Visiting a theme park like Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a gift where rich culture and imaginative creativity merge into a learning experience that is both exciting and exhilarating but can also create the age old question… what’s the best quick service at Animal Kingdom?
Ok, it might not be an age old question but aside from the carefully detailed exhibits and lands that make up the adventure that teaches us about things in our world and beyond, we also get an amazing selection of ethnic foods to enjoy throughout the day in the park. Sometimes you want to experience all these different foods but you don’t want to take the time to eat at a sit down restaurant, so for those wanting a quicker meal here are our choices for the Best Quick Service at Animal Kingdom.
Our Best Quick service at Animal Kingdom Review
Below you’ll find our top picks when it comes to quick services options at Animal Kingdom.
Flame Tree BBQ (Discovery Island)
An excellent choice to start any list of best quick service at Animal Kingdom is Flame Tree BBQ. They serve up the Ribs at Disney, along with great Chicken and Smoked Pulled Pork sandwiches. Try one or all of Flame Tree’s tasty BBQs in their sampler meal, or choose their famous Baked Macaroni Cheese as your entree and add some pulled pork on the side.
Pair your meal with a Mandarin Orange Lemonade and the Salted Caramel Apple Crisp Cupcake for the best that this popular Quick Service restaurant offers to its guests. Adult beverages are also available, as well as a plant-based Hot Link Smokehouse Sausage Sandwich for guests choosing vegetarian selections. Children’s options are on the menu as well. For a fan of bbq, Flame Tree is definitely a great quick service choice at Animal Kingdom.
Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe (Asia)
After an invigorating ride on Expedition Everest, take a meal break and choose from classic Asian fare at Yak & Yeti Local Foods Cafe. Serving all 3 meals, Yak & Yeti has a great variety of Teriyaki dishes, accompanying sides like fried rice and eggrolls, and other favorites like Sweet-and-Sour Tempura Shrimp and Vegetable Tikka Masala. Other “American” entrees, such as cheeseburgers and hot dogs, are also available, as well as a kid-friendly menu of both American and Asian dining choices.
Although the food is great, and the portions are an incredible value for the price, seating around the cafe can be difficult, so plan accordingly. This quick service is not to be confused with the sit-down Yak & Yeti dining experience that is also located in the Asia section of the park, but the food is just as delicious at this exceptional quick service location.
Harambe Market (Africa)
Nestled in the heart of the African experience within Animal Kingdom is the Harambe Market, a Quick Service dining stop consisting of multiple food stands and beverage carts. Here you can try all sorts of local favorites like Gyros topped with Cucumber and Tomato Salad and Tzatziki Sauce, or a chicken or rib bowl, complete with Cilantro rice, Salad Greens and fresh Salsa.
Also offered here is the best drink selection in the park, with both frozen and chilled beverages, shaved ice, and some of the best-flavored sodas you may have sampled at (the now closed) Club Cool in Epcot. Plant-based and Allergy-Friendly options are also available. Complete your experience with Harambe’s signature dessert, the Most Beautiful cake, a dreamy coconut-pineapple dessert that you will agree, is also the tastiest!
Satu’Li Canteen (Pandora)
While most of our best quick service at Animal Kingdom dining choices are based on real cultural delicacies from the Eastern part of our world, the creativity behind the constructive imagination of the Satu’li Canteen is a must-visit at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The entire menu at this unique dining experience is based around Pandora, the World of Avatar and the culture of the Nav’i. Serving a variety of hearty entree bowls for the main course at lunch and dinner, the canteen is quickly becoming a guest favorite in the park.
With both indoor and outdoor seating available, the Satu’li Canteen is a great place to relax for a few moments while enjoying the exceptionally detailed world of Pandora. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic creations are available, as well as some tasty desserts that can be shared and sampled by everyone in your party. After you experience Satu’li Canteen for your meal, take a few more moments to rest on the Nav’i River Journey boat ride and fully appreciate everything that is in this amazing part of the park, Pandora, the World of Avatar.
While these are four of the best Quick Service options at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we feel it is only fair to add in a few more of the basics if you are looking for the American classics for you or the members of your party. In Dinoland, there is a quick-service stop called “Restaurantosaurus” which serves the best of burgers, chicken tenders, salads, and fries. A nice addition to this restaurant is a deluxe toppings bar in the center to add all of your favorites to your burger or sandwich.
Restaurantosauraus also offers seasonal dessert offerings and classic kids meals. Another great perk to this option is that seating is in the air-conditioned indoors, providing relief from the Florida heat and a pleasant dining environment centered around the discovery of dinosaurs.
The other option that deserves an honorable mention here as a great quick service option is PizzaFari in Discovery Island, your one-stop pizza and beverage shop with all of the classics. Providing a couple of different pizza and flatbread options, and pasta and mac cheese choices for the kids, PizzaFari serves up some great meals that everyone can agree on. Dine-in or take out, every park needs a Pizza Place, and this one does not disappoint.
With so many different styles and flavors to choose from, selecting a Quick Service option at Animal Kingdom can be difficult when trying to get everyone to decide on a location to eat each meal. But the best part of having so many options is that everyone can choose what they like to bring to the table, making Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s cultural and ethnic diversities a reason to celebrate with good food and good company.
If you enjoyed this best quick service at Animal Kingdom article then you should check out our article about the best Fastpasses at Animal Kingdom.
