The Plaza Restaurant Lunch Review [2025 Gluten Free & Food Allergy Options]
*This gluten free dining experience took place in June 2025. It includes information about dairy free options, as well as fish/shellfish, peanut/tree nut, chicken/turkey & cabbage allergies.
Lunch at The Plaza Restaurant
The Plaza Restaurant is a table service restaurant located in the Magic Kingdom offers up classic sandwiches and sundaes in a turn-of-the-century atmosphere. I haven’t dined at The Plaza since 2014 after a very unpleasant dining experience, and I honestly have avoided it due to a series of bad experiences every time I’ve dined there. But, after over a decade, I decided that it was time to give it another chance to see how it is under current Disney Special Dietary needs protocols. Brandon had never been before, so we went into this meal with open hearts and open minds.
Atmosphere
Located at the end of Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom, The Plaza Restaurant keeps the Victorian theme going. You could imagine that John and his family from the Carousel of Progress might hop down to The Plaza for a cold sarsaparilla (#iykyk).
The Plaza Restaurant Sign / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The restaurant’s exterior looks like a classic turn-of-the century mansion and has lots of flourishes that set it apart from some of the other facades on Main Street U.S.A.
The Plaza Restaurant Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
The inside itself also keeps the theme going with ornate light fixtures and Victorian inspired designs. Having not been in over a decade, I was amazed at how much it still looked the same. It doesn’t seem like there’s been any major updates or refurbs to the location in quite some time. Still, that’s part of the charm and nostalgia.
The Plaza Restaurant Interior / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
One important note about the restaurant is that the location is fairly small. It is quite tight in the restaurant, and we found that our wait time to dine here (despite a reservation) was well over our initial reservation time. We would keep that in mind when you’re dining there, especially if you’re really hungry or it’s a hot day outside. We found some shade across from The Plaza at the outside tables with umbrellas.
The Food
And, hungry we were on this visit. Like most Disney owned and operated restaurants, The Plaza Restaurant does have an allergy-friendly menu. You can also always speak to a chef about options and modifications — or to answer any questions that you might have.
The Plaza Restaurant Allergy-Friendly Menu / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
On this visit, we did speak to Chef Ian, who was just the loveliest. After my previous not so great experiences, I was (admittedly) a bit nervous about this meal, but Chef Ian really put us at ease. He went through the various options and was very open to customization or modifications if needed.
Plaza Loaded Fries / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Because we can’t go anywhere that has potatoes and not get them, we knew the Plaza Loaded Fries as an appetizer were a must. These are marked Gluten Free & safe for Egg, Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergies. We also confirmed that they were safe for Brandon’s other allergies (chicken/turkey & cabbage family vegetables) and that they were made in a fryer just for fries.
If you can have dairy and love potatoes, these are an absolute must get. Brandon said they are his new favorite potatoes in the Magic Kingdom, and they were really very good. the spicy sour cream added a nice kick, and we always love a good melted cheese.
Although we forgot to ask, if you’re dairy free, it’s worth asking about DF shredded cheese that the restaurant carries to see if it could be swapped out for the regular cheese sauce. It’s worth checking if you’re GFDF.
Overall, we would highly recommend these as a starter at The Plaza.
Gluten Free & Dairy Free Triple Decker Turkey Club Sandwich / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
For my entree, I chose the Triple Decker Turkey Club Sandwich with House-roasted Turkey, Smoked Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Lemon-Pepper Mayonnaise on an Allergy-Friendly Bun. It also came with a side of steak fries.
This sandwich was marked Gluten Free and safe for Fish/Shellfish, Milk, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergies on the allergy-friendly menu.
This was an absolutely delicious sandwich. It was piled high with a substantial amount of fillings and the flavors were all outstanding. The bacon was candied and had a bit of sweet and smokiness to it. The turkey had a great peppery flavor, and I loved the mayonnaise with it too. Plus, they griddled the allergy-friendly bread using non-dairy butter. I have no notes on this one. It was delicious, and I would get again.
Gluten Free Cheeseburger / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Brandon got the Bacon Cheeseburger with steak fries. This was modified to be Gluten Free by swapping out the bun and was marked safe for Fish/Shellfish, Peanut/Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergies (and cleared for his other allergies).
This was essentially a smash burger, and Brandon said it was really good. He was shocked at how good it was, and of course loved the steak fries. He said he would definitely get it again.
If you’re dairy free, the restaurant does have allergy-friendly cheese, so you can also order this GFDF too.
Gluten Free & Dairy Free Chocolate Milkshake / Photo Taken by Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW
Lastly, Chef Ian said they could do a non-dairy milkshake if I wanted. They currently have both vanilla and chocolate Tofutti brand DF ice cream. Never one to pass up a GFDF milkshake, I asked for a chocolate milkshake. This isn’t marked on the menu but is available if you ask — and you definitely want to. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would definitely get it on a future visit to The Plaza Restaurant.
*As a note, we did confirm with the chef that the current paper straws being used at The Plaza Restaurant are gluten free. Generally, the paper straws at Disney owned locations are GF, but we always recommend you use your own comfort and judgement when deciding to use products.
If you want to hear more about our experience at The Plaza Restaurant, check out the vlog we did for our YouTube channel for more information.
Overall
After avoiding The Plaza Restaurant for many years, I’m glad that we finally gave it a try. Chef Ian really made the experience a good one, and the food was actually very good. We both think for the price point, which was more than reasonable for a table service restaurant in a theme park, and for the options that we would consider coming back here again sometime soon. We both enjoyed our meals, and Brandon already wants those loaded fries again!
Have you been to The Plaza Restaurant? What was your experience dining and drinking there gluten free or with other special dietary needs?