Picture it: Lunchtime has arrived in Magic Kingdom and you can feel your stomach grumbling. It’s time to eat and you’re looking for something quick, delicious, filling, and worth your cash. Where do you go?

Once upon a time, the answer might have been Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. Back in the day, it had a reputation for being one of the BEST quick spots to grab a burger in the Most Magical Place on Earth. These days, the menu has changed to feature more Mexican fare (though there is still a burger on the menu) and it might not always be a spot on people’s radars. But…should it be? Frankly, Pecos Bill has changed and it’s not all for the best…

In some ways, Pecos Bill has gone from pretty great to just not impressive. So, what happened here? What is the delicious Pecos Bill that once was? Hop aboard our time machine and we’ll show you!

The Toppings Bar

The biggest change and most dramatic loss at Pecos Bill has definitely been the removal of the toppings bar. Truly, the toppings bar was the star of the show in the past.

Years ago, the toppings bar included items like peppers and pickles, salsa, sauteed mushrooms, shredded cheese, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, plastic cheese(!!!!!), and some more basics like ketchup.

In 2015, the menu got updated and so did the toppings bar. The updated toppings bar was still pretty epic and included things like sour cream, diced onions, chipotle ranch, banana peppers, shredded cheese, verde sauce, guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, limes, and even roasted corn!

Truthfully, with that many options available to you, you could take an okay dish and turn it into something GREAT by piling on all kinds of additions.

The COVID-19 pandemic really put a pause on toppings bars that has seemingly turned into a total end (at least at the moment). Nowadays, the toppings bar is home to pre-packaged basics like sugar, salt, and other items. No more salsa, pico de gallo, or corn.

You can still get some toppings, but you will have to request them when making your order. For example, when placing a mobile order, you can ask for things like lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and other items (depending on what you’re ordering).

The toppings aren’t nearly as extensive as they were in the past. And the fact that you can’t serve them yourself (to get more or less of what you want as you eat) is a major change and likely a big disappointment to many.

A More Unique Menu

The second major change here has come in the form of menu updates. There used to be some more unique items on the menu here, like a barbecued pork sandwich…

…drinks in a souvenir boot (HOW COOL IS THAT?!)…

…killer onion rings…

…a taco salad, and even chili cheese fries and a deluxe chicken sandwich. And yes, there were those burgers some people loved.

Quite a few things changed in 2015 when the menu underwent a pretty big overhaul to feature some of the items we now know (like rice bowls and a fajita platter).

But even some of the items that arrived back in 2015 are now gone. For example, there’s no more burrito (the flavor of the beef in this burrito was really good!), no more chicken enchilada soup, and no more sopapilla for dessert.

Some smaller menu items that were really great in the past are gone too — like the cilantro rice that once came with the fajita platter.

Nowadays, you’ll still find some classics — like the Mini Churros…

…and the fajita platter, rice bowls (served with yellow rice), and other eats, but they’re not all the same as they used to be.

In terms of other current menu items (just for context), here’s a look at the sides and kids meals…

…and drinks.

But let’s go over what else has changed.

Not As Flavorful

In terms of pure flavor, it seems some things have changed here. Years ago, we had some chicken served mixed with sautéed green peppers and onions and we found it to be well seasoned. We also felt like the beef in the burrito had some great flavor.

But, on more recent visits, we’ve found some of the chicken to be more bland. And some of the flavors haven’t been quite what we were hoping for — like how the veggies in our pork carnitas bowl were undercooked, or how the black beans have been just fine. Other items (like the pork) have been more lightly seasoned than we would have liked.

Granted, this could just be our experience — certainly, food can vary from day to day, and chef to chef. And if you’re one that prefers “safer” flavors, then less seasoned food might be a great thing. You can certainly spice up your dishes with salt, queso, and other toppings (just be sure to request them), but it’s just something to keep in mind.

Secret Menu Is GONE

Another huge loss here was the disappearance of the Nachos Rio Grande Challenge. This was really one for the books folks! With this challenge, you’d order some secret nachos and pay a hefty price for them ($90!) but you would get a table that had been all dolled up, pitchers of your chosen drinks, and a processional with cowbells and cheers!

Then, you’d get a HUGE serving of nachos brought to your VIP table in a mini covered wagon along with big tins of green and red salsa, and queso.

Once you conquered the challenge, you were treated to a fun ceremony featuring the Pecos Bill Code of the West, an official certificate, cowboy hats, and sheriff badges.

The experience REALLY put Pecos Bill on the map for a while for those looking for something unique to do in Magic Kingdom! Sadly, this ended in 2017 and nothing has really replaced it.

We would LOVE to see some kind of secret experience become available here again — in the form of nachos or otherwise. Something like that can take an otherwise relatively ordinary spot and transform it into something really unique, and that’s something Pecos Bill would likely benefit from a LOT.

It’s Really Just a Mixed Bag These Days

So here’s the truth about Pecos Bill right now — it’s a mixed bag. We have definitely liked some of the items we’ve tried here (the chicken rice bowl was delicious and surprisingly hearty). And some of the dishes can be really filling, which is AWESOME when you’re looking for a quick service meal that’s relatively affordable and won’t leave you feeling hungry in an hour.

Plus, you can still get some toppings, as we mentioned above. They’re just not as extensive or fun as they used to be. And some are NOT free. For example, a side of guacamole will set you back $2 now and queso is $1 (unless included on the item).

Some eats are more “standard” — like the Beef Nachos — but they can TOTALLY hit the spot (warm, filling, and sharable).

On the plus side, we’ve really enjoyed some of the seasonal additions here, like the Ricotta-dropped Mini Doughnuts and Hades Nachos.

And certain dishes have really impressed us, like the Sun Bonnet Trio Strawberry Salad and Teddi Barra Swingin’ Shortcake. The salad was fresh and delicious, and the shortcake was one of the best desserts we’d had in a while!

Some items (seasonal) have also been really unique!

But it’s not all good news. Some treats here have been just ok — fairly bland, too soggy or greasy, or a little stale. And some seasonal items have been downright bad.

So, as we said, it’s a mixed bag. Don’t get us wrong, you can improve nearly all of your meals here with a $1 side of queso, and there are some tasty eats to try. But it’s a far cry from the extensive toppings bar and more unique eats, souvenirs, and food challenge that used to exist here.

What do you think? Are you a fan of Pecos Bill? Do you think it used to be better than it is today? Tell us in the comments!

And stay tuned for more Disney tips and news.

Are you a fan of Pecos Bill? Tell us in the comments!

The post How Pecos Bill in Disney World Slowly Declined from Perfect to Pathetic first appeared on the disney food blog.