KBF - are restaurant resos difficult to get?

Canadian Harmony

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 23, 2015
I just checked online, not realizing I should have reserved months ago (apparently) for chicken dinner in March. Naturally, there are no tables available for online booking for the chicken. Will we be able to walk up do you think?

Also, I bought the dining plan. It's similar to the one at Canada's Wonderland, but what we didn't know before, was that only certain places were in the meal plan. Is it similar at KBF in that only certain places are included in the dining plan?
 
Honestly, I didn't even know they take reservations for the chicken dinners (except on special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Vallentine's Day, etc.).

Historically they never did reservations and in fact the theme park was born as result of the popularity of the Chicken Dinner restaurant, giving people something to do while they waited for a table. So there may be a bit of a wait, but you should be fine walking up. If for some reason you can't, there is the Chicken Dinner to Go right next door that serves the same chicken. That being said, if you really do want a reservation, keep checking, I just checked online and can get one for dinner tonight.

Also, a word of warning do not get the chicken strips, stick with the bone in chicken. And definitely use anything Boysenberry throughout the parks, after all this is where the Boysenberry originated.

Secondly, while Canada's Wonderland and Knott's are both Cedar Fair parks and I have not been to Canada's Wonderland, based upon what I can see online, it does not appear that Canada's Wonderland has the very rich history that Knott's has, so be sure to take some time to explore that history as it is California's oldest theme park.

As for the dining plan, no locations that are outside the park are included, so Knott's Chicken dinner is not included (not even the to go option), so I would recommend doing that on a different day than a day that you are getting the dining plan, as the portions at Knott's are huge and the quality is actually really good on all of the food. Please know that this is the first year we got Knott's passes and we got the all season dining plan, so that is based solely on this and keep in mind with the all season we only get two meals per day, with the all day dining you can get food every 90 minutes and you can take food to go, hence why I say that trying to do the chicken dinner and the dining plan on the same day is probably not the best idea.

Also, please note that no stable service location is included and there are a few table service locations in the park.

At present, the following locations are included:
  • Sutter's Grill
  • Sutter's Pizza
  • Calico Fry Co.
  • Wagon Wheel Pizza
  • Fireman's BBQ
  • Wilderness Broiler
  • Panda Express
  • Grizzly Creek Lodge
  • Boardwalk BBQ
  • Coaster's Diner
  • Beachy Keen's Pizza
  • Cantina in Fiesta Village
  • Fiesta Dogs
  • Papa Loca
At Pizza places, you get a slice of Pizza and a Side Salad, you cannot order a whole pizza on the dining plan, at the BBQ locations, it is an Entree with one side and no bread, unless you choose that as your side, but Boardwalk BBQ tends to still give you the cornbread anyway, just know they aren't supposed to. Additionally, some locations like Coasters Diner offer add-ons at a small additional cost, such as being able to add chili or replace the fries with onion rings. I did both of those on my last trip and it was a little over $2 that I had to spend to do so. In my opinion the poorest value is Panda Express, you get a one entree plate with rice or chow mein, sometimes they will let you do half and half, but the portions are smaller than most other Panda Express locations. The best values are the BBQ locations, which are also really good.

There is a guide online that lists what is available at each location; however, depending on when you go there may also be additional seasonal items that are available on the dining plan and if you have any dietary needs, ask, as there are vegan, vegetarian, nut free, dairy free, gluten free, etc. items at most locations, including vegan mac and cheese at Grizzly Creek Lodge. Refer to their website at https://www.knotts.com/help/dietary-needs for more information on special dietary needs.

No matter if you get the dining plan or not, the drink bottle is a good deal.
 
Honestly, I didn't even know they take reservations for the chicken dinners (except on special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Vallentine's Day, etc.).

Historically they never did reservations and in fact the theme park was born as result of the popularity of the Chicken Dinner restaurant, giving people something to do while they waited for a table. So there may be a bit of a wait, but you should be fine walking up. If for some reason you can't, there is the Chicken Dinner to Go right next door that serves the same chicken. That being said, if you really do want a reservation, keep checking, I just checked online and can get one for dinner tonight.

Also, a word of warning do not get the chicken strips, stick with the bone in chicken. And definitely use anything Boysenberry throughout the parks, after all this is where the Boysenberry originated.

Secondly, while Canada's Wonderland and Knott's are both Cedar Fair parks and I have not been to Canada's Wonderland, based upon what I can see online, it does not appear that Canada's Wonderland has the very rich history that Knott's has, so be sure to take some time to explore that history as it is California's oldest theme park.

As for the dining plan, no locations that are outside the park are included, so Knott's Chicken dinner is not included (not even the to go option), so I would recommend doing that on a different day than a day that you are getting the dining plan, as the portions at Knott's are huge and the quality is actually really good on all of the food. Please know that this is the first year we got Knott's passes and we got the all season dining plan, so that is based solely on this and keep in mind with the all season we only get two meals per day, with the all day dining you can get food every 90 minutes and you can take food to go, hence why I say that trying to do the chicken dinner and the dining plan on the same day is probably not the best idea.

Also, please note that no stable service location is included and there are a few table service locations in the park.

At present, the following locations are included:
  • Sutter's Grill
  • Sutter's Pizza
  • Calico Fry Co.
  • Wagon Wheel Pizza
  • Fireman's BBQ
  • Wilderness Broiler
  • Panda Express
  • Grizzly Creek Lodge
  • Boardwalk BBQ
  • Coaster's Diner
  • Beachy Keen's Pizza
  • Cantina in Fiesta Village
  • Fiesta Dogs
  • Papa Loca
At Pizza places, you get a slice of Pizza and a Side Salad, you cannot order a whole pizza on the dining plan, at the BBQ locations, it is an Entree with one side and no bread, unless you choose that as your side, but Boardwalk BBQ tends to still give you the cornbread anyway, just know they aren't supposed to. Additionally, some locations like Coasters Diner offer add-ons at a small additional cost, such as being able to add chili or replace the fries with onion rings. I did both of those on my last trip and it was a little over $2 that I had to spend to do so. In my opinion the poorest value is Panda Express, you get a one entree plate with rice or chow mein, sometimes they will let you do half and half, but the portions are smaller than most other Panda Express locations. The best values are the BBQ locations, which are also really good.

There is a guide online that lists what is available at each location; however, depending on when you go there may also be additional seasonal items that are available on the dining plan and if you have any dietary needs, ask, as there are vegan, vegetarian, nut free, dairy free, gluten free, etc. items at most locations, including vegan mac and cheese at Grizzly Creek Lodge. Refer to their website at https://www.knotts.com/help/dietary-needs for more information on special dietary needs.

No matter if you get the dining plan or not, the drink bottle is a good deal.
Thank you so very much! This was exactly what I was looking for. We did get the drink bottle deal, but only two for the kids. DH and I will just share theirs. Maybe, based on what you've told me, we'll just go to the Chicken to Go and take our meal to eat at the hotel later. Boysenberries are my fave! I went to KBF when I was 8 or 9, but that was a long time ago and I barely remember anything about the park now. I'm looking forward to exploring as an adult.
 
Something that seems to be new with the all day dining is there is now a snack card, I am not sure if this is the same as the premium plan, which comes with the all day drink bottle and you can get a meal or snack every 90 minutes, as we have the all season dining and can't do the plan, but thought you might want to know since there are so many delicious snacks thought the park.
 


I just checked online, not realizing I should have reserved months ago (apparently) for chicken dinner in March. Naturally, there are no tables available for online booking for the chicken. Will we be able to walk up do you think?

Also, I bought the dining plan. It's similar to the one at Canada's Wonderland, but what we didn't know before, was that only certain places were in the meal plan. Is it similar at KBF in that only certain places are included in the dining plan?

KBF definitely takes reservations for Mrs. Knotts, beginning 90-days in advance (some dates, like Thanksgiving, are withheld and released on a certain date, but that doesn't appear to be an issue here):
https://www.opentable.com/r/mrs-knotts-chicken-dinner-buena-park
That said, they do take walk ups and I doubt you'd have a problem getting in. We went on Thanksgiving Day -- they opened up reservations one month out, and made us call two weeks prior to confirm. They claimed that if you didn't have a valid, confirmed reservation, you would not be eligible for the buffet, just menu service. But that definitely wasn't the case.... they were taking walk ups for the buffet, with little wait.
 

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