Phones Are About To Become Even More Necessary at Universal Orlando

Fresh off Universal Orlando Resort ditching paper maps, it seems that the park will require phones for yet another activity soon.

Islands of Adventure is currently preparing to reopen its Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-Pendous restaurant in Seuss Landing. However, if images shared by Universal Park News Today are anything to go by, it’ll be slightly different when it does reopen.

While the restaurant’s theme remains the same – including Rolf the walrus and Mr. Sneelock on his trapeze – the seating area has undergone some changes. The booths have been redone and the layout has been rearranged to squeeze in more tables.

The former buffet area is now gone, as are the serving areas and registers. Instead of waiting in lines to get food, it seems like guests will now need to mobile order their food through the Universal Orlando Resort app.

This will be a similar to the system currently used at Illumination’s Minion Cafe at Universal Studios Florida. After placing your order through the app, guests can wait at their table for Team Members to bring food directly to them.

Other restaurants currently accepting mobile orders include Cafe La Bamba, Cletus’ Chicken Shack, Duff Brewery, Flaming Moe’s, Krusty Burger, Leaky Cauldron, Lisa’s Teahouse of Horror, Luigi’s Pizza, Richter’s Burger Co., San Francisco Pastry Company, and TODAY Cafe at Universal Studios Florida. At Islands of Adventure, guests can also place mobile orders at Blondie’s, Café 4, Captain America Diner, Cinnabon, Croissant Moon Bakery, Fire Eater’s Grill, The Burger Digs, Three Broomsticks, Thunder Falls Terrace, and Pizza Predattoria.

We don’t expect this to be the last restaurant to undergo a totally digital makeover. Universal Studios Japan has also increasingly adopted mobile ordering systems over the past year in order to deal with staff shortages. While some guests prefer ordering with an actual person, the reality is that this system is cheaper – and easier – for Universal itself (which is why it’s used so heavily at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort).

As pointed out by Universal Park News Today, Mel’s Drive-In is also currently in the middle of a considerable refurbishment which may see mobile ordering introduced to the dining location. Universal’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, is also expected to include several restaurants with mobile ordering system when it opens in 2025.

Do you prefer mobile ordering or ordering person? Let us know in the comments!