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Universal Introduces 'All You Can Eat' Pass

Universal Studios Hollywood: Strap on the feedbag, folks, now one-price-fits-all covers the food, too.

From Robert Niles
Posted April 24, 2005 at 9:52 PM
Universal Studios Hollywood is offering the next step in one-price-fits-all theme park ticketing, this time, for the food. The park is now offering a fixed price "all you can eat pass" through June 30.

Press release follows:

Universal Studios Hollywood serves great food value with a new "All You Can Eat & Drink....All Day Long" offer, inviting guests to dine to their hearts content at two of the theme park's most popular restaurants, Mel's Diner and Jurassic Cove Café.

Special "All You Can Eat" passes can be purchased at the Universal Studios Hollywood ticket booths or on site at either one of these restaurants. The price is $19.95 for adults and $11.95 for guests 48" or less, and is available for a limited time only though June 30.

Mel's Diner caters to theme parks guests in a restaurant reminiscent of a typical 1950's style diner with such tasty fare as hamburgers, French fries, chicken sandwiches and salads along with soda fountain chocolate, strawberry and vanilla shakes. Jurassic Cove Café dishes out popular brand name foods from Pizza Hut, Panda Express and Starbucks along with traditional hamburgers, French fries, salads and fruit bowls. Mammoth-sized goodies include chocolate cake, cookies and gargantuan custard filled cream puffs.



Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From RANDY TAYLOR
Posted April 25, 2005 at 12:01 PM
What a great idea! I hope the other parks take notice.

From Russell Meyer
Posted April 25, 2005 at 12:15 PM
I see them losing money on this venture. Think about it...Most people on-average spend about $20 per day on food when they have to shell out for every little thing they get, and that's on a shoestring budget for food. You can easily spend $20 on a single meal if you're really hungry. Imagine all of us "fat" Americans walking up to the feeding trough with a free pass to stuff our faces in a theme park. Cedar Point has done it with it's Midway Market, but you have to pay per meal at the standard sit-down all-you-can-eat buffet. Granted this pass is not good at the best restaurants in the park, but still, I see many people over-indulging, and eating Universal dry very quickly.

I would be very surprised if any other parks would adopt a similar policy, especially at a bargain basement price of $20. Heck, some people may even waltz up to the ticket counter, and purchase a 1-day admission to the park just so they can purchase the $20 all-you-can eat buffet (probably still cheaper than a lot of marginal restaurants in L.A.).

From Robert Niles
Posted April 25, 2005 at 2:45 PM
I don't know, but I get a chuckle from the fact that Uni introduced this after installing its first roller coaster....

From Chuck Campbell
Posted April 25, 2005 at 3:22 PM
Personally, I wish that theme parks would sell food at "real-world" prices instead of gouging. Oh, well . . .

From Ryan Milanio
Posted April 25, 2005 at 3:55 PM
I went to Universal Studios Hollywood yesterday, Sunday. This is how the "ALL YOU CAN EAT & DRINK" program works. You can purchase this offer, by going to the Front Gate and purchasing at the ticket booth, or go to either Mel's Diner or Jurassic Cafe, inside the park. The prices are $19.95 for Adults and $11.95 for Kids. The offer includes 1 entree, 1 side, 1 desert, and 1 beverage, non-alcoholic. You will be given a colored wristband for that day. This is a good idea for a family, but one person, maybe just go to Citywalk and get a small bite. Remember, this program is only for 2 restaurants in Universal. Please submit any comments or questions. Thank you!

From Anthony Murphy
Posted April 25, 2005 at 10:43 PM
Sounds good and sounds fattening! Good for people on the budget I guess!

From Jayson Myers
Posted April 26, 2005 at 7:37 AM
How is it all you can eat if you only get one of everything? Did I miss something?

From Ben Mills
Posted April 26, 2005 at 9:10 AM
FYI, Thorpe Park has been running an all-day Pizza Hut buffet this season, for £7.99 pp. (That's about $14, I think.) Looks like it'll stay, too -- it's been incredibly popular.

From Ryan Milanio
Posted April 26, 2005 at 2:47 PM
Whoops, Sorry Jayson, I forgot to put that you will be allowed to get 1 entree, 1 side, 1 desert, and 1 drink, every time you enter the line. I forgot to put that. It won't be like a buffet. Since this offer is up, a lot of people are going to take advantage of this, and the line is going to get longer. Mel's Diner, in my view, doesn't have enough chairs and tables. So, we'll see what happens.

From Ryan Milanio
Posted June 30, 2005 at 3:47 AM
OK, Universal Studios Hollywood has updated their "ALL YOU CAN EAT PASS". Since its now summer, Universal change on what you can get. The Price is still the same $19.95 for adults and $11.95 for kids. You will get 1 entree, 1 side and 1 dessert. The only change is "No Drinks". Before you used to get the drink included. I guess Universal will take advantage of the heat. They've also added 3 more places to eat besides Mel's Diner, and Jurassic Cafe. They added Cyber Grill, Louie's Pizza & Pasta, and Doc' Brown's Fancy Chicken. Here are some items that are included on the "All you can eat pass": 100% Angus Single Cheeseburger & Fries, Salads, Pizza, Doc Brown's Fancy Chicken & Fries, Desserts & Cookies. You can still purchase them at the ticket booths or at the restauranst listed above.

From Danny Bernard
Posted July 11, 2005 at 2:29 AM
So is this still going on because I may be going there sometime next week.

From Ryan Milanio
Posted July 9, 2005 at 7:21 PM
Yeah, it will be going on for the rest of the summer.

From Danny Bernard
Posted July 9, 2005 at 7:34 PM
Oh thank you. Good to know, now my family and I can gorge ourselves with out the price gouging. Last time we went it was $45 for the 3 of us for lunch!

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