ABC Commissary Dinner Review

*This gluten free dining experience took place in April 2019 and includes notes about dairy free options and peanut free options.

Dinner at ABC Commissary

ABC Commissary is a quick service located in Disney's Hollywood Studios and is one of our go-to spots for a quick bite to eat when we're in the park. We recently stopped by here for a quick dinner. Unfortunately, this would be Brandon's last experience enjoying the allergy-friendly chicken tenders, because we found out after some allergy testing that he has a rare allergy to chicken and turkey. Thankfully, there are other options he'll get to enjoy. But, on this trip, he got to have one final meal of allergy-friendly chicken tenders.

Atmosphere

ABC Commissary is set to resemble a traditional working commissary for actors and crew at a working TV studio or movie lot.

ABC Commissary Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Because of this, I would say that the theme of the restaurant is pretty basic.

ABC Commissary Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

As you can see, there is ample indoor seating, with cafeteria style tables and booths. On this particular visit, both Brandon and I were talking about how this restaurant really does need a refurbishment. Everything really feels like it's straight from the late 1990s.

The Food

Of course, we're really visiting ABC Commissary for the food. We have visited ABC Commissary quite a few times this past year for dinner, and when we've asked for an allergy-friendly menu, we've been told that they do not have one at dinner time. The cast members, including the managers, have been great about walking through the options for guests with special dietary needs.

There are quite a few gluten free options at dinner time. But, we always ask for the allergy-friendly chicken tenders. They aren't listed on the dinner menu, but they are available to order if you ask.

ABC Commissary / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We ordered two orders of allergy-friendly chicken tenders with French fries. These are safe for gluten/wheat, egg, milk, fish/shellfish, and peanut/tree nut allergies. Now that Brandon also has a peanut allergy, we also have to make sure anything he orders is peanut free too.

I also asked for several sides of the Ken's cocktail sauce which is both gluten free and dairy free. Just be sure to ask a cast member, and they can bring it to your table with your meal (which they do at dinner time at ABC Commissary).

The allergy-friendly chicken tenders and fries are always delicious here, and this visit was no exception. Brandon loves that they offer steak fries instead of the regular Disney fries. I personally prefer the regular fries, mostly because I find the steak fries to usually be a little undercooked. But, on this visit, they were great.

I also ordered the new gluten free brownie being sold at Disney World. The brand is Sweet Street Desserts. I wouldn't say it's very allergy-friendly because it contains egg, milk, and soy. It also had a note about being processed in a facility with peanuts and tree nuts, so Brandon skipped trying it with his nut allergy. Taste-wise, it was delicious. If you like super chocolately treats, this one would definitely be a good option for those who are gluten free only.

Overall

We are always such big fans of ABC Commissary for an easy, quick, and tasty quick service meal in Hollywood Studios. With Brandon's new special dietary needs, we'll probably have to be more creative when it comes to food options if we dine here. But, if you're gluten free, dairy free, or have other top 8 common allergens, you'll find a good amount of options at ABC Commissary for lunch and dinner.

Have you been to ABC Commissary? What do you order when you've dined there?

ABC Commissary Dinner Review

*This gluten free and dairy free dining experience took place in November 2018. 

Dinner at ABC Commissary

ABC Commissary is a quick service restaurant located in Disney's Hollywood Studios. It offers burgers, salads, and chicken tenders during lunch time and offers a bit more upscale meal options at dinner. You can read a bit more about some of the other dishes that we have tried in previous visits for dinner here on the blog. On this visit, we stopped by ABC Commissary specifically for allergy-friendly chicken tenders which both Brandon and I love. You can also get them at Backlot Express but Brandon really loves the thick-cut steak fries offered at ABC Commissary.

Atmosphere

ABC Commissary's theme is set to reflect an actual commissary at a working TV and film studio. With that in mind, it includes a lot of extra seating and sparse décor.

ABC Commissary Entrance Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

One of the things that Brandon and I frequently comment on about ABC Commissary is that the interior is pretty dated. The seats aren't the most comfortable and all of the carpet and furnishings look like they haven't been changed since the mid-1990s.You'll see the classic 90s pastel colors throughout the restaurant too.

ABC Commissary Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

We ended up finding a nice cozy corner where there weren't a lot of other guests for dinner, so we had a good view without feeling like we were in a crowded space. As you can see from the photos, the restaurant does have a lot of tv show posters and memorabilia throughout the restaurant -- keeping with the commissary theme.

ABC Commissary Seating Area / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

The Food

I was excited going to ABC Commissary because I thought I might be able to finally use the mobile ordering for special dietary needs. Unfortunately, when I got into the mobile order section of the My Disney Experience App, I noticed that the allergy-friendly chicken tenders were not listed as an option for guests to order. So, we ended up going through the regular line to order. If you're not getting allergy-friendly chicken tenders, you can find a variety of options listed as gluten friendly in the app.

ABC Commissary Gluten Free Mobile Ordering / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

ABC Commissary Gluten Free Mobile Ordering / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Since we did not order through the app, I also didn't get a chance to see if you can order special diets options with multiple special dietary needs. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to try this out soon.

ABC Commissary - Allergy Friendly Chicken Tenders / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW

Thankfully, you can still order allergy-friendly chicken tenders with French fries at ABC Commissary. We each got an order. And, I asked for a few sides of Ken's Dressing Cocktail Sauce which is gluten free. Everything I ordered was both gluten free and dairy free.

When you order at ABC Commissary, you will be given a pager for your table, and a manager will bring you your order. This is a really nice feature, and we're both big fans of this method or ordering at quick service restaurants. It's so much better than waiting around the counter while they make your food.

Although I don't typically love steak fries as much as the thinner fries offered at Disney, I thought the ones we got that evening were really well cooked. Everything was piping hot and fresh from the fryer. As you can see, ABC Commissary (at the time of this review) was still serving the Ian's brand allergy-friendly chicken tenders.

Overall

We both enjoy grabbing a quick dinner of allergy-friendly chicken tenders and fries whenever we are at ABC Commissary. It never disappoints, and we always get plenty of food. One of these days, we will have to try some of the other dishes offered too!

Have you been to ABC Commissary? What do you order when you dine there?

ABC Commissary -- Dinner -- Quick Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in July 2018. 

Dinner at ABC Commissary

ABC Commissary, located in Disney's Hollywood Studios, offers quick service lunch and dinner with a more fast-casual vibe during dinner time. On this particular occasion, we decided to stop by for a quick dinner while visiting the newly opened Toy Story Land one night. Unfortunately, we did not have the best experience at Woody's Lunch Box, so we opted to dine somewhere else in the park instead. It's been a while since we've been to ABC Commissary, so we thought we'd check it out.

Atmosphere

ABC Commissary is meant to resemble a backlot commissary, where you'd find cast and crew of tv shows and films enjoying a meal in between filming. With that in mind, the theming really does resemble what you would imagine a large cafeteria style commissary would like like.I wouldn't say there's anything special about the theming and decor in ABC Commissary. It's all fairly bland and non-descript.One of the best things I like about the interior is that they have small live trees in inside. Although, both Brandon and I were pretty confused as we kept seeing guests come by this one tree and shake it. So bizarre.The seating in ABC Commissary is pretty spacious, though we both agreed the seats have very low backs, which don't make them very comfortable.

The Food

The last time we visited ABC Commissary for dinner, we were given an allergy-friendly dinner menu. But, when we asked a cast member this time, we were told they did not have any. The cast member did note that most of the items on the dinner menu can be made gluten free. But, we asked if we could get the allergy-friendly chicken tenders, which are on the lunch menu but not the dinner menu. Thankfully, you can get allergy-friendly chicken tenders any time of day if you ask!After you place your order at ABC Commissary, guests are given a pager style device, and the food is brought to your table by a cast member. At dinner, ABC Commissary has paper plates that look a bit fancier and also include silver plastic silverware, hand wipes, and mints that help give the meal a more upscale quick service vibe.Both Brandon and I ordered the allergy-friendly chicken tenders which are gluten free, dairy free, and free of many other allergens too. As always, we love the allergy-friendly chicken tenders at just about any location we get them at. Both of us agreed that the chicken tenders at ABC Commissary seemed extra crispy and almost a little overcooked, but they were still very good.Because ABC Commissary also serves fried shrimp, I had a feeling they would serve Ken's Steakhouse Cocktail Sauce. I asked a cast member about this, and they happily brought me several cups of it. I love that Ken's Steakhouse condiments are gluten free, and I really like dipping my fries and tenders in this particular sauce whenever I can get it.

Overall

ABC Commissary doesn't have any special theming or extra special food items. But they do provide a solid quick service meal for lunch and dinner. While lunch is a bit more basic, dinner has some more filling items like ribs. We personally love the allergy-friendly chicken tenders any time of day for a filling and tasty meal, and we're glad that ABC Commissary can provide us with this and several other options.Have you been to ABC Commissary? What did you order when you dined there?

ABC Commissary -- Dinner -- Quick Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in August 2017.

Dinner at ABC Commissary

ABC Commissary, located at Disney's Hollywood Studios, is a quick service restaurant that offers sandwiches, burgers, and salads. We recently stopped by the restaurant for dinner, where the menu changes to offer a more fast-casual meal that includes steak with chimichurri sauce and salmon. It's been a while since we've dined at ABC Commissary, so it was a nice change of pace from the Backlot Express, which is our other default quick service option when we visit Hollywood Studios.

Atmosphere

ABC Commissary is set to resemble a working cafeteria to the stars. Basically, imagine if you were working on a TV show or movie, this is where you might go to grab a lunch or dinner. The interior is pretty basic with simple tables, chairs, and booths, with some TV memorabilia thrown in here and there. Overall, it is pretty sparse. However, one touch that is unique and quite charming is that there are real live trees in the restaurant.Even when you walk in, you'll find palm trees everyone. It's a bit quirky and something that makes ABC Commissary's theming stand out from the rest of its rather bland interior. But, then again, it's a cafeteria, so the theming is meant to be a bit...underwhelming.

The Food

We've eaten here many times for lunch and dinner prior to the dinner menu changes. But, this was our first visit to the "fancier" dinner. In looking at the allergy-friendly dinner menu, I noticed I could order the steak, salmon, and even BBQ chicken and ribs platters. But, what I was really craving were allergy-friendly chicken tenders.The chicken tenders are listed on the lunch menu but not on the dinner menu. So, I decided to ask for a manager to see if I could order them still. I was in luck. Even though allergy-friendly chicken tenders aren't on the dinner menu, you can still order them upon request.Brandon ordered the Chimichurri Sirloin Steak served with Fire-Roasted Corn Medley and Steak Fries which is listed as both gluten free and dairy free. He is not a big fan of corn, so he asked if he could order double steak fries, which they said was no problem at all. Overall, he said this was quite good. The steak wasn't fatty at all, was a fairly large portion, and paired well with the chimichurri sauce. Plus, he really liked the steak fries. We didn't order this gluten free, so I didn't get a chance to taste it, but it looked great.My plate of allergy-friendly chicken tenders was huge. I will say that I miss the old version of chicken tenders a lot. The current ones are made by Ian's, and while they are good, they aren't as tasty in my opinion as the other version. Unfortunately, it looks like the AllergyFreeFoods company that produced them are either no longer in business or just couldn't keep up with demand, which is a shame.My dish also came with steak fries, which were good, but not as crispy as I would have liked them to be.One note about sauces: ABC Commissary used to carry pre-packaged BBQ Sauce and Honey Mustard that were gluten free and dairy free and free from cross-contamination. But, now the restaurant only has sauces in the self-serve pumps that anyone can use. While this helps make things handy for most guests, it's a big concern for cross-contamination, as there's a chance someone could touch a bun or other gluten-filled item with the pumps.I did ask the manager if there were any packages of sauces available, but he told me they didn't have anything. He did offer to go next door to Sci-Fi Dine-In to see if they could assist. As luck would have it, the chefs there actually whipped me up some homemade honey mustard. How nice was that?! So, it's always worth asking if you're not comfortable consuming something that might have a cross-contamination risk.

Overall

We enjoyed our meal at ABC Commissary. It was a little pricier for dinner options, but it was a good middle of the road option for us. We both thought that if we had the choice, for the price, we'd probably just eat at Sci-Fi Dine-In which was comparable in sandwich prices or go to Backlot Express, which is cheaper for dinner and currently offers Disney Annual Passholders 20% off our meal. Still, it's a nice option in the park for quick service.Have you been to ABC Commissary for dinner? What did you think of the fast-casual options? 

ABC Commissary -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in May 2015.Hurray for Hollywood! ABC Commissary is Disney's Hollywood Studios dining location to the stars, and you'll feel like you walked into a film lot commissary when you dine here. I love the California vibe, with real palm trees inside the restaurant. This restaurant is filled with loads of seating, and most importantly... air conditioned! Having recently dined here during a very hot Star Wars Weekend, I can attest to the joys of dining indoors on a hot day.On this particular occasion, I wasn't very hungry, as I had dined earlier in the day at Sci-Fi Dine In for the Star Wars Galactic Breakfast where I ate as much as a Wookie, so I didn't need a meal that was really large. My family wanted to go to ABC Commissary, as it's an easy quick service location with solid meal options. I enjoy dining there because they have allergy friendly chicken tenders and most recently, they launched an allergy friendly menu.Though the menu covers multiple special dietary needs, when I arrived at the ordering podium, the cast member radioed a manager, because I have multiple dietary restrictions. However, I am told that if you only have one dietary restriction, you can order directly from the menu without consulting with a manager (though you can ask for one, if you wish). There are several options available to gluten free and dairy free diners (like burgers, chicken club, or even roasted salmon); however, I ordered my favorite allergy friendly chicken tenders.Allergy orders arrive on green trays and are brought to you by the manager. On this visit, the wait was a bit lengthy, but that was because there were several special diets orders being prepared.As always, I enjoyed the allergy friendly chicken tenders and fries from ABC Commissary. They aren't as crispy as the ones made at Columbia Harbour house, but they are definitely still really excellent. That's one of the many reasons that ABC Commissary made my Top 10 Quick Service Restaurants at Disney World with a Special Diet list.Have you been to ABC Commissary? What did you order when you dined there?

ABC Commissary Allergy Friendly Lunch Menu

ABC Commissary at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (as of 2/2016) – This menu covers the top 8 common allergens (gluten/wheat, milk/dairy, egg, soy, peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish). Check with the restaurant for modifications and/or other special dietary needs. Note: This menu was introduced as part of Disney’s allergy-friendly menus launch in 2015. Gluten/Wheat Allergy-FriendlySandwiches served with Apple Slices, Steamed Broccoli, or French Fries1/3 lb fresh Angus Bacon Cheeseburger1/3 lb fresh Angus CheeseburgerChicken ClubChicken TendersAsian Salad served with Chicken or Salmon, Cabbage, Carrots, Edamame Beans, Oil and Vinegar Dressing6-oz Strip Steak served with Steamed Broccoli and French FriesRoasted Salmon served with Steam Broccoli and French FriesDessertAllergy-Friendly Chocolate Chip CookieAllergy-Friendly Chocolate BrownieChocolate MousseKids’ MealsChicken TendersCheeseburgerFrench Fries Available Upon RequestAll Kids’ Meals include a choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small Dasani WaterFish/Shellfish Allergy-FriendlyPlease consult with a Special Diets-trained Cast Member before placing your order.Milk Allergy-FriendlySandwiches served with Apple Slices, Steamed Broccoli, or French Fries1/3 lb fresh Angus Bacon Burger1/3 lb fresh Angus BurgerChicken ClubChicken TendersAsian Salad served with Chicken or Salmon6-oz Strip Steak served with Steamed Broccoli and French FriesRoasted Salmon served with Steam Broccoli and French FriesDessertAllergy-Friendly Chocolate Chip CookieKids’ MealsTurkey SandwichChicken TendersHamburgerFrench Fries Available Upon RequestAll Kids’ Meals include a choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small Dasani WaterEgg Allergy-FriendlySandwiches served with Apple Slices, Steamed Broccoli, or French Fries1/3 lb fresh Angus Bacon Cheeseburger1/3 lb fresh Angus CheeseburgerChicken ClubChicken TendersCouscous-Quinoa and Arugula Salad with Salmon or ChickenAsian Salad served with Chicken or Salmon6-oz Strip Steak served with Steamed Broccoli and French FriesRoasted Salmon served with Steam Broccoli and Couscous-Quinoa PilafDessertAllergy-Friendly Chocolate Chip CookieKids’ MealsTurkey SandwichCheeseburgerFrench Fries Available Upon Request All Kids’ Meals include a choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small Dasani WaterPeanut/Tree Allergy-Friendly Our location does not use any peanut/tree nut products, in the preparation process. Please feel free to make your selection from our main menu.Soy Allergy-FriendlySandwiches served with Apple Slices or fresh Steamed Broccoli1/3 lb fresh Angus Bacon Cheeseburger1/3 lb fresh Angus CheeseburgerBaked Chicken TendersAsian Salad served with Salmon, Cabbage, Carrots, Oil and Vinegar DressingDessertAllergy-Friendly Chocolate Chip CookieStrawberry ParfaitKids’ MealsBaked Chicken TendersCheeseburgerAll Kids’ Meals include a choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Small Dasani Water

As always, make sure to contact a Disney Cast Member when ordering so that they can ensure the best standards for dealing with cross contamination, etc.

If you have a special dietary needs menu and want to share it with readers, you can send it to me via email at gfdf.wdw@gmail.com

ABC Commissary -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in May 2014.Hurray for Hollywood! ABC Commissary is the dining location to the stars...or at least the stars when they are on the movie set. This quick service location is my go-to restaurant for allergy chicken tenders while in Hollywood Studios. The managers are always excellent at this location, and I truly feel like a celebrity when I make my routine chicken tender order.On this particular visit, I stopped by ABC Commissary for a quick bite to eat before we headed to the Star Wars character dinner at Hollywood & Vine. We didn't want to eat to much throughout the day after having a really hearty breakfast at Kouzzina and knowing that we would have a huge dinner. When I arrived at the cashier station, I told the CM that I has special dietary needs. When the manager arrived, I asked for the allergy chicken tenders and french fries. One thing that is interesting about this location is that they almost always ask if this is a health related request (i.e. Celiac Disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or allergy) or if this is a dietary preference. I do appreciate that they are very cognizant of health related issues that might require a gluten free diet. Once ordered, I was given a pager and told that the pager works throughout the perimeter of the restaurant. We popped by the benches near the bathroom - this is a great spot to charge up your phone, as there are outlets by the phone booths and under the benches. About 8-10 minutes later, my chicken tenders were ready!And oh how delicious these are, especially when piping hot! It's funny how my family remarks how much they like these just about every time we order them and split them. Yep, non-gluten free & allergy free folks like them too. They are just plain delicious. I have to say that ABC Commissary continues to be one of my favorite locations for allergy chicken tenders. You can find a full list of locations (including my favorite place, Columbia Harbour House) here on the site. Overall, I give this review a solid 8 out of 10. Great allergy chicken tenders, special diets knowledge, and service. Have you been to ABC Commissary? What do you order when you go to this quick service location?  

ABC Commissary -- Lunch/Dinner -- Quick Service -- Hollywood Studios

*This dining experience took place in August 2013.

You'll feel like you're on a movie lot

If you ever wondered what it might be like to eat on a movie lot's commissary, ABC Commissary located in Disney's Hollywood Studios gives you a peek into that experience. In fact, you'd expect your favorite tv & movie stars to be seated next to you, grabbing lunch in between takes! ABC Commissary offers fairly standard quick service fare at WDW but also easily accommodates gluten free & dairy free diners.When I arrived at this location, I knew that I wanted the allergy friendly chicken tenders and French fries, having eaten them here before. I also knew that they had a dedicated fryer, so that I could have them fried, not baked (which also cuts the waiting time by half). I recalled that there were several other options as well, though they were fairly standard. I will say that the Studios were very busy that day and even though it was 2:30 p.m. It took a while in line, particularly because my line had one very annoying party that couldn't decide what they wanted to eat (side note, as a courtesy I always recommend you have a good idea of what you want to eat because it streamlines the process for everyone involved not just your family!). Though, I suppose it gave me a good opportunity to look at the decor of ABC Commissary. I will say, I do love the trees inside the restaurant. It just adds a little extra touch (I do however think they need to rethink the covers for the trees, because I tripped on a couple of them!).

You can tell everyone is hot & tired. You can catch a glimpse of those palm trees though!

Once I met with the manager, she asked about my special dietary needs. It was really interesting because she actually asked when I said gluten & dairy, if they were allergies, Celiac disease or intolerances. On the one hand, I really loved that she asked this. I hate saying "I have allergies" when I have gluten and dairy intolerance. On the other hand, her tone indicated to me that she didn't seem to think intolerances were as valid as Celiac disease or a dairy allergy. That is frustrating to me, particularly as I react quite severely to gluten &amp my dairy reactions are also quite unpleasant and similar to an allergic reaction (I get scratchy throat, migraines, etc.). So, it was interesting to have this discussion with a CM. I do think it's nice to have people ask about what it is, on the other hand, I don't want that to mean that they take it less seriously, if that makes sense. But in any event, we went through the typical procedure where she wrote up the special diets on the yellow notepad that many QS diners will recognize. She also went through the binder with me. She mentioned that I could have a variation of the Chicken Blue sandwich (sort of a buffalo chicken sandwich, which had been offered to me on previous occasions) and a hamburger minus the cheese. I decline and opted for the allergy-friendly chicken tenders. She also showed me the ingredients. I didn't grab a picture but for those that recently asked, the brand is Allergy Free Foods (check out their website HERE) and the tenders were rice flour, tapioca flour based. She gave me a pager and I was off to grab a seat and wait.Once the pager went off, I ran back up to the counter and met the manager who brought out my chicken tenders. Then it was time to dig in!!

Yum! My fav!

I will say that the chicken tenders, despite the fact that they use the same brand, are different depending on the location. I think it's how they fry them. I don't know what Columbia Harbour House does but those things are soooo addicting there. It's almost like they double-fry them or fry them for a specific time that gets them really crispy. These were good but really could have used a couple more minutes in the fryer in terms of crispiness. Still tasty, yes. Crispy...eh, not so much. The french fries were good as usual, nothing too special about regular Disney fries.I like that I have a few options here. I also love that it's air conditioned which was a huge selling point in August (my other choice was Backlot Express and it is not air conditioned). I like that I can get the allergy friendly chicken tenders here. I just wish they had a few more options. Overall, I'd give this a 7 out of 10 for this experience.

ABC Commissary--Counter Service--Hollywood Studios

Our stop at the ABC Commissary was a bit of a fluke--meaning we didn't intend on going there, but it ended up being a very good lunch for me. I'd been dying to try the allergy free chicken tenders, but had yet to get them. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the manager who told me they had them, which I didn't realize. (I suppose I should have consulted my special diets sheets, but I was REALLY hungry at the time!) She said I could the chicken tenders and fries. I think I was also offered a burger, hot dog, and maybe a grilled chicken sandwich, but I can't remember. I had one mission in my mind and that was the allergy free chicken tenders. It did take several minutes, but I was most impressed that they used a completely different fryer (I could see if from where I was waiting) and the manager used new gloves. When she brought it out, I was so excited. However, I didn't get much choices in sauces. I looked at the BBQ sauce at the condiment station, which wrongly the manager told me was safe, clearly listed wheat right in the ingredients. Too bad because I love BBQ sauce and that would have made my meal! But never mind that. Let's get to the chicken tenders. They were amazing! So tasty, and crispy, and did I mention tasty?! It was very good, and I wish I would have gotten more of these chicken tenders.

One of my favorite counter service meals. Allergy Free Chicken Tenders and fries.

Overall, I'd give ABC Commissary a 9 out of 10 for a surprisingly delicious meal and excellent service.