When people think of dining at Walt Disney World, they imagine immersive experiences, magical décor, and of course, great food. With everything from Mickey-shaped waffles to gourmet meals inside castles, Disney’s dining reputation is a huge part of the overall vacation magic. One of the most popular and enchanting dining spots is Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom, where guests can eat in the Beast’s castle from Beauty and the Beast.
This themed dining location has long been a favorite for those looking for a fairy tale meal in a stunning setting. Serving French-inspired cuisine, the restaurant offers both quick-service breakfast and lunch and table-service dinner—each drawing thousands of visitors every week. It’s especially known for dishes like French onion soup, filet mignon, and the famously catchy “grey stuff” dessert.
But now, Be Our Guest is making headlines for a much more unfortunate reason. A recent lawsuit has brought unwanted attention to the restaurant, claiming a guest became seriously ill after consuming what they describe as a “contaminated” salad. According to the suit, the guest—who was vacationing from out of state—dined at Be Our Guest Restaurant and soon after began experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms. The illness reportedly worsened to the point that the individual had to be hospitalized.
The lawsuit alleges that the salad was tainted with a harmful contaminant, though specifics about the source of the contamination haven’t been publicly disclosed. The guest is now seeking damages, citing medical costs, emotional distress, and disruption to what was meant to be a magical Disney vacation.
While foodborne illness is rare at Walt Disney World, this isn’t the first time a guest has taken legal action over something they ate at the parks. Disney, for its part, has not yet commented on the lawsuit or the specific claims being made, though they are likely investigating the matter thoroughly.
It’s worth noting that Disney operates under very strict health and safety protocols. Restaurants on property are regularly inspected by Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation and are expected to follow rigorous cleanliness standards. Most guests dine at Be Our Guest without issue and rave about their meals and the atmosphere.
Still, for many planning upcoming Disney vacations, this story may raise concerns. The truth is, when something like this happens—even if it’s a rare occurrence—it can shake guest confidence, especially at such a high-profile dining location.
Whether the lawsuit has merit or not will ultimately be decided in court. In the meantime, Disney fans and food lovers alike will be watching closely to see how this story unfolds—and whether Disney issues any additional response or updates related to food safety moving forward.
