of blight" behind Dale is just the entrance to the kitchen at Garden Grill. Because the restaurant rotates around the kitchen (and the kitchen doesn't move), you'll likely have several photos of the characters with this portal behind them.
Pluto strikes a pose for photos at the Garden Grill.
Pluto is just the best. Sooooo full of energy and lots of poses. You'll have to be quick when you try and photograph Pluto.
For any photographers out there... the Garden Grill is a little tighter than it seems. If you're an iPhone photographer you should be fine. Full-frame camera owners, most of these were shot at 24mm (that's 16mm-ish if you're using a crop sensor). Why? The characters really don't have too much room to move around — more than two steps away, and that puts you or the character in someone else's table space.
Hey Pluto! I always love to see Pluto at any character meal... he usually moves around a lot and likes to pose for the camera.
Farmhouse Mickey is one of the characters that walks around at the Garden Grill Restaurant.
Mickey is dressed in his farmer outfit at Epcot's Garden Grill Restaurant. There's plenty of time for photos as the characters make their way from table to table.
It's Farmhouse Mickey! The time you spend with the characters at Garden Grill does seem a little more private than at other dining locations. Because the restaurant is a giant circle with a wall in the middle, you can only see three or four tables in each direction at any time. This makes things seem a little quieter.
Ahhhh, the big cheese himself... it's Mickey Mouse dressed in his farmhouse attire. Thanks for getting that fork for me Mickey!!!
Pluto and Farmhouse Mickey are just two of the characters you'll meet when dining at the Garden Grill restaurant. Chip and Dale are the other two characters you'll meet.
At the end of each meal, your group should get one double sided autograph card. (They bring this around the same time they bring the tab/bill to the table.) This is the front of the card.
This is the back of the autograph card from the Garden Grill. It features signatures from all the characters that were roaming around during your visit. Each table gets one of these (which might be a problem if you have multiple children that like calling dibs on things).
I really like the jungle scene in the Living with the Land attraction. The Garden Grill Restaurant slowly rotates and opens up so that guests can see three scenes from the attraction below as they dine. This is all you get to see of the jungle though — some tropical plants and some rocks, with the sound of waterfalls in the distance.
The buffalo are eating breakfast down below on the Great Plains every morning at the Garden Grill Restaurant.
The desert scene, as seen, from the Garden Grill Restaurant during breakfast.
The shape of the Garden Grill Restaurant make it seem a little quieter than other character dining locations. You can really only see a fraction of the total area at any given time. This was taken on the second level. The first level (Dale is walking up from the first level), is separated from the upper level by a wall, so you don't even really know there's more tables down there.
The Garden Grill Restaurant is shaped like a circle, which (I think) makes character meals a little more organized. The two levels are separate by a half-height wall and you can only see four or five other tables in either direction. The characters walk around the giant circle, stopping at each table... so you know where they are, and where they are going next.
Here's a closer look at one of the table settings. Usually, parties of four or less are seated in this upper level. The large booth style seats on the first level can seat parties of five and six.
I'm not sure how they keep track of tables on the first level... but on the second level, there's table numbers on each of the light posts next to every table.
The tables are set with a hidden Mickey! The dining format at Garden Grill is "family style", so a large platter of food is brought out, and then you dish out what portions you want to eat, onto these smaller plates and bowls.
The Garden Grill Breakfast family platter for two people (there is also a one, four, and six guest platter.) (Photo from 2015.)
The breakfast menu at Epcot's Garden Grill restaurant. (Photo from 2015.)
The "signature beverage" during the Garden Grill's breakfast period is a juice blend that combines orange, passion fruit, and guava juice. (Photo from 2015.)
A great looking bowl of cut seasonal fresh fruit is served with the giant cinnamon bun to start off your breakfast at Garden Grill. (Photo from 2015.)
Three little cups of breakfast condiments are provided. Parts of these are said to be made with produce from the Land Greenhouses at Epcot. There is (from left to right) an Apple Chutney, a Salsa Verde, and a Salsa Fresca. (Photo from 2015.)
The well-spiced Apple Chutney is a nice compliment to the Ham Steaks that are on the breakfast menu at Garden Grill. (Photo from 2015.)
The Salsa Fresca is made with produce from the Land Greenhouse below, and locally-sourced jalapeno-key lime sauce. (Photo from 2015.)
Mmmmmm... this Sticky Bun Bake is part of the "first course", along with a seasonal bowl of fresh fruit. (There are only two courses though, and you can get additional helpings at any time.) (Photo from 2015.)
A closer look at the giant cinnamon bun with warm vanilla icing. It's called "Chip's Sticky Bun Bake"... Dale, apparently likes to eat this dish, but doesn't know how to make one. (Photo from 2015.)
There's plenty of Warm Vanilla Icing on Chip's Sticky Bun Bake from the Garden Grill Restaurant at Epcot. (Photo from 2015.)
The Buttermilk Biscuits and Country Sausage Gravy are served on their own plate. Otherwise, the gravy would run under everything else. (Photo from 2015.)
This "family-style" plate was made for one guest, but there are larger plates for two, four, and six people... so that each guest can pull off items onto their own plate. All items are "bottomless", so if you want more of anything, just ask! (Photo from 2015.)
Mickey-Shaped Waffles and Fluffy Scrambled Eggs are on the Garden Grill breakfast menu, along with Thick Sliced Bacon strips that have been baked, and not pan fried. (Photo from 2015.)
Ham Steaks and Hash Brown-style Potato Barrels are on the menu at the Garden Grill breakfast menu. (Photo from 2015.)
The Mickey-Shaped Waffles at Garden Grill are served with a small decanter of warm chocolate-hazelnut sauce. (Photo from 2015.)
A comparison :: In 2015 (left), the seasonal fruit contained 7 kinds of
cut fruit. In 2023 (right), the seasonal fruit was sliced watermelon
only.
A comparison :: In 2015 (left), the "bread service" item at breakfast was a "Sticky Bun Bake". In 2023 (right), the bread service item is a Cinnamon Loaf.
A comparison :: In 2015 (left), the main warm breakfast platter course contained 7 items. In 2023 (right), the main warm breakfast skillet course contains 5 items.