What is the best way to pay: cash, magic band, or gift card? I heard on a podcast that there are separate lines for cash and gift cards. Is one consistently shorter? And where do magic bands fit in?
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Thanks for posting, I need to know this too. My plan was to use gift cards exclusively.
Now if someone could just answer…
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i was also planning on using gift cards or getting the F&W gift card while down there. But it’s my first time too so I’m curious as well.
Magic bands last year worked a charm. Almost too easy to pay, it’s dangerous. Not sure score different lines for cash and credit.
I plan to use either a gift card or Magic Band.
I haven’t been to Food & Wine, though have been to the food booths at Flower & Garden. I paid by MagicBand last year and used Disney gift cards (purchased at Target at 5% off) to pay the balance before I checked out. That went smoothly and I’d do the same again.
Sorry to not have an answer about the separate lines for cash vs. gift card. I’ll be interested to hear what experiences others had with that.
Wow, first Ibam hearing of the two lines being for different payments. I thought they just had two order windows? I have a visa gift card and cash that I will be using so I am very interested if this is true!
Me too. I was listening to the dis unplugged and heard someone say he paid cash for something bc the line was shorter than for using the gift cards. If true, I would bring some cash. I hate lines.
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Funny, I thought I heard a tip on another podcast about two sided lines. We need reports!
We were there last weekend and it was one line for every payment method. A word of warning about trying to use Magic Bands – on Saturday, the Puerto Rico booth had problems with their Magic Band readers, so they weren’t able to accept them. (They worked on Friday night and they were hopeful for Sunday, but Saturday you were just out of luck.) The easiest way to do pay is the wrist gift card – and that way you can also keep to a budget. My concern with a Magic Band is that it is possible to spend > $75 for a person at Food and Wine in a single day and not even realize it. If you have unlimited funds, disregard that advice…and grab a glass of Dom for me. 
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That is very helpful!
There are some booths that have lines on both sides (Japan comes to mind), but they take the same payments either side.
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