14 Best Places to Eat In Orlando for Families (2026)
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I’ve been to Orlando more than ten times in the past fifteen years. Since having kids my dining shortlist has shifted from date-night picks to family-friendly ones, and we’ve worked our way through dozens from Disney Springs to International Drive.
My picks below are grouped by area: Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, International Drive and beyond, plus familiar American chains. Each card has a stats line covering price, kid factor and reservation channel, with a first-hand note where we’ve eaten there ourselves.
How I picked these restaurants: I’ve been to Orlando more than ten times across the last fifteen years, with kids in tow on the most recent trips. Every restaurant on this list is one I’d happily recommend to a family asking for a meal that works for both adults and children, based on a mix of stays and visits between 2023 and 2026.
Last verified May 2026, after re-checking each restaurant’s operating status and location.
Top 3 family restaurants in Orlando
Not got the time to look through the entire list? No problem. Here are my three favourite restaurants in Orlando for families.
BEST RESTAURANT AT DISNEY SPRINGS
T-Rex Café
The T-Rex Café is a must-visit restaurant for kids who love dinosaurs. This restaurant is located in Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort.
BEST RESTAURANT AT UNIVERSAL CITYWALK
Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savoury Feast Kitchen
This fun steampunk-themed restaurant serves delicious savoury meals and incredible desserts.
BEST CHARACTER MEAL
Chef Mickey’s
Character breakfast and dinner with Mickey Mouse and friends inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Family restaurants at Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World covers more than 25,000 acres across four parks, the Disney Springs entertainment district, and over 25 Disney resort hotels. The five below are our top family picks across these areas.
1. T-Rex Café
📍 Location: Disney Springs
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, Build-A-Dino, Paleo Zone
📅 Reservations: Disney Dining (60 days advance)
T-Rex Café is the best family restaurant in Disney Springs. Here, you’ll find animatronic dinosaurs, mammoths and even a simulated meteor shower.
Plus, as you wait for the food to arrive, kids can have fun digging around for precious stones and hidden bones in the Paleo zone or even Build-A-Dino.
2. Rainforest Café
📍 Location: Disney Springs
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, animatronic animals
📅 Reservations: Walk-in or Disney Dining (60 days advance)
Rainforest Café has two Orlando locations:
- Animal Kingdom park entrance (no ticket needed to eat there)
- Disney Springs
The Amazon-rainforest theming triggers indoor thunderstorms every twenty minutes, and the animatronic gorillas and Sparkling Volcano dessert are what kids remember afterwards.
The general American menu of burgers, pasta and salads is reliable rather than the reason to go. The Animal Kingdom location is more atmospheric but Disney Springs is easier to reach without a park day.
3. Chef Mickey’s
📍 Location: Disney’s Contemporary Resort
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$$
👶 Kid factor: Buffet, character meet-and-greet
📅 Reservations: Disney Dining (60 days advance)
Chef Mickey’s is a character meal where you’ll meet Disney characters including Mickey, Minnie and Donald in chef’s hats and aprons.
This restaurant is located inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort so you don’t need a park ticket to dine here. However, it’s one of Disney’s most popular restaurants, so book at the 60-day window if you want a good time slot.
4. Sanaa
📍 Location: Kidani Village, Animal Kingdom Lodge
🍴 Cuisine: Indian-African
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, animal viewing
📅 Reservations: Disney Dining (60 days advance)
Sanaa is my favourite restaurant at Walt Disney World. Located in Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge, this restaurant overlooks the animals in the savanna.
It’s more than the location that makes Sanaa great, as the Indian-African food is some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Only dinner is served here, so prime time slots book out fast.
We’ve eaten here two or three times now, most memorably with our eldest son on his first US trip aged one. The bread service, a tasting board served with chutneys and dips, is a must. Watching the savanna animals through the windows while you eat is an experience you don’t get at any other Disney restaurant.
5. Earl of Sandwich
📍 Location: Disney Springs
🍴 Cuisine: Sandwiches
💷 Price: $
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, casual seating
📅 Reservations: Walk-in only
Earl of Sandwich is a casual sandwich shop at Disney Springs, serving sandwiches, wraps and salads. It’s my go-to lunch whenever we’re there. The ingredients are fresh, the menu is short and reliable, and a sandwich under $10 makes it the cheapest sit-down meal in the area.
Family restaurants at Universal Orlando
Universal Orlando concentrates its family-friendly dining into two clusters:
- CityWalk entertainment district outside the parks
- In-park restaurants at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
6. The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen
📍 Location: Universal CityWalk
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, dessert focus
📅 Reservations: Walk-in only
The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen is the best place to eat at Universal CityWalk.
Don’t let the name put you off visiting this steampunk-inspired restaurant, as its menu is filled with delicious savoury dishes. However, save room for dessert, as its over-the-top milkshakes and sharable sweet feasts are incredible.
7. Hot Dog Hall of Fame
📍 Location: Universal CityWalk
🍴 Cuisine: Hot Dogs
💷 Price: $
👶 Kid factor: Quick-service, casual seating
📅 Reservations: Walk-in only
The Hot Dog Hall of Fame is an excellent quick-service casual restaurant at Universal CityWalk. This restaurant serves delicious hot dogs inspired by America’s classic ballparks at a very affordable price.
Coming from the UK, the hot dogs here are bigger than I’m used to, so my wife and I have shared one with sides on past visits and been comfortably full. It’s a good casual stop after a long day at Islands of Adventure when you don’t want a sit-down meal.
8. Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food
📍 Location: Universal CityWalk
🍴 Cuisine: Mexican
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, live mariachi music
📅 Reservations: OpenTable
Antojitos sits at Universal CityWalk and is the only proper sit-down Mexican option in the area. The roaming Mariachi band is the kid factor: they’ll stop at your table and play a song on request. Order the tableside guacamole, the dish CityWalk regulars come back for.
Family restaurants across Orlando
Orlando has a host of family-friendly restaurants outside the Disney and Universal resorts, most of them on or near International Drive, the eleven-mile tourist strip packed with restaurants, attractions, and hotels with free park shuttles. The picks below cover themed dining, a dinner show, and familiar American chains, all useful for off-park days and one less of the hidden costs of an Orlando holiday to plan around.
9. Sugar Factory
📍 Location: ICON Park
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, themed desserts
📅 Reservations: OpenTable
Sugar Factory at ICON Park is a celebrity favourite, with visits from Kylie Jenner, Drake, Adam Sandler and Logan Paul.
The savoury menu exists, but the over-the-top desserts and goblet drinks are why most families come. The signature 60-ounce goblets are loaded with sweets and dry ice, big enough to share between two or three kids.
10. Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
📍 Location: International Drive
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$$$
👶 Kid factor: Dinner show, kids’ menu
📅 Reservations: Advance booking required
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournamentis a two-hour dinner show set in Medieval Spain. If you want to combine live entertainment with a delicious feast, this is the place!
Both food and drink are included with the price of admission. This includes a set menu of garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, and roasted chicken, as well as coffee and soft drinks.
11. Ford’s Garage
📍 Location: Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, casual American
📅 Reservations: Walk-in or OpenTable
Ford’s Garage is a step up from the typical burger chain, with vintage car decor, Henry Ford memorabilia, and a kids’ menu served on car-shaped plates. The Lake Buena Vista location is just across from the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets, which makes it the dinner reward after a day’s shopping there.
The Lake Buena Vista location is just across from the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets, which makes it the dinner reward after a day’s shopping there.
12. Shake Shack
📍 Location: ICON Park (I-Drive), Florida Mall & multiple Orlando locations
🍴 Cuisine: American (burgers, frozen custard, hot dogs)
💷 Price: $
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, milkshakes, frozen custard concretes
📅 Reservations: Walk-in only
Shake Shack has several locations in Orlando, all serving burgers, hot dogs, fries and milkshakes.
The ICON Park location has outdoor seating right at the base of The Wheel, which makes it the most family-friendly setup in the area. We typically order a ShackBurger each and a large fries to share, which keeps the bill down without anyone going hungry.
13. The Cheesecake Factory
📍 Location: Mall at Millenia & Vineland Pointe
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Kids’ menu, high chairs, large menu
📅 Reservations: OpenTable
The Cheesecake Factory is a casual sit-down chain with several Orlando locations, serving salads, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and pasta.
It’s my default for any US family trip, not just Orlando. The portions are huge, and the menu has hundreds of options to suit both kids and adults. Ironically, the only thing I don’t like here is the cheesecake.
14. Dave & Busters
📍 Location: International Drive
🍴 Cuisine: American
💷 Price: $$
👶 Kid factor: Arcade and restaurant; kids must be with a guardian
📅 Reservations: Walk-in or OpenTable
Dave & Buster’s is one of the best places to visit in Orlando with teens. The venue pairs an arcade floor with a full-service restaurant and bar.
Popular dishes include burgers and pizzas. However, I’d come here with the games in mind, not the food. It’s great for a rainy afternoon or an evening when you want a meal followed by something to do.
Map of Orlando family restaurants
Frequently asked questions
The questions readers ask most often when planning a family-friendly meal in Orlando, with our short answers below.
What is the best themed restaurant for families in Orlando?
T-Rex Café at Disney Springs is our pick. Animatronic dinosaurs, a meteor shower every 20 minutes, a Build-A-Dino activity, and a paleo-dig zone for kids keep children entertained through the entire meal. The food is classic American family fare and the atmosphere is more theme park than restaurant.
Do most Orlando family restaurants take reservations?
Yes. Walt Disney World restaurants book through Disney Dining (up to 60 days in advance). Universal CityWalk restaurants and most International Drive options use OpenTable. Quick-service spots like Earl of Sandwich and Hot Dog Hall of Fame are walk-in only.
Which Orlando restaurant has the best character meal for kids?
Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the most popular character meal in Walt Disney World. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto rotate through the dining room during breakfast and dinner. Reservations open 60 days in advance and book up fast.
Can I visit Orlando family restaurants without buying theme park tickets?
Yes. Disney Springs and Universal CityWalk both have free entry, so any restaurant inside either entertainment district is accessible without a park ticket. ICON Park on International Drive is also free to enter and has Sugar Factory plus other family-friendly restaurants.
How much should I budget for a family meal at a themed Orlando restaurant?
Themed restaurants like T-Rex, Rainforest Café and Toothsome typically run $25-45 per adult and $12-18 per child for a main course. Character meals at Walt Disney World run $50 or more per adult. Mainstream chains (Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack) typically run $15-25 per adult.
Where can I get cheap family meals near the Orlando theme parks?
Earl of Sandwich at Disney Springs (sandwiches under $10), Hot Dog Hall of Fame at Universal CityWalk (hot dogs under $10) at Universal CityWalk (sandwiches around $12) are the best budget options walking distance to the major theme park areas.
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