Gourmet Pantry closing

[Rosebud]

Gourmet Pantry is closing. It will now be another "partner store" called Earl of Sandwich. I think it is a chain in England. The CMs there have been told they will be relocated.

[disneyfanatic]

Boo Hoo! This was always one of my favorite DD stores. I just ret'd. last Tuesday from WDW and visited the Gourmet Pantry. Much to my dismay, all the cooking items had been removed. I started a few years back a collection of Mickey plates, cups, tea pots, salt/pepper, sugar/creamer, etc. I have almost a complete set. Each trip I add to the set and I was shocked there was nothing there to purchase. Fortunate for me, one of the shops on Main Street still carries the line! I'll miss this store!

[Moley]

Oh No!! :( I am so bummed! This was always a must stop for me. How could they do this to the Foodie crowd? We spend so much! :shock:

[BetsyAnn]

Just adding another Oh No -- Loved it -- favorite place to pick up a little something!

[DisneyPam]

I was so disappointed when they ruined Gourmet Pantry earlier this year by removing all the kitchen stuff and making it a 100% cafe/snack shop. Supposedly (according to CMs) they moved all the kitchen stuff to the home decor store but there is really minimal kitchen stuff there. :(

What a bummer.

[SammieG]

Oh no!! A must stop for us too.... as Pam recently witnessed..

How can they do this!??

Earl of Sandwich... (Its not really a chain, and I have heard of it.. its kind of gourmet sandwiches.. but I cant imagine it at wdw!)

[Kylara]

I am not too disappointed by this. The rehad of the Gourmet Pantry took so much away from it that it wasn't the same. I will miss the bakery though, but in truth, the last time I was there (last weekend) it was more of a big candy store.

The Earl of Sandwich will be new in the US. They have them over in England but they are delivery only over there. This will be the flagship sandwich shop. If it works out as well as expected, they will open more. It is owned by the same person who owns Planet Hollywood. The story was in today's Orlando Sentinel.

[Moley]

Thanks, kylara and Pammy, :D

It sure is good to get an up to date perspective from local visitors like yourselves. I just wish they had added old Earl and kept Miss Gourmet around to keep him company.

I bought many a present from all that kitchenware in the past. Not sure week old sandwiches will have the same gift appeal with my friends. :P

[AnaME]

Gosh, I hate to go against the tide here, but....
I am glad somethign new is coming. The Gourmet Pantry hasn't been itself in years. When I first visited in 1986 it was a great place with lots of goodies to eat and very little kitchenware. It was our favorite place to go.
Over the years it has tried to be many different things, kitchenware store, candy store etc., and never really made it. I will be sad to see it go, but at the same time I was hopingthey would add a nice eatery. Maybe, if I am lucky the Wofgang Puck Express will leave too. There is a very nice selection of kitchenware all over the World shops and at the Disney home store. We were hoping for a "chicago style" sandwhiches, hot dogs and the likes. We love our food here in the Windy city!